Latest Update 12-9-09 Storm's Been Diagnosed & Sunny's Biopsy Results

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi everyone.:) I thought I'd let you know how Storm's been doing. So far he's doing great.:) He's gained his weight back and now his fur looks so much healthier and his skin is also much less dry than it was before. He always tends to get dry flakes but now he barely has any.:) He's still on 5mg of pred and tomorrow he won't be getting any until Mon. Then he'll be getting 5mg of pred every other day for 2 weeks and then I'll talk to my vet and we'll hopefully be able to reduce his dose even more.

I've been feeding him mainly canned food mixed with water and I've been rotating different proteins. He's now getting Innova Evo 95% Venison and Innova Evo 95% Duck. I also tried some Nature's Variety Instinct Lamb which also has lamb liver in it. I've just ordered a case of this and I also decided to order a case of Nature's Variety Instinct Rabbit. The store didn't carry any Rabbit for me to try though. He loves it all but he's always hungry due to the pred. All of my other cats also love these new flavors except for Sunny. Sunny still only wants to eat his 95% Chicken & Turkey but he also loves the Duck.

I try to brush all of my cats teeth at least once a week. I forgot to do it last week so I just did it again tonight. So far it's getting a little easier and they're tolerating it better. Poor Sunny may have a tooth problem though.:( He cried out in pain when I was brushing his teeth. I then noticed that the left side of his chin seems to be a little swollen.:( I wasn't able to get a good look at his lower teeth though so I don't know if he has an abscess or not. Lately he only seems to want to eat his canned food. I mix in some dry with his canned and he's been leaving most of it. I just thought it was because he was being picky. Now it may be because he's been in pain.:(

I called my vets office and my vet works tomorrow but she's booked. I left her a voice mail and I e-mailed her letting her know what's going on with Sunny. Hopefully she'll be able to squeeze me into her schedule tomorrow like she's done in the past. If not then I'll call and try to make an appt. for tomorrow with another vet or I'll go in as an urgent care case. Sunny may now need a dental cleaning.:( Please send him some positive vibes. Thanks.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Well I spoke too soon about Storm.:( He threw up his dinner this morning and even though today was the first day that he wasn't supposed to receive pred, he threw up before the time that I would've given it to him which is 8am. Now both he and Sunny will be going to see my regular vet today at 2:30pm. I'm glad that she's able to squeeze me in today.

I asked about giving him his pred and about feeding him and I was told not to give him his pred and not to feed him. He's been bugging me all morning for food. He may need to have an ultrasound done to see what's going on. Please send some good vibes his way too. I just want all of my cats to stay happy and healthy.

[Pinot's Mom]

Prayers for both Sunny and Storm, poor babies! Keep us posted!:love:

[gini]

Goodness Tracey, you have your hands full don't you? I hope both of your babies will soon be on the mend.

[Randi]

As Gini said, you do have your hands full! :( I'm so sorry that Storm and Sunny are sick, but glad you could get a vet appointment today. Hopefully the vet will find a solution for the both of them.

Fister and I are sending lots of purrs and positive vibes that all goes well and they'll be back home soon feeling a lot better! :love:

Hugs to you, also!

[katladyd]

Prayers are going out for both you and your dear kitties! I know how bad it feels when they are not well. I hope both rebound very quickly.:love:

[Moesha]

Oh dear. You must be going out of your mind. This has been such an ordeal with Storm. I do hope something can be figured out and that Sunny will be feeling better soon also. Will be waiting to hear the update when you get back.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Well I just got home and I was pretty much right about Sunny. He has lost one of his lower molars and he may still have some of the roots left which may be causing an infection.:( His teeth don't look good so my vet suggested that he get his teeth cleaned. She does surgeries on Mondays and she was able to work him in tomorrow so I'll be fasting him tonight after midnight and I'll be dropping him off tomorrow between 7-8am.

My vet said she might have to pull some teeth and maybe even do a biopsy like she did for Storm. He'll most likely be on pain meds and antibiotics when he gets home. They took blood today and he was such a good boy and just sat there very still. Please send some prayers and positive thoughts his way.

My vet wants to do a few blood tests on Storm but he has to be fasted for 12 hours so I'll also be bringing him back tomorrow with Sunny and dropping him off for the day. I think she'll also do an abdominal ultrasound because she didn't have time to do one today. She wants me to start giving him 5mg of pepcid at night and to continue with the 5mg of pred in the morning. Tonight I'm supposed to give him both the pepcid and pred together. Since he's fasting I won't be giving him his pred in the morning.

She also talked about possibly doing an ultrascopic exploratory surgery in the future where you don't open him up but you use an instrument to go inside of him to explore his intestinal tract. He would have to be off of the pred for a while though and then he'd be vomiting all the time. I don't know if I want to put him through this or not. She mentioned the possibility of cancer:( which I don't even want to think about. If he does have some terrible disease, I just want him to be able to be comfortable for as long as possible and have some good quality of life. Please send some prayers and positive thoughts his way. Thanks.

[Medusa]

Oh my, I know how scary this must be for you. Well, have no fear b/c PT is here! Prayers going up right now. Keep the faythe. :love:

[Pinot's Mom]

More prayers for both - good luck tomorrow Storm and Sunny!:love:

[Catty1]

Prayers for both your babies!

Storm has been doing well for the past while...hope something simple is found so he can continue to improve.

Bless you for doing all you can for your boys!:love::love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks everyone.:) Hopefully everything will go well tomorrow. I'll update you when I can.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Well today was a very long day and not a very good Monday for me at work either. I have some good news:) and some potentially very bad news.:( I'll give you the good news first.

Storm's ultrasound was normal. My vet did say that he has a small cyst on one of his kidneys but she's not concerned about it and she did another blood test to check his kidney levels and they're fine.:) She also said that his gall bladder was enlarged but this could be due to fasting or just from old age. Part of his pancreas was also a bit enlarged and this could also be from old age. He already had a test for pancreatitis and this came back normal.

The blood tests that she did on him which were a Vitamin B12 test and a Cobalamin, Folate, TLI were also normal. He also acted normal throughout the day. When I gave him his pred with the 5mg of pepcid last night, he was able to eat without vomiting. He also slept well all night. My vet thinks that just like people, that Storm may be getting a sour stomach at night or maybe even acid refux which is helping to cause his vomiting. For now I'm going to give him 5mg of pepcid at night and his 5mg of pred in the morning. Hopefully this new formula of meds will finally do the trick.:)

I forgot to mention earlier that Storm only weighs 12.9lbs so he hasn't gained as much weight back as I had thought. he should be closer to 14 lbs. I'm sure the pred will help with that but hopefully he won't gain as much weight as my poor RB Starr did. So far he's doing well tonight although he's been hissing at everyone and growling too.

Now for the potentially bad news.:( My Sunny had to have 2 of his upper molars extracted and he's now on pain meds and antibiotics once a day for 10 days. He also has to eat soft food for 7-10 days which shouldn't be a problem because he loves canned food. My vet didn't see any roots left from where Sunny's lower molar was missing so now she's very concerned about what's causing his lower jaw to be swollen. She doesn't think it's being caused by an abscess or an infection. She told me that she fears that he may have cancer.:(

She took a biopsy from his swollen jaw and now there's a suture there that will dissolve or fall out in the next several weeks. She told me that I should know the results on Wed. but the post op instruction paper says that my vet will call me with the results within 3-5 days. My vet called me at work around 4pm and told me this news. It was very hard not to burst into tears.:( When my co-worker came to help me I told her the potentially bad news and then I started crying. She's also my roommate and she's known Sunny for years and he's her buddy. She also took it hard so work today was difficult for both of us.:(

My vet also mentioned that if Sunny's biopsy does come back as cancer then there's a surgery that might be able to be performed where she'd cut his jaw bone in half so he'd only have half a jaw left. She said that cats do very well afterwards but there may be a problem with drooling. The more I think about this the more I don't think that I'd want to put him through something like this. For one I don't think that I could afford the surgery and he just wouldn't be the same. I think that if he does have cancer that I'll just try to make him as comfortable as possible and hopefully he'll be able to be with me for quite a while. Please send some prayers and positive thoughts Sunny's way. Thanks.

[Queen of Poop]

Prayers for both your kitties.

[Killearn Kitties]

Oh Tracey, you have had such a lot to deal with. :(
Prayers for you and all your babies. Take care. :love:

[Moesha]

Oh no! I hate hearing that "C" word, especially in regard to a cat's mouth. If it is any consolation, like your vet told you, cancer on the lower jaw has a better chance of treatment than in other places in the mouth. Morgan's was on the top jaw. But sadly, the surgery to remove the jaw is part of the treatment. I couldn't have done that to Morgan either, even though it wasn't an option for him. I'm glad to hear the good news for Storm but will be anxiously waiting to hear an update on Sunny.

[Medusa]

Well today was a very long day and not a very good Monday for me at work either. I have some good news:) and some potentially very bad news.:( I'll give you the good news first.

Storm's ultrasound was normal. My vet did say that he has a small cyst on one of his kidneys but she's not concerned about it and she did another blood test to check his kidney levels and they're fine.:) She also said that his gall bladder was enlarged but this could be due to fasting or just from old age. Part of his pancreas was also a bit enlarged and this could also be from old age. He already had a test for pancreatitis and this came back normal.

The blood tests that she did on him which were a Vitamin B12 test and a Cobalamin, Folate, TLI were also normal. He also acted normal throughout the day. When I gave him his pred with the 5mg of pepcid last night, he was able to eat without vomiting. He also slept well all night. My vet thinks that just like people, that Storm may be getting a sour stomach at night or maybe even acid refux which is helping to cause his vomiting. For now I'm going to give him 5mg of pepcid at night and his 5mg of pred in the morning. Hopefully this new formula of meds will finally do the trick.:)

I forgot to mention earlier that Storm only weighs 12.9lbs so he hasn't gained as much weight back as I had thought. he should be closer to 14 lbs. I'm sure the pred will help with that but hopefully he won't gain as much weight as my poor RB Starr did. So far he's doing well tonight although he's been hissing at everyone and growling too.

Now for the potentially bad news.:( My Sunny had to have 2 of his upper molars extracted and he's now on pain meds and antibiotics once a day for 10 days. He also has to eat soft food for 7-10 days which shouldn't be a problem because he loves canned food. My vet didn't see any roots left from where Sunny's lower molar was missing so now she's very concerned about what's causing his lower jaw to be swollen. She doesn't think it's being caused by an abscess or an infection. She told me that she fears that he may have cancer.:(

She took a biopsy from his swollen jaw and now there's a suture there that will dissolve or fall out in the next several weeks. She told me that I should know the results on Wed. but the post op instruction paper says that my vet will call me with the results within 3-5 days. My vet called me at work around 4pm and told me this news. It was very hard not to burst into tears.:( When my co-worker came to help me I told her the potentially bad news and then I started crying. She's also my roommate and she's known Sunny for years and he's her buddy. She also took it hard so work today was difficult for both of us.:(

My vet also mentioned that if Sunny's biopsy does come back as cancer then there's a surgery that might be able to be performed where she'd cut his jaw bone in half so he'd only have half a jaw left. She said that cats do very well afterwards but there may be a problem with drooling. The more I think about this the more I don't think that I'd want to put him through something like this. For one I don't think that I could afford the surgery and he just wouldn't be the same. I think that if he does have cancer that I'll just try to make him as comfortable as possible and hopefully he'll be able to be with me for quite a while. Please send some prayers and positive thoughts Sunny's way. Thanks.

Boy, that's a lot to swallow all in one gulp, Tracey. You're dealing w/an awful lot, aren't ya? For the vomiting, have you tried gel caps? This has helped tremendously w/Pidge. She isn't on Pred but her heart meds are very bitter and b/c they're to be halved or quartered, it makes it even worse. So I put them in gel caps and then squirt a little water in her mouth immediately after and she hasn't vomited since. The gel caps dissolve right away. If that doesn't help, there's an anti-nausea med called Metoclopramide syrup that really works.

The possibility of cancer is a tough call. I'd have a tendency to take the route you're thinking of should you get bad news but, of course, I wouldn't want to influence you in any way, just give you the support that you need. Our precious furkids have no voice and we have to make these monumental decisions for them and it just is not easy.

My prayers are continuing for you, Tracey, and your beloved Storm and Sunny. Keep the faythe. :love:

[Catty1]

Here is a thread about Haggis, a kitty who was diagnosed with cancer (the lesion was under his tongue). illustr8tr checked re: Transfer Factor with her vet...Haggis was given only 2 months to live at the time.

July 29, he and his brother Hamish (who sadly passed away not long ago) were at the vet for heatstroke, and Hamish showed no signs of the lesion, and no signs of cancer turned up in his bloodwork.

Have a read, just in case. Prayers that Sunny does not have cancer and that his swollen jaw can be successfully treated for something else. Perhaps the two teeth that needed to be pulled caused some inflammation elsewhere.

HUGS AND PRAYERS. :love::love::love: Good news on Storm.:)


November 3 2008
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=147840&highlight=Haggis

July 29, 2009
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=147840&highlight=Haggis&page=8

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks everyone. I'm trying to stay positive and I'm praying that I'll hear good news about Sunny.:) I forgot to mention that they shaved his chin area and now I can really see the swelling in his lower jaw.:( I just wonder how long it's been like this.

[Pinot's Mom]

Tracey, we're all hoping Sunny gets a good report with you, and that Storm gets better, too!

IF the biopsy comes back (God forbid!) with a bad result for Sunny, please know Moesha and I have both been through it; we'd both be good sounding boards. I don't want to think that way, but I just wanted you to know. Keep us posted! :love:

Maggie

[Moesha]

I have some transfer factor capsules if you would like, I could send some to you. I had some of it compounded, and Morgan would eat it that way. I would be glad to send that to you as well, but I think it may say it needs to be refrigerated.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Tracey, we're all hoping Sunny gets a good report with you, and that Storm gets better, too!

IF the biopsy comes back (God forbid!) with a bad result for Sunny, please know Moesha and I have both been through it; we'd both be good sounding boards. I don't want to think that way, but I just wanted you to know. Keep us posted! :love:

Maggie
Thanks, hopefully his biopsy will come back noncancerous but if not I'm just going to have to be strong and try to keep Sunny as comfortable as possible and cherish the time that I have with him. I think this is the way that he'd want it if he could speak to me.

I have some transfer factor capsules if you would like, I could send some to you. I had some of it compounded, and Morgan would eat it that way. I would be glad to send that to you as well, but I think it may say it needs to be refrigerated.
Thanks for the offer. Let's see what happens first.:)

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi I just received an e-mail from my vet about Storm. I guess I misunderstood her the other day and one of Storm's tests just came back. This is what she said:

Hi.
Storm's vit b12 level is normal but his folate is slightly low. This indicates that he has small intestinal disease that is higher in his intestinal tract and that the pancreas is ok. I think we should supplement him with 400mcg folic acid once daily x 6 weeks. You can get folic acid at most drug stores or GNC. The tabs are usually 800mcg, in which case you give 1/2 tablet daily. It is fine to crush and put in a small amount of chicken baby food or the canned EVO.


Endoscopy would likely be diagnostic, as the disease appears to be in the stomach and first part of the small intestine.


In terms of pred, give him 5 mg once daily x 4 weeks.
I will call when I have the biopsy results for Sunny.
-Rachel

[3Catcondo]

Sending good thoughts your way. I'm sorry that you all are going thru this.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I missed the call from my vet today which is just as well because the results aren't good at all.:( Here is what she e-mailed to me:

Hi Tracey,

The biopsy for Sunny is attached, and it indicates that he has squamous cell carcinoma. The prognosis for this disease is not good, usually months. The tumor tends to grow quiet large and is destructive. We could consider piroxicam, which is a NSAID that supposedly decreases the rate of growth, but it is metabolized by the kidneys and may make it worse. We can talk about it more.


-Rachel

I'm devastated.:( I hope to have more good quality time with Sunny than my vet predicts. I was already planning on taking time off between the Christmas and New Years and also the first week of Jan. so at least I'll get to spend some more time at home with him and the rest of my furkids. Thanks for all of your support.

[AmberLee]

{{{gentle hugs to you, Storm, and Sunny}}} :( :love: :(

[Barbara]

Tracey I am so sorry that I read this only now. I am still away travelling and then normally I have less time for PT.
I am so sorry for Sunny- he was always my favorite among your gang and you know why. And it reminds me of Tigris of course. Let's hope there is some time to say goodbye and to spoil Sunny even more than he is already;).
Lots of kisses to his little head.

[Medusa]

Tracey, do exactly as you had planned, take that time off and spend as much time w/Sunny as possible. This is a lousy break for both of you and I wish I could help in some way other than offering support. Please know that you and Sunny are always in my prayers, those aren't just words w/me, my PT family are always on my mind and in my heart. Keep the faythe. :love:

[Kirsten]

I'm so sorry that you got these devastating news! :(

May you still have a lot of quality time together. I'll keep you in my thoughts!

(((HUGS)))

Kirsten

[Freedom]

Catching up and reading this entire thread for the first time, now. Tracey, I am sorry you are having to cope with all of this, with 2 ill kitties at once!

Hugs to you, and to your roomie.

Gentle rubs to both Storm and Sunny.

Prayers from RI for all of you.

[Queen of Poop]

I'm so sorry. Enjoy that time with him. Please give him a big hug from me. You with both be in my thoughts.

[Anikaca77]

I'm so sorry to read the results about Sunny.

I have tears in my eyes right now. It's never easy to get bad news ever. My prays that you are able to make him comfortable until his time. Hugs and prays for you and the rest of your furkids.

Melissa

[smokey the elder]

I'm so sorry about Sunny! You've had a tough year with your babies.

[Prairie Purrs]

I'm so sorry. It's just heartbreaking news.

I hope Sunny can stay comfortable for as long as possible. It's good that you'll have some time off work to spend with him. Whatever happens, he knows that he's a cherished kitty.

My thoughts are with you and sweet Sunny.

[emily_the_spoiled]

I am so very sorry to read about Sunny. Right now you just need to make the both of you comfortable and spend as much time as you can together...:(

[Taz_Zoee]

Oh no! I am typing through my tears. I am so so sorry to hear this news. Tracey, please let me know if you need anything. I am not that far away from you and can help in any way needed.

Hugs to you and the kitties.

[Catty1]

Tracey, I am SOOO sorry!:(

It can't hurt to try the transfer factor. Get in touch with Moesha.

HUGS and PT Prayers for Sunny. They have worked miracles before.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks everyone. I'm in tears again.:( Sunny's still eating well but he's still being very quiet for my Sunny boy. I'm also having a problem with both of my girls. They're still hissing and growling at poor Sunny and Pearl doesn't want to leave him alone.:( I thought at first that it was because he smelled like the vets but this usually just lasts one day. I think they know that he's very sick and weaker now.:( Ziggy also hisses at Storm but Storm is starting to chase her so I do understand the reason for this. Thanks for all of the emotional support. I really appreciate it.

[gini]

God love you Tracey. This is just too much all at once. I am so sorry.:love:

[Edwina's Secretary]

Tracey...I am thinking good thoughts for you and your brood. I am so sorry you are having such a bad time....

[Cataholic]

Tracey, I am so very, very sorry to hear this news. I will hold you and your crew in my thoughts and prayers.

Johanna

[catmandu]

What a sda story about Poor Sunny.
Is Sunny a Senior Kittyzen?
That sort of opertaion would be so hard on him ,I dont think I would have that done with Michael, Princess or Joseph either.:(
We are glad Stormys doing better.
Many Prayers , Head Bumps and Kitty Kissies are coming from All Of Us at The Found Cats Hotel!!!
:love::love::love::love:

[phesina]

Tracey, I am so very sorry. Love and prayers and candles for you and your brood.

Big hugs and purrs,
Pat and cats

[cassiesmom]

Big Prayers for Sunny and Storm.

[krazyaboutkatz]

What a sda story about Poor Sunny.
Is Sunny a Senior Kittyzen?
That sort of opertaion would be so hard on him ,I dont think I would have that done with Michael, Princess or Joseph either.:(
We are glad Stormys doing better.
Many Prayers , Head Bumps and Kitty Kissies are coming from All Of Us at The Found Cats Hotel!!!
:love::love::love::love:
Yes, my Sunny is only a little over 9 years old which does make him a senior but a young one at that.

Thanks everyone. The good news is that Sunny is still eating well. He also started meowing more and is acting more like his old self tonight. If he starts howling later tonight, then I'll know he's feeling good today.:) So far Storm's doing better too.:)

My wonderful caring compassionate vet e-mailed me today and said that she wants to call me on Sun. to talk more about Sunny. She works from Sun.-Wed. but will also e-mail me on her days off. Hopefully I'll learn more about what I can do to make him as comfortable as possible. Unfortunately cats don't do well on most pain meds.

[Moesha]

My vet gave Morgan a pain medicine called Torb or something like that after his tumor was removed. It is a narcotic. Then when he was still having trouble eating, they gave him some Metacam, even though it isn't usually given to cats due to other side effects, like the liver problems. We tried it with Morgan because we were dealing with a cancer patient, and thought that the benefits outweighed the possible risks at that point.

[Medusa]

My vet gave Morgan a pain medicine called Torb or something like that after his tumor was removed. It is a narcotic. Then when he was still having trouble eating, they gave him some Metacam, even though it isn't usually given to cats due to other side effects, like the liver problems. We tried it with Morgan because we were dealing with a cancer patient, and thought that the benefits outweighed the possible risks at that point.

Yes, my Puddy was on that drug; it's called Torbutrol and it's very effective for pain management but it did make her quite uncoordinated and out of it. She had to be isolated b/c she wasn't allowed to be near stairs or in any danger of falling and getting hurt. :)

[jennielynn1970]

Oh Tracey, I'm so sorry to be reading all of this now. I hardly ever venture over to the health section (it gets me all teary eyed at work), but I wish I would have seen this earlier.

I'll be keeping you, Storm, and especially Sunny, in my thoughts and prayers. I hope that everything will work out ok for Sunny, that poor sweet boy.

Hugs to you and all your fur kids.

[smokey the elder]

I googled feline cancer and there were some links about treatment (clinical trials) of oral squamous cell carcinoma. For example there is research at the University of Pennsylvania vet school: http://www.vet.upenn.edu/

[wolf_Q]

I'm very sorry to hear this. :( I hope you will have as much time as possible with Sunny. Sending good vibes to Sunny, Storm, and you. {{HUGS}}

[katladyd]

I am sending up prayers for all of you. I would try the transfer factor, it sure couldn't hurt and there have been some amazing results from it. Hang in there, we all care very much!:love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks everyone.:) Sunny's having a good day today. He was very hungry this morning and I'll be feeding him some more canned food in a few minutes. Pearl has taken over the howling at night routine and it's driving me crazy. She's also still being very nasty towards Sunny.:( Ziggy is being a bit nicer towards him today.

I also got some very good news from my vet about Storm's prognosis. I asked her a few questions about the pred and Folic Acid supplements and this is what her response was:

We will carefully wean Storm off of the pred over a period of months. He may need some level of pred life long, but we will attempt to wean it down to the lowest effective dose.


I usually give the folic acid for 6 weeks and try to get the underlying disorder under control (with the pred). Hopefully by then he will be stabilized, which means his intestine is working normally again, which theoretically means he does not need to be supplemented further because his intestine can absorb it normally again. So, if he is not vomting and acting normal in 6 weeks, we may just stop and not necessairaly retest. We will see how it goes.

Hopefully his intestine will start working normally again and he won't vomit any more. So far so good but he's a mighty hungry boy these days.:)

[Barbara]

Good to hear about Storm. I am sorry to hear that Pearl is aggressive towards Sunny:( I must admit- this is how I could have learned earlier that something was wrong with Tigris. Tigris had always been bullying Filou (not all the time, but once in a while) and some weeks before we noticed Tigris was sick I was surprised to see that Filou chased him and pounced on him.
These kitties have not invented the idea of pity- they rather do not want a sick member of the gang around :(
But it's good to hear that Sunny eats.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Good to hear about Storm. I am sorry to hear that Pearl is aggressive towards Sunny:( I must admit- this is how I could have learned earlier that something was wrong with Tigris. Tigris had always been bullying Filou (not all the time, but once in a while) and some weeks before we noticed Tigris was sick I was surprised to see that Filou chased him and pounced on him.
These kitties have not invented the idea of pity- they rather do not want a sick member of the gang around :(
But it's good to hear that Sunny eats.

Thanks Barbara. Storm had a bit of a relapse on Fri. night because I had stopped giving him 5mg of pepcid at night since my vet told me to stop. Now he's back on the pepcid for at least 4 weeks and he's doing well. He licked Ziggy's head this morning so I thought that they were finally being friendly again. Then a bit later Storm's chasing her again and making her growl and hiss.

Sunny's doing great and has even started howling again in the hall way and lining his mice up for some one to play with him. He's also still eating very well. He even jumped up on his 7' cat tree yesterday.:) If I didn't know any better I wouldn't think that there was anything wrong with him. I hope that he can continue like this for quite a while.

Pearl is being a bit nicer towards Sunny but she can be nasty towards all of the cats at times. She may be little but she can be very aggressive and bossy.:( Then she can also be very loving and nuturing. I think she's aware that Sunny is feeling better so she's not picking on him as much.

I'm still waiting for my vet to call me. She said that she'd try to call me some time before 12pm so hopefully she'll call soon. She only works until 5pm. I'll update you later about things. Thanks again for all of the emotional support.:)

[Catty1]

Are you going to give the Transfer Factor a try, hon?

HUGS to Storm, I hope he'll be back on top of things, and good to hear that Sunny is yelling! :)

[Catlady711]

Sorry to hear the results came back cancerous. Sending good thoughts for you and Storm.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Are you going to give the Transfer Factor a try, hon?

HUGS to Storm, I hope he'll be back on top of things, and good to hear that Sunny is yelling! :)
No, I've decided not to. I've heard that it tastes very nasty and I don't want to force this on him. I also remember that Emeraldgreen's cat Tiger also had this form of cancer and she tried this on him without any luck. I researched many holistic sites and nothing will cure this cancer or any cancer. It only prolongs the inevitable.:(


Sorry to hear the results came back cancerous. Sending good thoughts for you and Storm.
Thanks Catlady711.

My vet called me a little while ago. She's been so busy today and she had to do 2 surgeries. She told me that there's not much that can be done with this type of cancer. Surgery isn't recommended because they can't get clean margins so it just comes back. She could refer me to an oncologist to possibly put Sunny through radiation or chemotherapy but this has no guarantee of working and it's very expensive. I'm already in a lot of debt so I just can't afford this kind of treatment.

I've decided to just do nothing at this point except to enjoy my Sunny boy and cherish every momemt that I have with him. I'll keep my vet updated monthly about him and when he needs some pain meds then I'll give them to him. My vet said that I may have 3-5 months left with him. She also said that his kidney values are on the high normal side. This is why I don't want to use any pain meds that will attack his kidneys because then I'd have much less time with him. We can use pain patches or the Buprenex that I was giving him after his dental. I hope that you don't think that I'm a bad cat meowmie by making this decision. Thanks again for all of the emotional support.

[Catty1]

Re: the Transfer Factor...Emeraldgreen's cat definitely did not like the taste, and took very little of it, which is a factor. EG told me later that the vets did believe what he did take gave him more time.

illustr8r's Haggis took it very well and was cancer-free at the last test.

Just a thought - if Moesha has just a few caps, why not see if Sunny will take it? It will cost you nothing to find out.

Here's a link direct to the study smokey the elder was talking about. Perhaps there is a similar study in CA? They might know.

http://research.vet.upenn.edu/ClinicalStudies/CurrentClinicalStudies/tabid/4518/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/6/Feline-Oral-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma.aspx


Feline Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Study Investigating New Drug Safety and Effects on Feline Oral Squamous Cell Carinoma (SCC)
Principal Investigator: John Lewis, VMD, FAVD, Dipl. AVDC

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common oral cancer in cats and people. In cats, it is a devastating disease with a median survival time of approximately 60 days. Penn Vet recently received a generous gift in memory of "Bud", a cat affected by maxillary SCC, with the establishment of the Squamous Cell Carcinoma Research Fund.
With this fund, the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital Dentistry and Oral Surgery service is currently recruiting cats diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma to be included in a new study evaluating the toxicity and efficacy of two polyamine inhibitor drugs, 2-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and MQT 1569.

Polyamines are compounds found in cells that play a role in cell replication and growth. Polyamines are often elevated in tumor cells. By administering the two drugs, DFMO and MQT 1569, and preventing polyamines from working, the study hopes to find that tumor growth is delayed or halted.
Eligibility:

* your cat must have been diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma with a biopsy
* you have opted not to have surgery performed to remove the tumor or pursue other chemotherapy or radiation treatment, either by your veterinarian’s advice or your own choice
* if your cat previously had surgery to remove a squamous cell carcinoma and the cancer has recurred, he or she is still eligible
* your cat must have a reasonably good appetite and you must be willing and able to give oral liquid medication three times per day

Benefits to enrolling your cat in this study include a physical exam at each visit; blood work including complete blood count, chemistry screen, and thyroid level; urinalysis; chest x-rays; dental x-rays; a CT-scan of the head; lymph node aspirates and repeat tumor biopsies at no charge. You will also be supplied with the investigational medications at no charge.

You must be able to bring your cat to MJR-VHUP for the initial visit, a follow-up visit two weeks later and the final visit one month from the initial visit.

If you are interested in learning more about this study, please contact the Veterinary Clinical Investigations Center at 215-573-0302 or [email protected]

[Moesha]

I absolutely don't think you are a bad cat meowmie! I think you've weighed all the factors involved and are doing the very best that you can for Sunny. Each and every case is unique. Only you know all the different factors and none of us are in any position to judge you for whatever decision you make. (Not that I feel that anyone has judged you at all!) I know it was so frustrating for me trying to get Morgan to eat the Transfer Factor, and it had no positive results in my case. I'm very glad for those that it has worked for.
KAK and I discussed it, and I'm sending the unused Transfer Factor to a friend of mine in North Carolina. She found out last week that her 3 year old Basset Hound has lymphoma. He's going to go through treatments that have an 80% chance of remission, but they still don't think he'll have more than a couple of years. So in addition to the the treatment, she's going to try the Transfer Factor and hopefully get more time with her Wilson.

[Catty1]

Long Beach Hospital

This is what they use for Squamous Cell Carcinoma


We routinely perform this surgery using the carbon dioxide laser. The significant advantages are minimal bleeding during the surgery, negligible post operative pain, and no need to put sutures in for some cases. This short QuickTime movie below shows the initial incision with the laser, and just prior to suturing- note the lack of blood. Make sure you have QuickTime from apple.com on your machine and double click the box below.


A new and promising treatment for SCC is called Photo Dynamic Therapy. It involves the use of a laser beam to selectively destroy cancerous tissue only. An injection of photosensitive chemical is given to a pet that has SCC. The only cells that absorb this chemical are the cancerous ones. It is only these cells that are destroyed by the laser, the laser beam harmlessly passes through the normal cells that do not absorb the photosensitive chemical. If one of our doctors feels that this therapy is appropriate, they will let you know. It is considered experimental therapy, and is performed locally only at the Beckman Laser Institute at the University of California at Irvine, on a referral basis only.


Their website is kinda basic, but here is the contact info:
Long Beach Animal Hospital
3816 E. Anaheim St.
Long Beach, CA 90804
(562) 434-9966
Fax (562) 597-4226

We are open M-TH 7:30 AM to 9 PM
Friday 7:30 AM to 8 PM
Saturday 8 AM to 6 PM
Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM

http://lbah.com/patients.html Cute pics of people and their pet patients!

You know your friends here would do some fund-raising. If you don't want a second opinion, that is cool. But I did some searching and found this.

They have pictures of before and after surgery that are not gross or bloody at all...but they could upset a sensitive constitution.

{{{hugs}}}

[Moesha]

Excellent research, Catty. That is certainly one area where you excel. You try very hard to help all of us know all of the different options available with different situations.

[Pinot's Mom]

Tracey you are definitely not a bad Mom! The decisions regarding this disease and your kitty are yours and yours alone. We all respect that. ((((hugs)))) for you both.:love:

[slick]

Tracey: I applaud your decision!! **clap clap**
With such a short time left, the only thing to do in my opinion is to enjoy and appreciate each day you have with your dear boy. Quality of life is what really matters and sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

This has been a very difficult year for you. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Luv
Slick :love::love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

I absolutely don't think you are a bad cat meowmie! I think you've weighed all the factors involved and are doing the very best that you can for Sunny. Each and every case is unique. Only you know all the different factors and none of us are in any position to judge you for whatever decision you make. (Not that I feel that anyone has judged you at all!) I know it was so frustrating for me trying to get Morgan to eat the Transfer Factor, and it had no positive results in my case. I'm very glad for those that it has worked for.
KAK and I discussed it, and I'm sending the unused Transfer Factor to a friend of mine in North Carolina. She found out last week that her 3 year old Basset Hound has lymphoma. He's going to go through treatments that have an 80% chance of remission, but they still don't think he'll have more than a couple of years. So in addition to the the treatment, she's going to try the Transfer Factor and hopefully get more time with her Wilson.
Thanks. Hopefully your unused Transfer Factor will be able to help Wilson.


Tracey you are definitely not a bad Mom! The decisions regarding this disease and your kitty are yours and yours alone. We all respect that. ((((hugs)))) for you both.:love:
Thanks so much Maggie. You've been a wonderful friend through all of this.

Tracey: I applaud your decision!! **clap clap**
With such a short time left, the only thing to do in my opinion is to enjoy and appreciate each day you have with your dear boy. Quality of life is what really matters and sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

This has been a very difficult year for you. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Luv
Slick :love::love:
Thanks Slick. I know that you totally understand what I'm going through and I hope that you and Max will have a lot more quality time together too.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Long Beach Hospital

This is what they use for Squamous Cell Carcinoma






Their website is kinda basic, but here is the contact info:
Long Beach Animal Hospital
3816 E. Anaheim St.
Long Beach, CA 90804
(562) 434-9966
Fax (562) 597-4226

We are open M-TH 7:30 AM to 9 PM
Friday 7:30 AM to 8 PM
Saturday 8 AM to 6 PM
Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM

http://lbah.com/patients.html Cute pics of people and their pet patients!

You know your friends here would do some fund-raising. If you don't want a second opinion, that is cool. But I did some searching and found this.

They have pictures of before and after surgery that are not gross or bloody at all...but they could upset a sensitive constitution.

{{{hugs}}}
Candace, thanks for all of the research that you've done. I do appreciate it. You do have to understand that CA is a huge state and I live in the Northern part and Long Beach is in Southern CA. I think it's about 8-10 hours away from me.

Like Slick said "quality of life is what matters and sometimes the cure is worse than the disease". I totally agree and I just want to make my Sunny as comfortable as possible and when his quality of life is gone then it's time to say goodbye. I'll never keep an animal alive just for my sake. In my eyes it's just plain cruel.

[ChrisH]

No, not your beautiful Sunny boy. :( Tracey I am so, so, sorry. :( Both of you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Tracey: I applaud your decision!! **clap clap**
With such a short time left, the only thing to do in my opinion is to enjoy and appreciate each day you have with your dear boy. Quality of life is what really matters and sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.
For what it's worth I totally agree with slick, in similar circumstances it is what I would to do for my Bob and Ebbs.

Much love.

[Medusa]

Tracey, everyone knows what a good mom you are, so no worries there, my friend. You're doing what's best for Sunny and that's true love. The right decision isn't always the easiest decision. Prayers are continuing. Keep the faythe. :love:

[Scooter's Mom]

I wanted to come over to this thread and let you know I read this last week but haven't posted. I have not stopped praying for you and your babies. You'll all be in my prayers...

Many good thoughts and prayers being sent your way.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks Chris, Mary, and Scooter's Mom.

[Grace]

I've decided to just do nothing at this point except to enjoy my Sunny boy and cherish every momemt that I have with him. I'll keep my vet updated monthly about him and when he needs some pain meds then I'll give them to him. My vet said that I may have 3-5 months left with him. She also said that his kidney values are on the high normal side. This is why I don't want to use any pain meds that will attack his kidneys because then I'd have much less time with him. We can use pain patches or the Buprenex that I was giving him after his dental. I hope that you don't think that I'm a bad cat meowmie by making this decision. Thanks again for all of the emotional support.

Bravo Tracey!!

This is exactly what we will do if a similar situation arises with one of our cats.

[Pinot's Mom]

You just let me know if there's anything I can do, or if you need any information from me. My prayers are with you and Sunny. If you drop off, you know I'll be contacting you!

:love:Maggie

[Catty1]

Sorry, Tracey.

The photodynamic thing looked really hopeful to me, as a dye is injected that lights up the cancer cells, and the laser is trained to hit THOSE cells, not the healthy ones. The dye is a newer development.

Kaiser Permanente uses PDT, as do many dermatologists. Whether a researcher at KP would give this a go, or know a vet who would, I don't know.

It was just a thought...it seemed non-invasive, no "surgery" as such, and effective and I thought there might be a hope.

Hugs to Sunny. :(:love::love::love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

Bravo Tracey!!

This is exactly what we will do if a similar situation arises with one of our cats.
Thanks Grace. I'm glad that to hear this and that you understand.:)

You just let me know if there's anything I can do, or if you need any information from me. My prayers are with you and Sunny. If you drop off, you know I'll be contacting you!

:love:Maggie
Thanks so much Maggie.:) I most likely will have some questions for you in the future.

Sorry, Tracey.

The photodynamic thing looked really hopeful to me, as a dye is injected that lights up the cancer cells, and the laser is trained to hit THOSE cells, not the healthy ones. The dye is a newer development.

Kaiser Permanente uses PDT, as do many dermatologists. Whether a researcher at KP would give this a go, or know a vet who would, I don't know.

It was just a thought...it seemed non-invasive, no "surgery" as such, and effective and I thought there might be a hope.

Hugs to Sunny. :(:love::love::love:
Candace, I know that you only meant to provide me with information that could possibly help my Sunny. I'm sure that if there was a vet out in my area that did this that my vet would know about it. She specializes in felines, is preparing to become board certified in feline medicine,which she may have already done,and she's also doing a fellowship at U.C. Davis. Thanks for your research work.:)

[Nomilynn]

I wish I knew what to say.. I feel kind of at a loss for words. You are in my thoughts though, and my prayers daily. :love:

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Oh no.......... , I just saw this thread because you made a crss-thread on cat General.....
I'm so sorry Tracey...! Sunny is still a youngster in my eyes, 9 years isn't that old yet :( . I completely agree with what you've decided to do! Enjoy Sunny as much as you can, and make his last months with you as comfortable as possible! I'm sending you tons of hugs!!!
Please give Storm and the others a good hug too! Maya wants to know how her Sky is doing;). She hopes he is NOT hissing at poor Sunny :D

[krazyaboutkatz]

I wish I knew what to say.. I feel kind of at a loss for words. You are in my thoughts though, and my prayers daily. :love:
Thanks Naomi.:)


Oh no.......... , I just saw this thread because you made a crss-thread on cat General.....
I'm so sorry Tracey...! Sunny is still a youngster in my eyes, 9 years isn't that old yet :( . I completely agree with what you've decided to do! Enjoy Sunny as much as you can, and make his last months with you as comfortable as possible! I'm sending you tons of hugs!!!
Please give Storm and the others a good hug too! Maya wants to know how her Sky is doing;). She hopes he is NOT hissing at poor Sunny :D
Thanks Lut.:) No,Sky has been a very good brother and he hasn't been hissing or growling at Sunny. Sky's doing fine except for his occasional sneezing and stuffy nose from allergies.

[GILL]

The CREW sends thier prayers for you and Sunny

[krazyaboutkatz]

The CREW sends thier prayers for you and Sunny
Thanks GILL.

[Medusa]

How is everyone doing this morning, including you, Tracey? :love:

[Barbara]

No, I've decided not to. I've heard that it tastes very nasty and I don't want to force this on him. I also remember that Emeraldgreen's cat Tiger also had this form of cancer and she tried this on him without any luck. I researched many holistic sites and nothing will cure this cancer or any cancer. It only prolongs the inevitable.:(




My vet called me a little while ago. She's been so busy today and she had to do 2 surgeries. She told me that there's not much that can be done with this type of cancer. Surgery isn't recommended because they can't get clean margins so it just comes back. She could refer me to an oncologist to possibly put Sunny through radiation or chemotherapy but this has no guarantee of working and it's very expensive. I'm already in a lot of debt so I just can't afford this kind of treatment.

I've decided to just do nothing at this point except to enjoy my Sunny boy and cherish every momemt that I have with him. I'll keep my vet updated monthly about him and when he needs some pain meds then I'll give them to him. My vet said that I may have 3-5 months left with him. She also said that his kidney values are on the high normal side. This is why I don't want to use any pain meds that will attack his kidneys because then I'd have much less time with him. We can use pain patches or the Buprenex that I was giving him after his dental. I hope that you don't think that I'm a bad cat meowmie by making this decision. Thanks again for all of the emotional support.

I am completely with you. I am very unhappy that Tigris had to go through that biopsy - but without that we hadn't even known whether it was cancer and the vet and we both hoped it would be something treatable. But when you know this already I would never put him through surgery, radiation, bad tasting medicine or anything the like. Sunny is happy now and will be ok to go in some time. You will by no means be ready and the pain will stay fresh for a long time but this is the thing we have to suffer for our love.

[gini]

Tracey - your story is very close to home for me. I have been where you are.

All I can say is that the time you have with Sunny will become one of your fondest memories. What is ahead is not pleasant - but as Barbara said,
when we love our animals as we do - this is just part of it.

You have my prayers and good thoughts of comfort for you and Sunny.

[krazyaboutkatz]

How is everyone doing this morning, including you, Tracey? :love:
Hi Mary, thanks for asking. I'm doing okay and Sunny is still doing well.:) He's still eating well and he talks to me and some times he'll also do his howling in the hall way. I haven't seen him run around and play with his siblings though.

Yesterday he slept a lot more and I think that his tumor is already starting to get a bit bigger.:( We had a nice cuddle session this morning before I got up and I'm really going to miss this. I only have 6 more days of work this year,if I have to work on Sat. then it would be 7,and then I'll be able to be home and enjoy my Sunny and hopefully we'll have some good quality time together.

I really do need to charge my batteries and take some pictures of him before he gets too bad and also the rest of my cats. Time goes by so quickly and I'd hate to miss out on taking some more memorable pictures.

I am completely with you. I am very unhappy that Tigris had to go through that biopsy - but without that we hadn't even known whether it was cancer and the vet and we both hoped it would be something treatable. But when you know this already I would never put him through surgery, radiation, bad tasting medicine or anything the like. Sunny is happy now and will be ok to go in some time. You will by no means be ready and the pain will stay fresh for a long time but this is the thing we have to suffer for our love.
Thanks Barbara. I know you understand what I'm going through.

Tracey - your story is very close to home for me. I have been where you are.

All I can say is that the time you have with Sunny will become one of your fondest memories. What is ahead is not pleasant - but as Barbara said,
when we love our animals as we do - this is just part of it.

You have my prayers and good thoughts of comfort for you and Sunny.
Thanks Gini. I hope to have many wonderful memories of my Sunny boy.

[Pinot's Mom]

Pictures now are a very good idea. As Gini said, what is ahead is not pleasant, and you don't want to look back and regret not taking them. Enjoy the cuddles and time with Sunny.:love:

[Kirsten]

... But when you know this already I would never put him through surgery, radiation, bad tasting medicine or anything the like. Sunny is happy now and will be ok to go in some time. You will by no means be ready and the pain will stay fresh for a long time but this is the thing we have to suffer for our love.

I agree! I think with a diagnosis like that, I think the best you can do is to give your kitty as much quality time as possible. At least this is what I would most likely do if it happened to one of my girls...

Kirsten

[Anikaca77]

My prays are still coming for both Storm and Sunny.

Melissa

[Pinot's Mom]

How are Sunny and Storm?

[krazyaboutkatz]

How are Sunny and Storm?
Hi Maggie. Thanks for asking.:) So far both of them are doing well.:) Sunny is sleeping a bit more than usual and he still isn't running and playing with his siblings but he does everything else normally. He seems like he wants to play because he'll howl in the hall way and he'll have mice with him but if one of his siblings starts to play with him he'll run away. He may be playing when I'm not watching him though.

Storm gave me a bit of a scare today. He was using the litter box and nothing was coming out. He then hopped out of the box and small piece of poo fell off of him onto my carpet. I then thought that he was constipated so I opened up a can of pumpkin. Storm doesn't like it so I had to put some in his mouth. Sky and Ziggy came over and also ate some because they love it. Then Storm went to another litter box and he made a big pile of poo in it. Now there's no way that the pumpkin could work that fast so he must be okay now.:) Sorry for being so graphic.:o

I have my batteries charged so I hope to be able to take some good pictures soon. I like to take them during the day so hopefully I'll be able to take some good pictures tomorrow. Thanks again everyone for continuing to send prayers to both Storm and Sunny.:)

[krazyaboutkatz]

Here are some new pictures of my Sunny boy: http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=157907. He's still looking good and acting normal.:)

[katladyd]

At first, I wondered why you didn't want to go with agressive treatments for Sunny. Mind you, I thought that was entirely your decision and I wasn't going to say anything, I just wondered why you wouldn't at least try chemo. Well, I know a lady who is currently being sent to see a specialist because they fear she has the same cancer Sunny has. She worked for years in the medical profession and she told me she wanted nothing to do with the surgery or chemo. She said the surgery was horrendous and the canceer many times came back. She also told me the chemo was often ineffectual and made you very sick. Though I know cats react much bette to chemo than humans, Sunny would still not feel well. She says if they find cancer in her jaw, she just wants radiation therapy, nothing else. After she filled me in on the details of just what the operation and chemo would be like, I thought of Sunny and realized you were doing the kind thing. You must love all of your cats very much because you put Sunny's comfort ahead of your feelings. Prayers are going out for all of you and may you have many happy months left with Sunny!:love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

At first, I wondered why you didn't want to go with agressive treatments for Sunny. Mind you, I thought that was entirely your decision and I wasn't going to say anything, I just wondered why you wouldn't at least try chemo. Well, I know a lady who is currently being sent to see a specialist because they fear she has the same cancer Sunny has. She worked for years in the medical profession and she told me she wanted nothing to do with the surgery or chemo. She said the surgery was horrendous and the canceer many times came back. She also told me the chemo was often ineffectual and made you very sick. Though I know cats react much bette to chemo than humans, Sunny would still not feel well. She says if they find cancer in her jaw, she just wants radiation therapy, nothing else. After she filled me in on the details of just what the operation and chemo would be like, I thought of Sunny and realized you were doing the kind thing. You must love all of your cats very much because you put Sunny's comfort ahead of your feelings. Prayers are going out for all of you and may you have many happy months left with Sunny!:love:

Thanks. Yes, I want my Sunny to remain as comfortable as possible and to live the rest of his life as normally as he can. When he stops eating or is in too much pain then I'll know that it's time to let him go. I would hate to keep him alive with no quality of life just for the sake of me. Even though it'll be hard to say goodbye, I want him to know that I'm making this choice because I love him so much. I'm glad that you now understand why I'm making this choice.

[Kirsten]

Even though it'll be hard to say goodbye, I want him to know that I'm making this choice because I love him so much. I'm glad that you now understand why I'm making this choice.

I totally understand your decision! I guess I would do the same, at least with that kind of cancer and no chance of the tumor being removed.

How is Sunny today? Do the girls leave him alone meanwhile?

Kirsten

[krazyaboutkatz]

I totally understand your decision! I guess I would do the same, at least with that kind of cancer and no chance of the tumor being removed.

How is Sunny today? Do the girls leave him alone meanwhile?

Kirsten
He's doing very well right now. He's eating well and making his howling noises in the hall way because he wants to play. Yes, the girls are finally acting normally towards him again.:) You can see some new pictures of him and the rest of my cats in cat general. I even have one of Pearl cuddling up with Sunny.:)

[cassiesmom]

Prayers and a candle for precious Sunny.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=9855188

[Catlady711]

I totally understand your decision not to put Sunny through aggressive treatment options.

My grandpa had cancer, can't remember which kind though. They gave him 6mo-1year. He underwent a treatment which had him right down in bed. He didn't eat, didn't do anything he enjoyed doing, and basically had to stay in bed, that really stinks when you're an outdoor kinda person. He'd just start to feeling better in time for the next treatment and the cycle would repeat. He decided that was enough and stopped treatments after only 2. He lived about a year after that and most of it he was in good health and spirits. He got to travel, spend time at his place at the lake, go fishing, ride on his pontoon, and visit with the family. He was only in bad shape the last week or so of his life. He didn't regret a minute of it. He said he'd rather live a shorter time doing what he liked to do and spending time with people, than to live a long time and be sick and not enjoy a minute of it. Sorry for the long story, but I really do understand.

Sunny is a beautiful kitty and has a wonderful meowmy looking after him. You're actually fortunate that you know in advance that his time is shorter so you can spend alot of time with him now. I found that with my Dusty I was able to 'pre-grieve' which helped a bit when she did pass, and I wasn't left with any guilty feelings. I always worry more about losing a kitty suddenly with no time for goodbye's. Maybe that doesn't make much sense, but for me the 'pre-grieving' did make things a bit easier when the time came.

I hope you two enjoy whatever time you have left together, take lots of pictures, and remember you are doing what is best for Sunny in the long run. He's had a happy life with you and I'm sure he has no regrets about your decision.

I'll stop here because I'm getting LES typing this.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Prayers and a candle for precious Sunny.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=9855188
Thanks so much I really appreciate this.:)

I totally understand your decision not to put Sunny through aggressive treatment options.

My grandpa had cancer, can't remember which kind though. They gave him 6mo-1year. He underwent a treatment which had him right down in bed. He didn't eat, didn't do anything he enjoyed doing, and basically had to stay in bed, that really stinks when you're an outdoor kinda person. He'd just start to feeling better in time for the next treatment and the cycle would repeat. He decided that was enough and stopped treatments after only 2. He lived about a year after that and most of it he was in good health and spirits. He got to travel, spend time at his place at the lake, go fishing, ride on his pontoon, and visit with the family. He was only in bad shape the last week or so of his life. He didn't regret a minute of it. He said he'd rather live a shorter time doing what he liked to do and spending time with people, than to live a long time and be sick and not enjoy a minute of it. Sorry for the long story, but I really do understand.

Sunny is a beautiful kitty and has a wonderful meowmy looking after him. You're actually fortunate that you know in advance that his time is shorter so you can spend alot of time with him now. I found that with my Dusty I was able to 'pre-grieve' which helped a bit when she did pass, and I wasn't left with any guilty feelings. I always worry more about losing a kitty suddenly with no time for goodbye's. Maybe that doesn't make much sense, but for me the 'pre-grieving' did make things a bit easier when the time came.

I hope you two enjoy whatever time you have left together, take lots of pictures, and remember you are doing what is best for Sunny in the long run. He's had a happy life with you and I'm sure he has no regrets about your decision.

I'll stop here because I'm getting LES typing this.
Thanks. I'm glad that you understand my decision.:)