Smudge is dying

On 6/04/2011 2:00 AM, wrote:
My neighbor who watches her and feeds her noticed that she wasn't
eating, had lost weight, and was acting listless. I brought her to
the vet yesterday and the vet felt "a mass" in her abdomen. Today
she had an ultrasound, and they found metastasized cancer in her
small intestine and throughout her abdomen. The vet said that they
can't do anything for her, because it's already spread, and even if
they performed surgery to take out the largest tumor, it might buy
her another month or two at most, but then she'd just develop another
tumor - it's a very aggressive type of cancer. They recommend
euthanasia within the next couple of *days*. Days? This is such
a shock. I already knew the vet suspected cancer, but I was expecting
that Smudge would have treatment and that she would be able to live
longer.

The only good thing the vet said is that she's pretty sure Smudge
is not in pain. She felt around quite a bit, and the ultrasound puts
a lot of pressure on the area, and she didn't complain. She doesn't
have to be put down right this minute. So I'm bringing her home for
a day or two, to say goodbye. I know she won't be thrilled to be in
my house, but I'll keep her in a room by herself, away from the other
two. She's very low energy and has not been the feisty, willful cat
she's always been, and I think she'll just hunker down and rest.

More later...

Oh my goodness, what sad news to hear. I'm glad she's not in pain, and
you have a chance to say goodbye, but its still an awful shock and not
an easy thing to bear.

Hugs to you whilst you heart is breaking, and purrs to dear Smudge for
an easy crossing.

Yowie

On 05 Apr 2011 16:00:15 GMT, wrote:

My neighbor who watches her and feeds her noticed that she wasn't
eating, had lost weight, and was acting listless. I brought her to
the vet yesterday and the vet felt "a mass" in her abdomen. Today
she had an ultrasound, and they found metastasized cancer in her
small intestine and throughout her abdomen. The vet said that they
can't do anything for her, because it's already spread, and even if
they performed surgery to take out the largest tumor, it might buy
her another month or two at most, but then she'd just develop another
tumor - it's a very aggressive type of cancer. They recommend
euthanasia within the next couple of *days*. Days? This is such
a shock. I already knew the vet suspected cancer, but I was expecting
that Smudge would have treatment and that she would be able to live
longer.

We lost our Moe to the same diagnosis last November. All told, he was
sick over a year, starting with runny nose, sneezing and an apparent
URI. Repeated rounds of antibiotics seemed to control it only to have
it return. He was finally diagnosed with cancer and we decided to just
keep him comfortable. He did not seem in pain, and in spite of
becoming increasingly emaciated, was still able to get around, sit on
laps, enjoy our company and even jump onto the counters. Then one day
he was simply unable to stand and we knew the time had come. You are
the one close to him, but I'm glad we didn't rush into doing something
in *days* after the diagnosis. We had several more months with him.

Joyce, I'm so sorry...purrs and hugs for you and for Smudge

Deborah

--

"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the
most shocking and inhumane."-Martin Luther King, Jr.

wrote:

We lost our Moe to the same diagnosis last November. All told, he was
sick over a year, starting with runny nose, sneezing and an apparent
URI. Repeated rounds of antibiotics seemed to control it only to have
it return. He was finally diagnosed with cancer and we decided to just
keep him comfortable. He did not seem in pain, and in spite of
becoming increasingly emaciated, was still able to get around, sit on
laps, enjoy our company and even jump onto the counters. Then one day
he was simply unable to stand and we knew the time had come. You are
the one close to him, but I'm glad we didn't rush into doing something
in *days* after the diagnosis. We had several more months with him.

The problem is that she hates living in my apartment. But I don't think
it's safe for her to be outside. She's weak and not so attentive and I don't
think she'll be safe around traffic. It's a residential area, not too busy,
but the main reason I felt OK about letting her go outside is because she's
always been pretty savvy about cars. Plus she had a mandate to be outside.
I think it would be terrible to keep her cooped up for the last months of
her life.

Did your vet say that Moe's intestine might rupture at any time, causing
him to become septic? Did the vet actually say that you should put him down
immediately? That's what my vet warned me about. This is apparently a very
aggressive cancer, and the vet really thinks that she is in the end stage.
Why would she encourage me to put her down before it was absolutely necessary?

Joyce

On 05 Apr 2011 21:21:27 GMT, wrote:


Did your vet say that Moe's intestine might rupture at any time, causing
him to become septic? Did the vet actually say that you should put him down
immediately?

No and no. The specific type of cancer was never diagnosed.

That's what my vet warned me about. This is apparently a very
aggressive cancer, and the vet really thinks that she is in the end stage.
Why would she encourage me to put her down before it was absolutely necessary?

Like I said, you know best...

I am so sorry
wrote in message
...
My neighbor who watches her and feeds her noticed that she wasn't
eating, had lost weight, and was acting listless. I brought her to
the vet yesterday and the vet felt "a mass" in her abdomen. Today
she had an ultrasound, and they found metastasized cancer in her
small intestine and throughout her abdomen. The vet said that they
can't do anything for her, because it's already spread, and even if
they performed surgery to take out the largest tumor, it might buy
her another month or two at most, but then she'd just develop another
tumor - it's a very aggressive type of cancer. They recommend
euthanasia within the next couple of *days*. Days? This is such
a shock. I already knew the vet suspected cancer, but I was expecting
that Smudge would have treatment and that she would be able to live
longer.

The only good thing the vet said is that she's pretty sure Smudge
is not in pain. She felt around quite a bit, and the ultrasound puts
a lot of pressure on the area, and she didn't complain. She doesn't
have to be put down right this minute. So I'm bringing her home for
a day or two, to say goodbye. I know she won't be thrilled to be in
my house, but I'll keep her in a room by herself, away from the other
two. She's very low energy and has not been the feisty, willful cat
she's always been, and I think she'll just hunker down and rest.

More later...

wrote:

On 05 Apr 2011 21:21:27 GMT, wrote:


Did your vet say that Moe's intestine might rupture at any time, causing
him to become septic? Did the vet actually say that you should put him down
immediately?

No and no. The specific type of cancer was never diagnosed.

That's what my vet warned me about. This is apparently a very
aggressive cancer, and the vet really thinks that she is in the end stage.
Why would she encourage me to put her down before it was absolutely necessary?

Like I said, you know best...

After seeing your first post, I called the vet again just to make sure.
I told her how you had not given your cat any treatment other than
palliative, but he lived for a few more months. So I didn't want to
jump the gun. But she said that Smudge's intestine is perforating, and
could rupture at any time. I do want the chance to say goodbye, but I
sure don't want that to happen. Like hopitus said, that would *hurt*.
I want her to have a peaceful death, not one in agony. So, thank you
for the information - I would rather have considered what you did now,
than heard about it after the fact, when it was too late.

Joyce

On 4/5/2011 12:00 PM, wrote:
My neighbor who watches her and feeds her noticed that she wasn't
eating, had lost weight, and was acting listless. I brought her to
the vet yesterday and the vet felt "a mass" in her abdomen. Today
she had an ultrasound, and they found metastasized cancer in her
small intestine and throughout her abdomen. The vet said that they
can't do anything for her, because it's already spread, and even if
they performed surgery to take out the largest tumor, it might buy
her another month or two at most, but then she'd just develop another
tumor - it's a very aggressive type of cancer. They recommend
euthanasia within the next couple of *days*. Days? This is such
a shock. I already knew the vet suspected cancer, but I was expecting
that Smudge would have treatment and that she would be able to live
longer.

The only good thing the vet said is that she's pretty sure Smudge
is not in pain. She felt around quite a bit, and the ultrasound puts
a lot of pressure on the area, and she didn't complain. She doesn't
have to be put down right this minute. So I'm bringing her home for
a day or two, to say goodbye. I know she won't be thrilled to be in
my house, but I'll keep her in a room by herself, away from the other
two. She's very low energy and has not been the feisty, willful cat
she's always been, and I think she'll just hunker down and rest.

More later...


I'm so sorry Joyce. Any kind of death is heartbreaking, but cancer is
of a kind of its own. I'm glad she isn't hurting and that you will have
a chance to spend some time and say good bye. Am already sending purrs
and good wishes for Smudges final journey. There will be a lot of good
humans and cats waiting for her.

Pam S.

On 4/5/2011 12:00 PM, wrote:
My neighbor who watches her and feeds her noticed that she wasn't
eating, had lost weight, and was acting listless. I brought her to
the vet yesterday and the vet felt "a mass" in her abdomen. Today
she had an ultrasound, and they found metastasized cancer in her
small intestine and throughout her abdomen. The vet said that they
can't do anything for her, because it's already spread, and even if
they performed surgery to take out the largest tumor, it might buy
her another month or two at most, but then she'd just develop another
tumor - it's a very aggressive type of cancer. They recommend
euthanasia within the next couple of *days*. Days? This is such
a shock. I already knew the vet suspected cancer, but I was expecting
that Smudge would have treatment and that she would be able to live
longer.

The only good thing the vet said is that she's pretty sure Smudge
is not in pain. She felt around quite a bit, and the ultrasound puts
a lot of pressure on the area, and she didn't complain. She doesn't
have to be put down right this minute. So I'm bringing her home for
a day or two, to say goodbye. I know she won't be thrilled to be in
my house, but I'll keep her in a room by herself, away from the other
two. She's very low energy and has not been the feisty, willful cat
she's always been, and I think she'll just hunker down and rest.

More later...

Joyce, I'm so sorry.

On 4/5/2011 7:28 PM, wrote:

After seeing your first post, I called the vet again just to make sure.
I told her how you had not given your cat any treatment other than
palliative, but he lived for a few more months. So I didn't want to
jump the gun. But she said that Smudge's intestine is perforating, and
could rupture at any time. I do want the chance to say goodbye, but I
sure don't want that to happen. Like hopitus said, that would*hurt*.
I want her to have a peaceful death, not one in agony. So, thank you
for the information - I would rather have considered what you did now,
than heard about it after the fact, when it was too late.

For any cat that I've had to make that big decision for, I asked for the
prognosis. And the pain level. I've only had to put down two.

Marley, well, he couldn't take a **** (megacolon) and after many trips
to the vet for enemas, it was time after the surgeon told me that to
remove the diseased parts of the intestines, he'd have chronic diarrhea.
Without the surgery the only way to take a poop was to have it pulled
out of his butt. Chronic diarrhea without hope of ever clearing it up
was not an option for life for a fastidiously clean animal.

Shadow, he had too many problems to keep him going. I promised him
after he had to go through a feeding tube and many surgeries that if he
needed any more surgery to save him, that it was time to go. It broke
my heart. He'd been through so much, and he had a disease due to a
transfusion that none of us expected.

Sometimes it's just time, but you have to know the prognosis.
talk honestly with the vet and let them know you have to know everything.