feline schwannoma

Dear Friends in Felinity:

After presenting with a swollen paw and marked weight loss (by my own account)
my very shy, 12-year old spay, Tabisha, has been biopsied and diagnosed with
having a schwannoma. The vet stated the pathologists report assured it
was benign. However, he recommended if the tumor began to limit her mobility
it would need to be excised.

Well, I know its limiting her mobility, she no longer claws the sisel posts
or even knits the rug when I pet her. Furthermore, I can tell its getting
larger.... it seems to be concentrated just beneath the large pawpad on her
left front side. She favors that paw more and more when she walks....and
when she stands still and bears weight on it, it just shakes as though it may
collapse.

My dilemma: Tabisha is a very shy cat...she runs for cover if I sneeze in
her presence. Her last trip to the vet was only her 2nd. I've always
kept her very sheltered and rightfully so, given her nature. My vet has
assured me that with the excision, things will be physically worse before
they get better.


Does anyone have experience with a benign tumor producing secondary issues?
If not, what would you do if this was your cat? I'm open to any and all
suggestions.

Thanks in advance,

Marie

--
Message posted via CatKB.com
http://www.catkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...ealth/200706/1

"mariebola via CatKB.com" u5070@uwe wrote in message
news:73e81395b6dd4@uwe...
Dear Friends in Felinity:

After presenting with a swollen paw and marked weight loss (by my own
account)
my very shy, 12-year old spay, Tabisha, has been biopsied and diagnosed
with
having a schwannoma. The vet stated the pathologists report assured it
was benign. However, he recommended if the tumor began to limit her
mobility
it would need to be excised.

Well, I know its limiting her mobility, she no longer claws the sisel
posts
or even knits the rug when I pet her. Furthermore, I can tell its getting
larger.... it seems to be concentrated just beneath the large pawpad on
her
left front side. She favors that paw more and more when she walks....and
when she stands still and bears weight on it, it just shakes as though it
may
collapse.

My dilemma: Tabisha is a very shy cat...she runs for cover if I sneeze
in
her presence. Her last trip to the vet was only her 2nd. I've always
kept her very sheltered and rightfully so, given her nature. My vet has
assured me that with the excision, things will be physically worse
before
they get better.


Does anyone have experience with a benign tumor producing secondary
issues?
If not, what would you do if this was your cat? I'm open to any and all
suggestions.
------------
The tumor is taking away from her quality of life, and since it's growing,
the situation is only going to get worse, not better. If this were my cat, I
would opt for the surgery. Ask the vet to give you some sedation for her
that you can give her at home prior to the trip to the vet (to help her
relax, so the car ride and the trip to the vet won't be so traumatic), then
bring her to the vet and have the tumor excised. Try to limit her postop
stay at the vet as much as possible.
Best regards,
---Cindy S.

cindys wrote:
Dear Friends in Felinity:

[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
If not, what would you do if this was your cat? I'm open to any and all
suggestions.
------------
The tumor is taking away from her quality of life, and since it's growing,
the situation is only going to get worse, not better. If this were my cat, I
would opt for the surgery. Ask the vet to give you some sedation for her
that you can give her at home prior to the trip to the vet (to help her
relax, so the car ride and the trip to the vet won't be so traumatic), then
bring her to the vet and have the tumor excised. Try to limit her postop
stay at the vet as much as possible.
Best regards,
---Cindy S.


Thank you so much. Of course, I'm leaning in this direction. Will let
you know how it all turns out.

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:11:41 GMT, "cindys"
wrote:

The tumor is taking away from her quality of life, and since it's
growing, the situation is only going to get worse, not better. If this
were my cat, I would opt for the surgery. Ask the vet to give you some
sedation for her that you can give her at home prior to the trip to
the vet (to help her relax, so the car ride and the trip to the vet
won't be so traumatic), then bring her to the vet and have the tumor
excised. Try to limit her postop stay at the vet as much as possible.

This is very good advice.

It seems to me the benign tumor is already causing secondary issues, in the
form of pain and reduced quality of life. Cats are very stoic so her pain
must be pretty severe.

--
Lynne

"cindys" wrote in message
...

"mariebola via CatKB.com" u5070@uwe wrote in message
news:73e81395b6dd4@uwe...
Dear Friends in Felinity:

After presenting with a swollen paw and marked weight loss (by my own
account)
my very shy, 12-year old spay, Tabisha, has been biopsied and diagnosed
with
having a schwannoma. The vet stated the pathologists report assured
it
was benign. However, he recommended if the tumor began to limit her
mobility
it would need to be excised.

Well, I know its limiting her mobility, she no longer claws the sisel
posts
or even knits the rug when I pet her. Furthermore, I can tell its
getting
larger.... it seems to be concentrated just beneath the large pawpad on
her
left front side. She favors that paw more and more when she
walks....and
when she stands still and bears weight on it, it just shakes as though it
may
collapse.

My dilemma: Tabisha is a very shy cat...she runs for cover if I sneeze
in
her presence. Her last trip to the vet was only her 2nd. I've always
kept her very sheltered and rightfully so, given her nature. My vet has
assured me that with the excision, things will be physically worse
before
they get better.


Does anyone have experience with a benign tumor producing secondary
issues?
If not, what would you do if this was your cat? I'm open to any and all
suggestions.
------------
The tumor is taking away from her quality of life, and since it's growing,
the situation is only going to get worse, not better. If this were my cat,
I would opt for the surgery. Ask the vet to give you some sedation for her
that you can give her at home prior to the trip to the vet (to help her
relax, so the car ride and the trip to the vet won't be so traumatic),
then bring her to the vet and have the tumor excised. Try to limit her
postop stay at the vet as much as possible.
----------
Make sure Tabisha gets a sufficient amount of postop pain medication (and
make sure you get some to take home). Humans generally get postop narcotics
for a week or more following surgery. Then, they go to a non-narcotic pain
reliever for another week. Veterinarians sometimes overlook this :-( Animals
also require postop pain meds, and when they aren't given pain medication
postop, they go crazy from pain when they wake up from surgery. So, make
sure that doesn't happen to Tabisha.
Best regards,
---Cindy S.

on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:31:04 GMT, "cindys"
wrote:

Make sure Tabisha gets a sufficient amount of postop pain medication
(and make sure you get some to take home). Humans generally get postop
narcotics for a week or more following surgery. Then, they go to a
non-narcotic pain reliever for another week. Veterinarians sometimes
overlook this :-( Animals also require postop pain meds, and when they
aren't given pain medication postop, they go crazy from pain when they
wake up from surgery. So, make sure that doesn't happen to Tabisha.

more very good advice!

--
Lynne

on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:30:43 GMT, "mariebola via CatKB.com" u5070@uwe
wrote:

Will let
you know how it all turns out.

Please do. I hope all goes well. I think once Tabisha recovers from
surgery and is out of pain, the stress from the ordeal of getting the tumor
removed will be a distant memory for both of you.

--
Lynne

On Mon 18 Jun 2007 09:31:50p, Lynne wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav
.97.142:

on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:31:04 GMT, "cindys"
wrote:

Make sure Tabisha gets a sufficient amount of postop pain
medication (and make sure you get some to take home). Humans
generally get postop narcotics for a week or more following
surgery. Then, they go to a non-narcotic pain reliever for
another week. Veterinarians sometimes overlook this :-( Animals
also require postop pain meds, and when they aren't given pain
medication postop, they go crazy from pain when they wake up
from surgery. So, make sure that doesn't happen to Tabisha.

more very good advice!


Indeed! But also be aware that some post op meds can have their
own problems. My Shadow had a fentinol patch after a surgery he had
and it seemed to make him horribly nauseous. I had to remove it
after 2 days and the glue it is applied with was nearly impossible
to get off of him.

Good luck with Tabisha and let us know how it goes.

--
Cheryl