probable brain tumor per the specialist - need advice

My vet referred Delilah to a specialist and he's convinced she is blind (menace
and cotton ball tests, looked that way to me too). He also reviewed all the
history I provided in recent months from observation and vet visits and said
this ties in all too well to a brain tumor. He did say a CT scan would be the
only way to be 100% certain but didn't seem to think the scan was a good
approach unless I was willing to go the brain surgery route which would run
approx 4-5k, not to mention what it would put her (and me) through and
depending on location, may not be operable anyway.

He did recommend prednisone, could give her a few decent months by providing
temporary relief to symptoms.

Has anyone had any experience with a CONFIRMED brain tumor? I've read a lot of
postings where the tumor was strongly suspected but never actually confirmed
with a scan of the brain. Also interested in possible vs.probable life
expectancy (with decent quality of life).

It is hard for me to believe all this. Supposedly most people are shocked when
they find out their cat is blind.

I'm still in shock, sick to my stomach and trying to decide what my next steps
should be.

Her symptoms have been slowly building for 6-8 months and include slow weight
loss (from 9.6 to 8.2), always leads with left foot up the stairs, gets too
close to the edge of furniture, tables and falls off, only cocks her head to
the left when I whistle, regardless of where I am, suggesting possible hearing
loss in right ear. 2 weeks ago she had an 'event' I described to specialist
and he said it certainly sounds like a seizure. I've had her 8 years and for
as long as I can recall she has always had a tendency to pace and walk in
circles at times, also symptomatic of brain tumor. Peed outside box twice but
that could be due to UTI she's currently on antibiotic for.

One thing that disturbs me about this specialist, 2 minutes after telling him
Delilah has shown a little more aggression to my other cat, he asks me if I
have another cat! Then he catches himself by saying oh yes, you told me about
the other cat.

This is the advice I would give if someone else where in my shoes.

brain surgery may be too much. But I am considering a brain scan in case
something other than a brain tumor is detected, something that could be curable
less invasively than a brain tumor

This is the advice I would give if someone else where in my shoes.

brain surgery may be too much. But I am considering a brain scan in case
something other than a brain tumor is detected, something that could be curable
less invasively than a brain tumor

in article , DaniellaY at
wrote on 8/11/04 10:42 PM:

This is the advice I would give if someone else where in my shoes.

brain surgery may be too much. But I am considering a brain scan in case
something other than a brain tumor is detected, something that could be
curable
less invasively than a brain tumor

That is definitely what I would wnant to do.

in article , DaniellaY at
wrote on 8/11/04 10:42 PM:

This is the advice I would give if someone else where in my shoes.

brain surgery may be too much. But I am considering a brain scan in case
something other than a brain tumor is detected, something that could be
curable
less invasively than a brain tumor

That is definitely what I would wnant to do.

Peggy Currid wrote in message ...
snip


I don't say that to be discouraging, but to ask pet owners to really
think twice about heroic measures when the diagnosis is a terminal
illness. Sometimes, ensuring that the beloved pet gets a peaceful death is
the most heroic thing to do (albeit all circumstances vary, and I'm not
making any pronouncements or judgments).

I preach this all the time. There comes a time when enough is enough,
and often putting the animal through the treatment is much less humane
than letting nature take its course. When I worked for the cat
hospital, there were so many times I wanted to just shake people and
make them open their eyes to their animal's suffering.

I have a dog that has an inoperable spinal tumor. I (in consultation
with our vet) have chosen to make her as comfortable as possible in
the time she has left. Pain management is the key, and when the time
comes, I will have no regrets.

To the OP - I'm sorry to hear about your kitty. I hope you can find
a treatment/maintenance plan that works for her.

-L.

Peggy Currid wrote in message ...
snip


I don't say that to be discouraging, but to ask pet owners to really
think twice about heroic measures when the diagnosis is a terminal
illness. Sometimes, ensuring that the beloved pet gets a peaceful death is
the most heroic thing to do (albeit all circumstances vary, and I'm not
making any pronouncements or judgments).

I preach this all the time. There comes a time when enough is enough,
and often putting the animal through the treatment is much less humane
than letting nature take its course. When I worked for the cat
hospital, there were so many times I wanted to just shake people and
make them open their eyes to their animal's suffering.

I have a dog that has an inoperable spinal tumor. I (in consultation
with our vet) have chosen to make her as comfortable as possible in
the time she has left. Pain management is the key, and when the time
comes, I will have no regrets.

To the OP - I'm sorry to hear about your kitty. I hope you can find
a treatment/maintenance plan that works for her.

-L.

Things have gotten worse. At 4 am I was shocked out of my sleep, my cat was on
the bed having a seizure. This one lasted 1-2 minutes and was followed by a
couple minutes of intermittent growling.

It must've started on the floor, there was a trail of urine spots leading to
the bed, she must've then jumped up and that's when I woke, she was thrashing
and there were urine stains all over.

I have her secluded in a room with food/litter/water. I'm scared of her
causing harm to my other cat or to me. The specialist said that with seizures
the animal can become violent (this was not the case with her first seizure 2
weeks ago but this morning I was scared, it looked like the very beginnings of
Cujo kitty).

I'm in shock and freaking out. My thoughts today are much different than
yesterday. I'm now contemplating having her put to sleep this week. it
appears things are very recently decling fast. I observed her all day
yesterday after finding out she was blind with probable brain tumor and I'm
seeing things I didn't see before. Maybe she is suffering too much to warrant
keeping her alive any longer?

It's a tough call to make, because she's eating/drinking, litter activity
normal. Getting around. But right now she's just curled up in the room like
it took something out of her.

The selfish part of me is thinking how much more of this can I take between the
emotional turmoil, time and expense of medical care and urine I'm trying to get
out of carpet? And it will only get worse.

Things have gotten worse. At 4 am I was shocked out of my sleep, my cat was on
the bed having a seizure. This one lasted 1-2 minutes and was followed by a
couple minutes of intermittent growling.

It must've started on the floor, there was a trail of urine spots leading to
the bed, she must've then jumped up and that's when I woke, she was thrashing
and there were urine stains all over.

I have her secluded in a room with food/litter/water. I'm scared of her
causing harm to my other cat or to me. The specialist said that with seizures
the animal can become violent (this was not the case with her first seizure 2
weeks ago but this morning I was scared, it looked like the very beginnings of
Cujo kitty).

I'm in shock and freaking out. My thoughts today are much different than
yesterday. I'm now contemplating having her put to sleep this week. it
appears things are very recently decling fast. I observed her all day
yesterday after finding out she was blind with probable brain tumor and I'm
seeing things I didn't see before. Maybe she is suffering too much to warrant
keeping her alive any longer?

It's a tough call to make, because she's eating/drinking, litter activity
normal. Getting around. But right now she's just curled up in the room like
it took something out of her.

The selfish part of me is thinking how much more of this can I take between the
emotional turmoil, time and expense of medical care and urine I'm trying to get
out of carpet? And it will only get worse.

"DaniellaY" wrote in message
...
Things have gotten worse. At 4 am I was shocked out of my sleep, my cat
was on the bed having a seizure. This one lasted 1-2 minutes and was
followed by a
couple minutes of intermittent growling.

It must've started on the floor, there was a trail of urine spots leading
to the bed, she must've then jumped up and that's when I woke, she was
thrashing and there were urine stains all over.


[snips]

I don't really think you're thinking mostly of the mess and
inconvenience. It has to be frightening for her to have seizures like that.
I think you know that it is time now. I know it is a hard decision to make,
but it does sound like it is time.