Halo - Fibrosarcoma from microchip? Update #71

[kuhio98]

Even though I stopped posting on Pet Talk a few months ago, I feel responsible for giving you guys an update on what’s going on with Halo. Especially, since Bobcat and I made a point of encouraging everyone to get their pets microchipped.

Many long-time PT’ers may remember that we lost Kuhio after the shelter put her to sleep the day after we were there looking for her. Due to a “clerical error” they had no record of her being in the shelter and she was not in any of the rooms we were told to search. She was in the Clinic – 10 feet away from where we were standing. We had no idea the room existed – and we were not told to search for her there. The details of Kuhio’s story are here: http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=41856
And here: http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=85212

A month after losing Kuhio, Bobcat went to the same shelter and adopted Halo. She had a rough beginning as she had recently given birth and had an upper respiratory infection. After she was fit and well, we made sure she was microchipped to increase the chances that we would be reunited, should she ever be lost.

Since then, we’ve adopted Cammie, Pepper, Willow and Willy. All of them were chipped before we adopted them. They are all fine and healthy and have not had any medical problems.

But, after 8 years, sweet Halo has been diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer. Fibrosarcoma has developed at the microchip site. It completely encapsulated the chip. The tumor grew so large, so quickly…….. From what we’ve been told, fibrosarcoma is not the kind of cancer that gets into the bloodstream and gets into other organs. Tests and scans have revealed that all of Halo’s organs are healthy. But, fibrosarcoma grows “roots”. It is very difficult to get it all out because threads/roots may still exist at the microscopic level. For some reason, I keep picturing dandelions. Those roots are hard to kill!

Halo had surgery on May 17th. The tumor was huge. Halo had a pain patch and took antibiotics for 10 days. She recovered well and was back to her sweet, shy self. She was a frisky kitten again and chased her own tail and attacked my toes under the covers. I think she was doing everything possible to let us know that she felt good and she did not want to go back to the white coats again.

Surgery #1 – May 17th http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/kuhio98/Kuhio%20Halo%20Cammie/?action=view&current=May059.jpg

She continued to recover and felt well. But, when I returned home from work in Prudhoe on July 1st, I felt a lump about the size of a grape between her shoulder blades at the top of the healed incision. We took her to the vet (she was terrified and peed all over me). The vet felt the lump and was sure it was fluid filled. He drained it and sent it off to the lab for testing. We took Halo back to the vet a week later for the results. The lab found no sign of cancer. Instead it was an infection of some kind, perhaps from a suture that didn’t dissolve. The lump didn’t refill, but when the vet examined the area, he felt a harder lump underneath it. So, a second surgery was scheduled.

Surgery #2 – July 13th
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/kuhio98/Kuhio%20Halo%20Cammie/July005-2.jpg

Halo came home that same day but she is not recovering as quickly as she did the last time. Instead of giving her liquid antibiotics for 10 days, the vet gave her an injection. I’m wondering if that has something to do with it because she has always had a reaction to any kind of inoculation which is why we quit getting her vaccinated every year.

I had to come back to work on July 15th and I won’t see my baby for almost 3 weeks. Before I left, Halo would shy away from me when I tried to pet her. I know she was in pain, but she didn’t do that after the first operation – she couldn’t get enough lovins and scritches then. Part of me wonders if she’s trying to tell us she doesn’t want any more treatment. She is absolutely terrified of going to the vet. I think she feels stressed and betrayed that we keep trapping her and putting her in the port-o-prison.

The tests have come back on the second tumor and it was cancerous.

Bobcat is home and he says Halo is still shying away from him. She doesn’t want any attention. She eating and drinking well. She just wants to be left alone.

We take her back on August 10th for another checkup. Then back every 3 months unless we feel a lump before them. I asked about radiation and the vet does not recommend it. Does anyone have any experience with it?

We’re praying that the vet got it all this time, He says that as long as we keep catching the tumors while they are small, he can keep cutting them out. But, I’m struggling. At what point do continuous surgeries become torture? After the 3rd…4th….5th… ??

The vet feels that the microchip injection is what caused the fibrosarcoma. Cancer can be a rare side effect. Like I said, none of the other kitties have ever had a problem. But, we feel so responsible for spreading the word about chipping. We wanted to let you all know to be on the lookout for any lumps or tumors growing near the injection site.

We will keep you posted on Halo’s treatment. The vet has always called her his “Medical Mystery Kitty”. Some of you may remember that we nicknamed her “Baby Grand” because of the vet bills. After these 2 surgeries, her nickname may soon be “Million Dollar Baby”.

I’ve missed you all. I hope all your babies are happy and healthy.

[MoonandBean]

If that isn't the worst case of "that sucks", I don't know what is. I can't believe that a microchip could be the source of this pain for you and your family after you have been such a crusader for the good of them. I think of you and Kuhio all the time and, like you, I still believe they save hundreds of our pets lives but that is just unbelievably bad luck. I will be praying for you and Halo :love:

[Karen]

Poor Halo! Miss Hoppy had radiation treatments that shrunk a tumor, but it doesn't eliminate it, that's our only experience with a pet and radiation.

[Catty1]

Prayers for poor Halo!

Wonder what your vet would think of Regressin - or some thing like the Transfer Factor?

I hope Halo loses her fear and trusts you again soon!:love:

[Barbara]

I'm so sorry to hear this- and I thank you for the information.
Our new baby, Orion, who will be strictly indoors got the chip as a welcoming gift from the vet as he has shown escapist tendencies.
Orion sends all best healing purrings to Halo.

[Daisy and Delilah]

How awful, Lisa. I'm so sorry. I am sending lots of thoughts and prayers for Halo's complete recovery.
{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

Thanks for this valuable information.

[Medusa]

I'm so sorry that this has happened to your sweet Halo but I'm grateful for the info as well. We'll pray w/o ceasing here for all of you. Keep the faythe. :love:

[moosmom]

I'm glad LuLu's fell out.

[katladyd]

I am sending prayers and good thoughts Halo's way. It is stories like yours, and I've heard a few of them, that have made me shy away from vaccinations and microchips. They are both good things, but not worth cancer. My heart goes out to your family. :love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear this.:( All of my cats have been microchipped as well as my two new kittens. They actually all came that way except for Storm which I had done several years later. I'm sorry that you've stopped posting on PT.:( I hope that you'll decide to come back. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent Halo's way. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

[Freedom]

Oh my goodness!

I am so very sorry you and Halo are going through all this! We try so hard to do what is right for our pets. To have something backfire like this, backfire BIG TIME, it just terrible.

Hugs for you, and gentle chin rubs for Halo.

[lvpets2002]

:( I am sorry to hear about Halo.. I am glad that Halo is doing ok now with no tumors.. I sure hope she does not need anymore surgerys.. Bless her wittle heart.. Lots of Prayers & Huggss being sent..

[cool4catz2]

I will say many prayers for Halo. What a terrible ordeal to go through after having something useful like the microchip implant. Darn the luck. I hope poor Halo needs no more surgeries and that she will come around for lovin'.
:love::love::love:HALO:love::love::love:

[Laura's Babies]

OMG! This is just heart wrenching! I could just CRY!! The whole story is heart wrenching from loosing Kuhio to what is happening now..

I WILL be checking mine often now as a result of your post and will help you spread the word. Gee, I never knew this could be a side effect of something that could save their LIVES! I micro chipped mine because we are in hurricane alley and what could happen if we got a bad one and got separated..

Gee, my heart just breaks for Halo!

[kuhio98]

If that isn't the worst case of "that sucks", I don't know what is. I can't believe that a microchip could be the source of this pain for you and your family after you have been such a crusader for the good of them. I think of you and Kuhio all the time and, like you, I still believe they save hundreds of our pets lives but that is just unbelievably bad luck. I will be praying for you and Halo :love:

I feel the same. I keep thinking about the day we had her chipped and the feeling of relief that what happened to Kuhio would never happen to Halo.

Now, I just feel like crap! :( Halo just does not deserve all the hard knocks she's had in her 8-years. She is the sweetest, kindest kitty I've ever had.

[kuhio98]

Poor Halo! Miss Hoppy had radiation treatments that shrunk a tumor, but it doesn't eliminate it, that's our only experience with a pet and radiation.

Karen, Thanks for the info. I'll ask the vet about it again.
I have a feeling that he doesn't recommend it because this cancer is so aggressive. :( Shrinking the tumors as they grow (hopefully, no others will grow) wouldn't buy Halo more time.

I guess I was hoping that radiation could target the "roots" of this thing and kill them before they turned into tumors. :(

[kuhio98]

Prayers for poor Halo!

Wonder what your vet would think of Regressin - or some thing like the Transfer Factor?

I hope Halo loses her fear and trusts you again soon!:love:

Thanks Candace ~ I'll make sure to ask at the next appointment.

Bobcat says Halo will let him cuddle her now. But, he has to go to her, she will not approach him. And she DOES NOT want to be picked up and held. :(

But, things seem to be getting back to normal. Halo and Pepper got into a scrap yesterday. :) That's their typical behavior. Pepper play attacks Halo and Halo screams bloody murder because she just doesn't understand "play".

Lord, I wish I was home to cuddle her. But, these days I'm lucky to have a job so it's only 9 more days........

[kuhio98]

I'm so sorry to hear this- and I thank you for the information.
Our new baby, Orion, who will be strictly indoors got the chip as a welcoming gift from the vet as he has shown escapist tendencies.
Orion sends all best healing purrings to Halo.

Thanks Barbara. Congratulations on your new baby!

We have built a pen behind our house that the cats can access through a cat door. So, they do go outside but are protected as we've seen wolves and black bear behind our house.

[mysweetscotty]

Oh Lisa, so sorry to hear about Halo! I know exactly what you are going through, me little 6 year old Yorkie had cancer, the tumor they removed from between his shoulder blades also contained the microchip....we had to send him on to the big dog park in the sky on May 27, just covered with tumors.
We tried treatments and chemo but they made him so sick we stopped .....trying to help him live longer but so sick would have been for us, not him. We miss our sweet boy so much!
I belong to a small group of pet owners whose pet also experienced cancer after microchipping....and the chip makers ought to be ashamed of themselves, they still maintain that these chips are completely safe!
We will have a web site up and running in the next week or so where pet owners can report/register adverse reactions in their pets from microchips...please check it out at www.chipmenot.com
Again, so sorry about Halo....we need to be strong and loud in our objections to chips!

[katladyd]

Most pets have no problem with microchips, but when they do....the problems are severe! My boyfriend's little girl kitty, Mau Mau, has a chip and I have showed him this thread. He said she has had no problems with it, so he will leave it in. He has decided not to microchip his other cat, Buddy, though. I hope Halo has no further problems and the worst is over. Sending good thoughts and prayers Halo's way.:love:

[mysweetscotty]

Hi Katlady! Please just watch the spot where the chip was implanted...any signs of a bump should send Mau Mau straight to the vet!

[jenluckenbach]

I am so sorry to hear of this. :(

Please do not be so hard on yourselves. I believe that ALL (repeat.... ALL) things in life come with the possibilities of consequesnces. If you knew going in to the chipping procedure that it had a .05 % chance (just a random number here people, not a hard fact) of causing cancer, would you not take a 99.05 % chance that the chip would HELP to return her to you if lost?? Not everything is a guarrentee.

Rutherford had gotten a fibrosarcoma at a vaccination injection site, and it eventually cost him his life.....but I do not stop giving vaccines!! The diseases those vaccines prevent are much more commonplace than the cancer that he grew. On the reverse side, if Rutherford would have dies from panleukopenia or rabies I would be kicking myself for not doing my part in getting him the proper preventative measure.

I sure hope all that made sense, because I do not wish to take away from Halo's sickness.....I just hate to see you blaming yourself for things that just happen sometimes.

Best of luck with dear Halo.

[mysweetscotty]

Just curious, did Rutherford have a chip? If so, the chip rather an the vaccines may be the culprit. W believe that many pet owners do not realize that the chip is the problem, not the vaccine injection site....
And now that I've watched my Scotty boy die of cancer, you bet that miniscule % of 'what might happen' would stop me from chipping again. There are other ways to identify your pet including a tatoo! We've heard of pets being euthanized because the chip reader would not scan the chip....if anyone bothered to check and see if there is a chip!
Pet owners, like me, go into this blindly, believing what the chip mfgs say on their sites about the chip being 100% safe....wish I'd done my homework, if I had just googled pet chip cancer I never would have chipped Scotty....there are a lot of cases out there!

[jenluckenbach]

No chip in Rutherford.

But I will be honest, I prefer the visable tattoo to the microchip that people forget to scan for.

[kuhio98]

How awful, Lisa. I'm so sorry. I am sending lots of thoughts and prayers for Halo's complete recovery.
{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

Thanks for this valuable information.

Thank you for the thoughts and prayers for Halo's complete recovery. The vet says he hopes for the best but fibrosarcoma returns 30% to 70% of the time. :( Naturally, we hope it never returns.

[kuhio98]

I'm so sorry that this has happened to your sweet Halo but I'm grateful for the info as well. We'll pray w/o ceasing here for all of you. Keep the faythe. :love:

Mary ~ Thank you so much. I'm doing my best to stay positive.

[katladyd]

Hi Katlady! Please just watch the spot where the chip was implanted...any signs of a bump should send Mau Mau straight to the vet!

Trust me, we are. What everyone is saying about the good outweighing the bad is true. If Mau Mau got lost and was never returned to us because she wasn't chipped, we would feel bad about that. Our cats are NEVER outdoors, they all strongly prefer to be indoors, so the chip debate is a moot point with us. Mau Mau came with the chip and just the address was changed. She seems well and happy, so for now, we leave it alone.

[kuhio98]

I am sending prayers and good thoughts Halo's way. It is stories like yours, and I've heard a few of them, that have made me shy away from vaccinations and microchips. They are both good things, but not worth cancer. My heart goes out to your family. :love:

Halo had bad reactions to the innoculations, so we stopped those years ago. Our vet told us that rabies is the only one required by law. But, to NEVER get the 3-year rabies shot as it has caused fibrosarcoma. He told us that's why the 3-year shot is usually given in the back leg because the leg can be cut off if cancer develops. :eek: :( So, we made sure he never got the 3-year shot.

But, we felt we were doing the right thing by getting her chipped.
We have chipped 20 cats since we lost Kuhio. Halo is the ONLY one who has had any problems. We still believe that chipping is the right thing to do.

[kuhio98]

I'm so sorry to hear this.:( All of my cats have been microchipped as well as my two new kittens. They actually all came that way except for Storm which I had done several years later. I'm sorry that you've stopped posting on PT.:( I hope that you'll decide to come back. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent Halo's way. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

I'm glad all your babies are doing well.
Halo is the only one of our 5 that didn't come already chipped.
We felt we were doing the right thing. I still think the benefits of chipping far outweigh the the risk for most pets.

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.

[kuhio98]

Oh my goodness!

I am so very sorry you and Halo are going through all this! We try so hard to do what is right for our pets. To have something backfire like this, backfire BIG TIME, it just terrible.

Hugs for you, and gentle chin rubs for Halo.

Yes, it has backfired big time on sweet Halo. :(
Bobcat has delivered your chin rubs. He said that Halo is snoozing away a rainy day in her "sewer pipe" :D

http://s.petco.com/assets/catsupplies/catsupplies_furniture.jpg

[kuhio98]

:( I am sorry to hear about Halo.. I am glad that Halo is doing ok now with no tumors.. I sure hope she does not need anymore surgerys.. Bless her wittle heart.. Lots of Prayers & Huggss being sent..

Thank you. She is just the sweetest kitty I've ever had.
Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. I can't wait to get home next week and scritch her chin and cheeks.

[kuhio98]

I will say many prayers for Halo. What a terrible ordeal to go through after having something useful like the microchip implant. Darn the luck. I hope poor Halo needs no more surgeries and that she will come around for lovin'.
:love::love::love:HALO:love::love::love:

Thank you for the prayers.
Yes, Halo has had the worst luck. Sigh.... Even with the best of intentions, things can go wrong. :(

[jennielynn1970]

Many thoughts and prayers going up for Halo from Pennsylvania. Poor girl... I hope her luck starts to change for the better soon! Give her some soft scritchies and lovies from me too.

[kuhio98]

OMG! This is just heart wrenching! I could just CRY!! The whole story is heart wrenching from loosing Kuhio to what is happening now..

I WILL be checking mine often now as a result of your post and will help you spread the word. Gee, I never knew this could be a side effect of something that could save their LIVES! I micro chipped mine because we are in hurricane alley and what could happen if we got a bad one and got separated..

Gee, my heart just breaks for Halo!

Laura ~ We're trying to stay positive.
I don't think I could stand the guilt if I heard that another pet got cancer because they chipped after hearing Kuhio's story. :(

But, we still think that the benefits of chipping outweigh the risk. Poor Halo seems to just have the worst luck.

[katladyd]

Before I knew about the risks of chipping and vacinations, I thought those things were just what responsible, caring, pet owners did. You were trying to protect Halo, not cause this. I am praying that she makes a full recovery, she deserves nothing less. Please don't feel guilty, you thought you were doing the right thing out of love and concern for Halo.:love:

[kuhio98]

I can't wait to get home Tuesday night and cuddle her.

Bobcat says she's doing well.

Halo is a very territorial kitty. She feels it is her job to make sure no stray cats get in her yard. If she sees one outside, she makes a run for the sliding glass door and yowls them away. :D

On Thursday night, some friends dropped off their kitty Gracie at our house. We are taking care of her for 6 weeks until her family returns. If Halo was feeling 100% we'd have to keep them separated until Halo calmed down.

Bobcat said Halo had no reaction when she saw Gracie except for a grumpy look. Part of me is glad (for Gracie's sake) but it tells me that Halo isn't feeling great. She knows she doesn't have the energy to show Gracie who's in charge. :(

[Killearn Kitties]

I'm so sorry to hear this about beautiful Halo. I could just cry. :(
I hope you find her a bit better on Tuesday and able to show that Gracie who's boss!

[Taz_Zoee]

I cannot believe this is happening to you and Halo. After all you've been through with losing Kuhio. :(
I had planned on getting Paizly chipped after she got out last 4th of July weekend, but never got around to it. Now I'm thinking I'll just leave her be. She does have her collar with tags on at all times.
Jax was chipped at the shelter so I'll just make sure to pay close attention to that area. You can feel his chip very easily. It's kinda creepy.

I hope Halo is back to her normal self by the time you get home so she can get and give all the lovin's for your homecoming. :)

[kuhio98]

Oh Lisa, so sorry to hear about Halo! I know exactly what you are going through, me little 6 year old Yorkie had cancer, the tumor they removed from between his shoulder blades also contained the microchip....we had to send him on to the big dog park in the sky on May 27, just covered with tumors.
We tried treatments and chemo but they made him so sick we stopped .....trying to help him live longer but so sick would have been for us, not him. We miss our sweet boy so much!
I belong to a small group of pet owners whose pet also experienced cancer after microchipping....and the chip makers ought to be ashamed of themselves, they still maintain that these chips are completely safe!
We will have a web site up and running in the next week or so where pet owners can report/register adverse reactions in their pets from microchips...please check it out at www.chipmenot.com
Again, so sorry about Halo....we need to be strong and loud in our objections to chips!

Thank you. I will definitely check out the site.
From what we're learning, a very small percentage of pets who are chipped have problems. Unfortunately, for those who do develop fibrosarcoma, the prognosis isn't good. :(

If I had to do it all over again, and given the same circumstances, I probably would chip again. Of the 20+ kitties we've been involved in chipping in the last 8 years -- and we're still in contact with them -- Halo is the only one who has had a problem.

Someone "up there" is playing a cruel joke on us. :(

[Catlady711]

Just curious, did Rutherford have a chip? If so, the chip rather an the vaccines may be the culprit. W believe that many pet owners do not realize that the chip is the problem, not the vaccine injection site....


A microchip is implanted between the shoulder blades, vaccines are (or should be) given in the scruff of the neck, or a back leg. A microchip implant site and a vaccine injection site should never be in the same place if it's done right.



Pet owners, like me, go into this blindly, believing what the chip mfgs say on their sites about the chip being 100% safe


Halo had bad reactions to the innoculations, so we stopped those years ago. Our vet told us that rabies is the only one required by law. But, to NEVER get the 3-year rabies shot as it has caused fibrosarcoma. He told us that's why the 3-year shot is usually given in the back leg because the leg can be cut off if cancer develops. :eek: :( So, we made sure he never got the 3-year shot.

I don't have time to look up the study right now but there was a study that showed that ANY injection, including antibiotics, or even giving fluids under the skin can have a miniscule chance of causing cancer at the injection site.

Some vaccines may be more likely to produce an allergic reaction, but there shouldn't be any difference between a 1 or 3 year Rabies vaccine as far as odds of cancer goes.





we felt we were doing the right thing by getting her chipped. We have chipped 20 cats since we lost Kuhio. Halo is the ONLY one who has had any problems. We still believe that chipping is the right thing to do.

It is and I'm glad that this whole sad adventure hasn't caused you to stop doing what's right. As it was said above, there is a far greater risk of losing your pet, or having your pet contract a disease than the odds of your pet getting cancer from an injection. My thoughts are with you concerning Halo.

[Karen]

There is an alternative to chipping - there is tattooing. I'm gonna talk about it on the radio today, I'll come back with more info later. Prayers still for Halo's recovery.

[kuhio98]

There is an alternative to chipping - there is tattooing. I'm gonna talk about it on the radio today, I'll come back with more info later. Prayers still for Halo's recovery.

Tattooing does sound lik a good alternative -- of course if we had done that -- knowing Halo's luck, she woul have been allergic to the dye. :p She really is a medical mystery kitty.

Are there websites where you register the tattoo like you do chips?

[Karen]

Tattooing does sound lik a good alternative -- of course if we had done that -- knowing Halo's luck, she woul have been allergic to the dye. :p She really is a medical mystery kitty.

Are there websites where you register the tattoo like you do chips?

The website is http://tattoo-a-pet.com - they are the national registry, and have the database of all the pets and their ID numbers. They also give the owners a tag to put on the pet's collar with their 800-number on it, but even if the pet isn't wearing a collar, a vet or groomer who sees the number can always call.

It's only $35, and seems well worth it.

When someone asks why I don't have any tattoos, I tell them that with my luck, I'd be allergic to the dyes, and it's just not worth the risk. Anyone who knows me well knows I have all sorts of allergies, including a bunch of food allergies, so I'm not taking unnecessary chances!

[kuhio98]

Just a few more hours and then I'll be on a plane back to see my baby. I can't wait to snuggle her!

[Karen]

Give her kisses from us! And you can tell her she's famous, I talked about her on the radio show a little bit! Sadly, it was the Sunday show, and they don't archive it correctly, so I can't send her the file to hear.

[Killearn Kitties]

Just a few more hours and then I'll be on a plane back to see my baby. I can't wait to snuggle her!

Please give beautiful Halo gentle snugglies from me too! :love:

[kuhio98]

All snuggles and cuddles delivered. :D

I opened some of Halo's favorite salmon and she ate most of it. My sweet girl hasn't lost her appetite.

[kuhio98]

Halo doesn't feel very well. She recovered quickly from the first surgery. The 2nd one seems to have taken more out of her even though it was a very tiny tumor. :(

We take her back tomorrow for a checkup. But, we discovered yet another tumor on Saturday. :(

Please keep her in your prayers.

[Karen]

Awww, poor Halo. Kisses to her forehead from me.

[Medusa]

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that Halo has another tumor. Of course, we'll pump up the volume for her and you, too, Lisa. Keep the faythe.

[Catty1]

Oh no. Prayers for Halo, and I hope something can be done!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Lisa, I'm so sorry to hear this.:( Lots more prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

[phesina]

I'm so sorry to learn this. Prayers for Halo.. sending love and healing energies..

[katladyd]

Praying for Halo.

[kuhio98]

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

Unfortunately, the cancer is back with a vengeance. Instead of one large tumor there are several smaller tumors. They cover a large area of her neck, shoulders and back. :(

The vet does not recommend any further treatment and we agree. This would be her 3rd surgery in 3 months. Each time one has been cut out, multiple tumors replaced it.

Halo doesn’t feel well but she hasn’t stopped eating, drinking or litter boxing, so we’ll let her live out the rest of her days as long as she’s not in pain.

Our vet doesn’t normally do house calls, but he knows how much she hates going to the white coats, so he offered to come to our place when the time comes.

She’s out in the pen lying in the sun right now recovering from the stress of vet visit. She is very mad at us for taking her back to that place. So, she’ll probably give us the cold shoulder for a few days until she gets back to her sweet, shy self.

Please keep a lookout for any lumps or bumps around the chip site. It took 8 years for Halo to get sick. Thanks again for everything. I’ll keep you posted.

[phesina]

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Prayers for peace and comfort and love for you and Halo and all who love her.

[Killearn Kitties]

Darling Halo, we have our fingers and paws crossed for you tonight. We love you here sweetheart, and hope that you can be made comfortable. :love:

Snuggles for you, beautiful girl. Praying for a miracle.

[Catty1]

I know you will make her as comfy as you can. She is dearly loved.

If you want to, pm illstr8r about her experience with Transfer Factor and her cat Haggis, who was given two months to live.
It may not be worth a try, but you can at least look into it.

Be happy in the sun, sweet Halo!:love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

Lisa, I'm so sorry to hear this.:( I hope she'll be able to remain comfortable for quite a while yet. She remains in my thoughts and prayers. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

[Medusa]

I'm just so sorry about this, Lisa. I can only imagine the pain you must be feeling for your sweet Halo. You'll be there for her giving her as much comfort as you possibly can. I have a feeling that she'll be comforting you as well. Please know that you and Halo are in my prayers each and every day. :love:

[pomtzu]

I haven't posted in this thread before now, but I have been following Halo's story. I'm so sorry to read the latest update - I truly had hoped that by some miracle, she would be able to beat the odds of this terrible disease. I have never had any animals of mine chipped, and after reading this account, I probably never will.
Don't blame yourself - you had no way of knowing this would happen. It's tough, when we do what we think is a good thing for our furkids, and it backfires. I just went thru a situation with Myndi - I was giving her baby aspirin (ok'ed by her vet), for her arthritis, and she developed a GI bleed that nearly killed her, and of course I blamed myself for it.
Enjoy the time you have left together. I pray that she still has quality time left, and that she won't suffer, but I also know that you won't let it come to that.
Give that pretty girl some gentle hugs and kisses from me please.
Sending prayers of comfort to Halo and to you as well...........

[Sundance]

Your stories about Halo and Kuhio are heartbreaking. The loss of Kuhio is just tragic and it is inexcusable on the part of the shelter. You did what most of us would do in response when you micro-chipped Halo, and you shouldn't feel in any way responsible for what has happened to her. I had no idea chips could lead to tumors, and now I've checked our chipped cats for any signs of tumors.

It's good that you have a very understanding vet who will make a house call when Halo's time is here. It is a very difficult thing to do for our loved ones, but you will know when it's time and that it's the right thing to do. She will be less stressed knowing she's home and that you're with her.

When Halo finally joins Kuhio at the Rainbow Bridge, they will play gently as they wait for you so you can all cross together. Thank you for sharing your difficult stories. You may well have saved some lives.

In sorrow...:love:

[phesina]

More prayers and loving warmth and energies for Halo, and a candle: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=11398858

[kuhio98]

More prayers and loving warmth and energies for Halo, and a candle: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=11398858

Thank you. I'm lighting candles every day. Begging for a miracle.
I'm away at work again for 2 weeks. I spend most of the time in tears praying.

I don't want Halo to be in pain. Part of me hopes that I get to be with her in her final moments. Part of me hopes she goes peacefully before I get to hold her again.

Well, that did me in. Now I'm bawling.

Please keep this sweet girl in your prayers. She did not deserve the cruel hand she was dealt. As I've said many times, she is the sweetest kitty I've ever known. There is no meanness in her. She has been a blessing to us all.

[phesina]

I lit another candle for dear Halo: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=11417473.

Sending her and you all our love and prayers.

[kuhio98]

I lit another candle for dear Halo: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=11417473.

Sending her and you all our love and prayers.
Thank you so much.

Bobcat reports that Halo is still eating, going to the catbox, etc. She makes it down the stairs and goes out to the pen every day and sleeps on the perch. She seems to want to stay a little longer.

Please keep those prayers coming!

[Catty1]

Have you looked into Transfer Factor? If you search online, you wind up with a one wacky looking site...

Moesha had some - maybe find out where she got it.

Glad Halo is still enjoying life!:love: Praying for a miracle.

[Moesha]

I don't remember when I got the transfer factor. I didn't find that it helped Morgan with his fibrosarcoma. But I don't think it hurt either. Except that he hated taking it. Finally I stopped giving it to him and let him enjoy the time that he had left. Especially food time, since that was one of his favorite times of the day. I am so very sorry to read of the ordeal that you've been going through. Being away from your baby on top of the cancer must just be terrible. I canceled a vacation to stay with Morgan. I know that isn't a realistic thing for you to consider, but I just want you to know that I can empathize with your situation. I too haven't been around on Pet Talk for the last few months. Most of the reason has was because of the sad things happening to the sweet kitties. I know that many wonderful stories are here also, but I just couldn't join in them. Anyway, please know that you and Halo and Bobcat will all be in my thoughts. I hope that Halo has the most pleasant times possible during this time.

[jennielynn1970]

Keeping Halo, and you, in my thoughts and prayers. It's just so sad what she has to go through, and as you said, being such a sweet kitty, it's just so unfair.

I hope that you get to hold her again, and tell her how much you love her. I know I wished I could have done that with my Finae. When they go so unexpectedly, it's just inconsolable.

[kuhio98]

Keeping Halo, and you, in my thoughts and prayers. It's just so sad what she has to go through, and as you said, being such a sweet kitty, it's just so unfair.

I hope that you get to hold her again, and tell her how much you love her. I know I wished I could have done that with my Finae. When they go so unexpectedly, it's just inconsolable.


Jenn ~ Thank you for your kind words. I'm so sorry for your loss.

We lost Kuhio unexpectedly. She died alone and scared. It still haunts us.

Microchipping Halo was to make sure that if she was lost, we could find her before she was PTS.

We never dreamed that we would be harming her.

Losing Halo is a long, lingering goodbye.

At this point, I'm not sure which is worse -- unexpectedly or lingering. Both are awful! :(

At least Halo will be surrounded by loved ones.

A friend is coming by today (I'm still away at work). She is a massage therapist. She has had some success shrinking tumors with a laser treatment. She has tried it on her pets also. We hope that it will make Halo more comfortable.

I'm still praying for a miracle.

[kuhio98]

Halo had a really bad day yesterday. Nothing we offered her would entice her to eat. She lay on the bed all day not moving. But, she welcomed a couple of scritchy sessions. :)

Late in the afternoon she started sneezing and breathing hard. I think she's developing an upper respiratory infection. I figured today would be the day to have her put to sleep because I figured she wouldn't be eating (I've heard that cats don't eat if they can't smell the food).

Once again Halo decided to prove me wrong. :) She jumped down off the bed and scampered around this morning. Ate a couple of crunchies and some ham baby food. Drank a bunch of water. Hopped in the cat box and dug to China... :D

Now she's resting comfortably softly purring. The girl is amazing.

We have a session with a pet communicator set up for tomorrow. We had a session last week but Halo wasn't talking. (Cammie talked up a storm, though). After the session, I'll post how it went.

Thank you for all your prayers.

[Karen]

Oh, goodness, Halo, don't scare your mom like that, okay?

[krazyaboutkatz]

She's an amazing cat all right.:) She continues to remain in my thoughts and prayers. I hope that the session with the animal communicator will go well and you'll learn what her wishes are and how she's really feeling. Good luck.:)

[phesina]

Awwwww, Halo.. you go, girl!

We are sending our prayers and healing energies and lovies and scritchies.

Pat and cats

[Medusa]

Halo and Lisa, more prayers are coming from Mary and the Fur Posse in Ohio. Keep the faythe. :love:

[Freedom]

STILL praying for Halo, and for her family, here in RI.

[Catty1]

More prayers for sweet Halo and her family.:love::love:

[Medusa]

How is Halo doing today and how are you? :love:

[kuhio98]

How is Halo doing today and how are you? :love:


Halo has her good moments and her bad. She is still eating and drinking up a storm. Still uses the litter box. Yesterday, she loved on a cat nip pillow I bought her.

But, her world is mostly our bed. We put a sheet over the bedspread and have her litter box and food dishes on it so she doesn't have to move around too much. She can still walk, but her hind legs are so weak. :(

I flew back to Prudhoe Bay yesterday afternoon. I won't be home again until the 23rd. I spent the whole morning with her talking and cuddling. The Pet Communicator told us that she thinks Halo doesn't want to cross over when I'm around. So, I made sure she knew that I love her and the choice is hers. I assured her that we would be reunited some day and would never be parted again.

Had a nightmare last night. (I usually don't sleep well my first night at work). Halo was gone. Cammie was gone. Pepper was gone. Willy was gone. Bobcat was gone. It was just me and Willow left and she looked old and tired. :( Cried the rest of the night. I sure look like crap today at work. There's no cosmetic on the earth that will remove the bags under my eyes. :p

[Medusa]

Halo has her good moments and her bad. She is still eating and drinking up a storm. Still uses the litter box. Yesterday, she loved on a cat nip pillow I bought her.

But, her world is mostly our bed. We put a sheet over the bedspread and have her litter box and food dishes on it so she doesn't have to move around too much. She can still walk, but her hind legs are so weak. :(

I flew back to Prudhoe Bay yesterday afternoon. I won't be home again until the 23rd. I spent the whole morning with her talking and cuddling. The Pet Communicator told us that she thinks Halo doesn't want to cross over when I'm around. So, I made sure she knew that I love her and the choice is hers. I assured her that we would be reunited some day and would never be parted again.

Had a nightmare last night. (I usually don't sleep well my first night at work). Halo was gone. Cammie was gone. Pepper was gone. Willy was gone. Bobcat was gone. It was just me and Willow left and she looked old and tired. :( Cried the rest of the night. I sure look like crap today at work. There's no cosmetic on the earth that will remove the bags under my eyes. :p

Oh boy, can I ever relate. My RB Puddy went to the Bridge two years ago this month and I was so exhausted that I didn't know if I was walkin' or ridin' a horse. And when you mentioned cosmetics, I had to chuckle b/c I can recall putting my green eyeliner on my lips and my red lipliner on my eyes and having the vet's office staff look at me strangely but no one wanted to hurt my feelings, I guess, so they didn't say anything other than "How ya doin', Mary?" I looked at myself in the mirror in my car when I left and I couldn't help but laugh. Why didn't I see that when I was applying my makeup in the morning? All I can say is that even the bad times make life sweet, as strange as that sounds. Just love your sweet Halo as well and as much as you can. She knows. (((HUGS))) :love:

[Taz_Zoee]

Oh, I am in tears. Reading how you told her the choice was hers.

Sorry about the nightmare. I would have been crying too!

Well, I do hope that when it is Halo's time that she goes peacefully. I'm sure she knows how much you love her. And that's why she may wait until you are not home. She doesn't want to hurt you.

Ok, I need to go remove the lump in my throat. :(

[Cuddles mom]

Hello, my cat, Cuddles was just diagnosed with a microchip induced fibrosarcoma yesterday. Last week he had surgery to remove a suspicious lump, and inside of it was the microchip. Yesterday we got the toxicology results. My vet has never seen this. Can you tell me how long Halo lived after first diagnosis and how many surgeries you did? I don't think I can put Cuddles through another surgery like that. He did real well the first time, but seeing Halo's results of the 2nd surgery, I think we're done.
Poor Cuddles has really had a rough time. He was the first cat in FL affected by the pet food recall and spent 2 weeks in ICU flushing out his kidneys. More than once we were told to "pull the plug", but we felt he had more fight in him. That was back in 2007, so obviously, he rallied, but I don't know how much more to put him through. Any advice would be appreciated.

[kuhio98]

Cuddles Mom ~ I'm so sorry your baby has been diagnosed with fibrosarcoma. I'll tell you about Halo's experience but please, please keep in mind. Halo was sickly her whole life. Our vet called her his "medical mystery kitty". There was always something really wrong with her immune system. 5 years ago she had a golf-ball size fatty tumor on her liver. Our vet advised us to wait and see. It shrunk on its own -- without any treatment -- then would swell up again. It never seemed to cause her problems. I'm just telling you all this so you you understand that Halo always had health problems. If Cuddles has been a healthy kitty, his outcome may be much more hopeful. So, here goes...

We found a huge, hard lump between Halo's shoulder blades one day. Halo didn't like to be cuddled too much, so we aren't sure if the lump had been there for a few days or not. This was in May 2010.

The biopsy confirmed that it was fibrosarcoma. While the tumor was very large, the vet said surgery was her only hope. He advised that fibrosarcoma comes back 30% to 70% of the time. Because you can cut out everything you can see but at the microscopic level, there are still "roots" in the tissue.

The surgery was very traumatic because the tumor was so large. The vet advised us to keep Halo crated because she would not feel like moving around much. Well, Halo hated cages/crates. She would throw herself against the sides trying to get out so we knew that we couldn't do that or she would injure herself. So, we put up a child gate across part of our bedroom and put her bed, litter, food, etc. in there. When we placed her in there, she leapt over the gate and ran down 2 flights to stairs, and ran out the cat door! She ran like a crab but she moved!

She recovered fairly quickly after the surgery. She played like a kitten again. She attacked my toes. :D She chased her tail. We prayed that the surgery had been successful.

June 2010 was a wonderful month. In July, the cancer was back. The vet thought there was an excellent chance to get the cancer again, so we scheduled the surgery for the 13th of July.

Halo did not recover very quickly this time. It seemed to make more out of her. But, she felt well enough to go outside in the pen, lay in the sun, stalk birds, etc.

About 3 weeks later, we found multiple lumps at the incision site. :( Back to the vet where the vet told us he did not recommend more surgery. The cancer was back with a vengeance. He told us to take her home and love her. Eventually she would lose her appetite and stop eating and drinking (that never happened!) and we would know that it was time to have her put to sleep.

August 2010 was sad but Halo still got around. She slept a lot but was still her sweet self. Once I brought home Chicken McNuggets and she attacked me to get them. :D She would eat anything and everything you put in front of her.

September 2010 Halo's world was our bed. We placed steps so she could get up and down (she could no longer jump up or down from the bed), but she didn't move much. We put her food and litter and everything up there so she wouldn't have to go far.

We consulted a pet psychic who told us that Halo did not want to pass away while I was home. I was due to go to work in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska on September 9th. I sat with her for a long time before I left and we said our goodbyes. I told her that she was free to go whenever she wanted. :( We could tell that Halo didn't feel well, but she wasn't in any pain and the girl was still eating like a horse. But, by the 13th, my husband felt she was uncomfortable and he took her to the vet to have her put to sleep.

He still hasn't really been able to talk about it. And, I've tried not to ask him questions that make him relive it. It was hard for him to do, but he couldn't have our baby in pain.

Cuddles has proven himself to be a fighter and I'm praying very hard that he will beat this awful cancer. Halo was not a fighter. She would just go limp and pee on me in fright when she had to go to the vet.

If you think it would help, I would be happy to PM you the name, address, phone, e-mail etc. of our vet if yours wants to talk to him about it.

Lisa




Hello, my cat, Cuddles was just diagnosed with a microchip induced fibrosarcoma yesterday. Last week he had surgery to remove a suspicious lump, and inside of it was the microchip. Yesterday we got the toxicology results. My vet has never seen this. Can you tell me how long Halo lived after first diagnosis and how many surgeries you did? I don't think I can put Cuddles through another surgery like that. He did real well the first time, but seeing Halo's results of the 2nd surgery, I think we're done.
Poor Cuddles has really had a rough time. He was the first cat in FL affected by the pet food recall and spent 2 weeks in ICU flushing out his kidneys. More than once we were told to "pull the plug", but we felt he had more fight in him. That was back in 2007, so obviously, he rallied, but I don't know how much more to put him through. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Djadewolff]

I wish Id found this site first. The tumor on my baby's shoulders is twice the size of his head. Two weeks ago we saw our second vet and he has the pain patch & prednisone for inflammation. The lump is growing so fast! From the size of a grape the beginning of March to egg sized by the 20th. It seems to grow in spurts, now he can hardly walk-I guess it is pressing on the nerves, but he doesn't seem to be in any pain really. When it first got as big as his head he started scratching it and made a sore on his head, but since the pain patch he doesn't scratch it anymore and the sore is healed.

I don't want my baby to suffer, but I can't stand the thought of putting him to sleep. Does anyone know what will happen if I just "watch and wait"??? I don't want him to suffer at all- I can't talk about what he means to me-I can't stop crying when I do and I want to keep typing. He is still my Mr Bill, follows all his routines, meets me at the bathroom door in the morning (today he was almost dragging his hind end) and purring his "Good Morning Mommy" greeting that he has given me his whole life. He is 12yrs old and only wants to sleep with me in winter. He is still eating and drinking but looking at him I see he is not as happy as he was yesterday and he is getting frustrated that he can't move. I'm afraid the tumor with smother him or something in the middle of the night and I won't be able to help, but I'm afraid to put him to sleep while he is himself. I know that no one can make my decision for me but any advice, comment, knowledge, experience, may help.

[kuhio98]

I'm so sorry your baby is sick. Halo's tumor never was as large as Mr. Bill's, but that's probably because she had 2 surgeries to reduce the size. The vet said it was her only hope -- pretty much a slim to none chance -- but miracles can happen and he always called Halo his "Medical Mystery Kitty". :)

Every kitty is different, but Halo did not have a strong, determined, fighter kind of personality. She had a calm, accepting, kind of resigned personality. So, if Mr. Bill is a fighter, you might consider reducing the size of the tumor to give him more time -- if your vet recommends it.

Like Mr. Bill, Halo's tumor grew rapidly. It's like it erupted one day and it was probably too late by the time we found it. :( The vet said that Halo would stop eating and that would be our sign that she was ready to go. She never lost her appetite, but she huddled on the bed in a big, ball of misery her last few days. She never lost her loving, gentle spirit, but she prefered to be left alone. It appeared to us that she was no longer enjoying life so we had to make the awful decision that no loving parent wants to face.

I am praying that Mr. Bill enjoys the rest of his life. Sweet, precious soul. I am lighting a candle for you and for Mr. Bill.




I wish Id found this site first. The tumor on my baby's shoulders is twice the size of his head. Two weeks ago we saw our second vet and he has the pain patch & prednisone for inflammation. The lump is growing so fast! From the size of a grape the beginning of March to egg sized by the 20th. It seems to grow in spurts, now he can hardly walk-I guess it is pressing on the nerves, but he doesn't seem to be in any pain really. When it first got as big as his head he started scratching it and made a sore on his head, but since the pain patch he doesn't scratch it anymore and the sore is healed.

I don't want my baby to suffer, but I can't stand the thought of putting him to sleep. Does anyone know what will happen if I just "watch and wait"??? I don't want him to suffer at all- I can't talk about what he means to me-I can't stop crying when I do and I want to keep typing. He is still my Mr Bill, follows all his routines, meets me at the bathroom door in the morning (today he was almost dragging his hind end) and purring his "Good Morning Mommy" greeting that he has given me his whole life. He is 12yrs old and only wants to sleep with me in winter. He is still eating and drinking but looking at him I see he is not as happy as he was yesterday and he is getting frustrated that he can't move. I'm afraid the tumor with smother him or something in the middle of the night and I won't be able to help, but I'm afraid to put him to sleep while he is himself. I know that no one can make my decision for me but any advice, comment, knowledge, experience, may help.

[maerlyn]

As Lisa knows, I, too, had a cat - Moraganna - who developed fibrosarcoma from the 3-year rabies shot. I've been told that fibrosarcoma is a rapidly spreading disease, so it's no surprise that Mr. Bill's has grown so quickly. Did you consider having it removed early on? Morganna had hers removed for a biopsy. When it the results showed fibrosarcoma, the vet removed part of her (hind) leg. She was ok for about a year, when the tumor returned; more of the leg was removed, and she was "clean" for nearly two years after that. But when the tumor came back the third time and started bleeding - and Morganna developed a URI because of the prednisone - I knew it was time.

I'm so sorry you're suffering this; I remember the anguish well. Let your heart guide you; it will know when Mr. Bill has had enough.

[Laura's Babies]

:eek: I never connected what happened to Boo to the microchip and we never ran any tests on the tumors the vet removed off of her (my choice, not his). I think we did her first surgery in May 2011 when he removed the tumor in her ear and the ones under her skin under her ear (3 of them,BB size), The one in her ear grew back in a few months and when I took her back for her recheck after that surgery, everything was fine, that was around the first of August (I think) but in about 3 weeks she had a really big growth under that ear. By the end of October, I knew it was time to let her go when the texture of it completely changed overnight and although we had her on antibiotics, I could see infection had set in. The growth was big, all the fur fell off, it began to open and drain and keeping her from scratcning it was not a easy job...even with a collar. I took as good a care of that open tumor as I could, made sure it was cleaned GOOD, several times a day and the vet was impressed with the ideas I came up with to keep it covered. She ate good, was jumping up on top of the fridge and acted totally normal but her quality of life was sad. I realize now that what she had was fibrosarcoma because it was very aggresive.

Funny but when I started reading this thread I did it out of interest... By the time I got to the last page, THAT'S when it hit me that this the kind of tumor Boo had and most likely the chip, the cause..