cat food/swollen lymph nodes

Hi All,

I have two subjects I have questions on. First, they have discontinued the
cat food brand I was using and I need to find a new type. I was wondering
what members feed their cats and if they are satisfied.

Secondly, my daughter's cat recently recovered from fatty liver syndrome
but now has swollen lymph nodes. The last week are so he seemed to be
trying to cough up a furball but yesterday he had trouble breathing so she
took him to the vet today. The vet gave him a steriod shot and a shot of
antibiotics and took some samples. She said swollen neck lymph nodes
usually mean lymphoma in dogs but it is more variable in cats. I was
wondering if anyone has had any experience with something similiar. Any
help/info would be appreciated! Thanks

Kathy

On Jan 6, 8:05*pm, "kat" wrote:
Hi All,

I have two subjects I have questions on. *First, they have discontinued the
cat food brand I was using and I need to find a new type. *I was wondering
what members feed their cats and if they are satisfied.

Secondly, *my daughter's cat recently recovered from fatty liver syndrome
but now has swollen lymph nodes. *The last week are so he seemed to be
trying to cough up a furball but yesterday he had trouble breathing so she
took him to the vet today. *The vet gave him a steriod shot and a shot of
antibiotics and took some samples. *She said swollen neck lymph nodes
usually mean lymphoma in dogs but it is more variable in cats. *I was
wondering if anyone has had any experience with something similiar. *Any
help/info would be appreciated! *Thanks

Kathy

Not to be alarmist, but were that a dog, the chances would be 70/30 to
Lymphoma. with cats, that is about 50/50. But the liver involvement is
highly indicative of lymphoma. As to the combination of antibiotics
and steroids, the steroids will mask the Lymphoma but if it is only an
infection, it will help the antibiotics. How old is the cat? The most
typical onset of this is between 6 and 8 years, but it really can
happen at any age.

There are very good and effective chemotherapy regimens these days
that are not terribly expensive - but the treatment process is as hard
on the owners as it is on the cat emotionally. It takes about 10 weeks
including a two-week hiatus after which you get what you get.

We feed our cats a mix of wet and dry, Meow Mix Hairball and Purina
Hairball alternating on the dry, Friskies being the wet with
occasional 9-Lives and People Food (chicken/beef/turkey/ham/sardines)
for quite rare treats. They are both highly active cats and slender
(although the Maine Coon is something over 18 pounds) so we are not
overly concerned with their diet as long as it is nutritionally
complete. We go through two cans per day and about 5 pounds of dry
food per week. Dry food is always available. They eat well and are
not the slightest bit finickey. They are also very good drinkers -
something important to watch. On this last, cats are acutely sensitive
to smell and so hate chlorinated water. We 'age' water for them (and
the dogs) to get rid of that smell. Note: Cats and dogs drink from
toilets *because* that water sat in a tank before it got to the bowl
and is *not* straight from the tap. It is not just because they want
to disgust you - it is because they don't like their much more
convenient but straight-from-the-tap cat-bowl water. If you use a
Brita or similar filter, that helps a great deal. But, don't waste
your money on bottled water. Just age the tap water. And if you have a
well, best of all.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

I have two subjects I have questions on. *First, they have discontinued the
cat food brand I was using and I need to find a new type. *I was wondering
what members feed their cats and if they are satisfied.

First of all, I'm sorry about your daughter's cat. I can't offer any
advice but wanted to pass along good thoughts.

Second, there are many opinions on cat food. I have learned the hard
way that dry food is not a good diet for cats. I feed Wellness canned
(the grain free varieties) and Nature's Variety raw food. Both are
excellent foods with no grains. Nature's Variety also makes a good
canned food.

Here's a good article you should read on feline nutrition: http://www.catinfo.org

Rene

wrote in message
...
On Jan 6, 8:05 pm, "kat" wrote:
Hi All,

I have two subjects I have questions on. First, they have discontinued the
cat food brand I was using and I need to find a new type. I was wondering
what members feed their cats and if they are satisfied.

Secondly, my daughter's cat recently recovered from fatty liver syndrome
but now has swollen lymph nodes. The last week are so he seemed to be
trying to cough up a furball but yesterday he had trouble breathing so she
took him to the vet today. The vet gave him a steriod shot and a shot of
antibiotics and took some samples. She said swollen neck lymph nodes
usually mean lymphoma in dogs but it is more variable in cats. I was
wondering if anyone has had any experience with something similiar. Any
help/info would be appreciated! Thanks

Kathy

Not to be alarmist, but were that a dog, the chances would be 70/30 to
Lymphoma. with cats, that is about 50/50. But the liver involvement is
highly indicative of lymphoma.

That's what we are worried about.

As to the combination of antibiotics
and steroids, the steroids will mask the Lymphoma but if it is only an
infection, it will help the antibiotics. How old is the cat?

2 years old

The most
typical onset of this is between 6 and 8 years, but it really can
happen at any age.

There are very good and effective chemotherapy regimens these days
that are not terribly expensive - but the treatment process is as hard
on the owners as it is on the cat emotionally. It takes about 10 weeks
including a two-week hiatus after which you get what you get.

Any idea of the percentage of cats that respond to the treatment?



We feed our cats a mix of wet and dry, Meow Mix Hairball and Purina
Hairball alternating on the dry,

I'll keep those in mind when I run out.

Friskies being the wet with
occasional 9-Lives and People Food (chicken/beef/turkey/ham/sardines)
for quite rare treats. They are both highly active cats and slender
(although the Maine Coon is something over 18 pounds) so we are not
overly concerned with their diet as long as it is nutritionally
complete. We go through two cans per day and about 5 pounds of dry
food per week. Dry food is always available. They eat well and are
not the slightest bit finickey. They are also very good drinkers -
something important to watch. On this last, cats are acutely sensitive
to smell and so hate chlorinated water. We 'age' water for them (and
the dogs) to get rid of that smell. Note: Cats and dogs drink from
toilets *because* that water sat in a tank before it got to the bowl
and is *not* straight from the tap. It is not just because they want
to disgust you - it is because they don't like their much more
convenient but straight-from-the-tap cat-bowl water. If you use a
Brita or similar filter, that helps a great deal. But, don't waste
your money on bottled water. Just age the tap water. And if you have a
well, best of all.

We do have a well but it is a shallow well. We periodically treat it for
bacteria so I have switched to spring water. I recently (March) had a dog
die from CRF and I thought the spring water would be easier on the kidneys.

Kathy

"Rene S." wrote in message
...

I have two subjects I have questions on. First, they have discontinued the
cat food brand I was using and I need to find a new type. I was wondering
what members feed their cats and if they are satisfied.

First of all, I'm sorry about your daughter's cat. I can't offer any
advice but wanted to pass along good thoughts.


Thanks I feel so badly for her. She was married in July of 2006 and
shortly after adopted a kitten from the local AC. She had the kitten for
two days and had to rush it to the 24 hour vet hospital (an hour away) in
the middle of the night but he didn't make to the hospital. When she called
the AC to tell them they said his sister was sick and they were wondering
about him. What the heck? Why didn't they call her asap and let her know
so she could immediately go to the vet?! I don't know if it would have made
a difference but still. . . . She then waited about four months and
adopted this little guy and his sister.


Second, there are many opinions on cat food. I have learned the hard
way that dry food is not a good diet for cats.


Did you have a bad experience? Luckily the only problem I have had is when
I temporarily fed Little Friskies and they lost an alarming amount of
weight. I thought the lower protein would be better for their kidneys (I
was dealing with a dog with CRF so I was hyper aware of this). I switched
back to their regular food and they were fine but now I *have* to switch and
I'd like not to have a repeat of that experience!

Kathy

Did you have a bad experience? *Luckily the only problem I have had is when
I temporarily fed Little Friskies and they lost an alarming amount of
weight. *I thought the lower protein would be better for their kidneys (I
was dealing with a dog with CRF so I was hyper aware of this). *I switched
back to their regular food and they were fine but now I *have* to switch and
I'd like not to have a repeat of that experience!

My oldest cat had urinary problems when he was only 1 1/2, and
eventually needed bladder surgery. Though it can't be proven, I
believe the dry food was partly to blame for bladder crystals at such
a young age. When he was a little older, the vet put him on several
dry "diet" prescription foods. On the first, he lost one ounce (yes,
ounce) after feeding for an entire year. The second food made him gain
six pounds in a year! After the vet tried to prescribe a third food to
"fix" the weight problem, I switched to Wellness canned and he not
only lost the weight, but has nicer fur, more energy, and is not
always begging for food.

I highly recommend a high-quality wet diet, fed twice per day at about
12 hours apart. All of our cats are now on this schedule and it's
working great for us.

"kat" wrote in message
net...
Hi All,

I have two subjects I have questions on. First, they have discontinued
the
cat food brand I was using and I need to find a new type. I was wondering
what members feed their cats and if they are satisfied.

Secondly, my daughter's cat recently recovered from fatty liver syndrome
but now has swollen lymph nodes. The last week are so he seemed to be
trying to cough up a furball but yesterday he had trouble breathing so she
took him to the vet today. The vet gave him a steriod shot and a shot of
antibiotics and took some samples. She said swollen neck lymph nodes
usually mean lymphoma in dogs but it is more variable in cats.

I seriously doubt the cat has cancer. The lymph nodes you're describing are
the submandibular lymph nodes. Enlargement of these nodes usually indicates
a gum infection which can also spread to the throat & tonsils and can cause
coughing and difficulty in swallowing- which can appear trying to cough up a
hairball and trouble breathing .

Your daughter's cat needs a thorough oral exam w/dental x-rays ASAP. Oral
pain and/or pain when swallowing can lead to anorexia which could have led
to his bout of hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver syndrome).

Phil

"Phil P." wrote in message
...

"kat" wrote in message
net...
Hi All,

I have two subjects I have questions on. First, they have discontinued
the
cat food brand I was using and I need to find a new type. I was
wondering
what members feed their cats and if they are satisfied.

Secondly, my daughter's cat recently recovered from fatty liver
syndrome
but now has swollen lymph nodes. The last week are so he seemed to be
trying to cough up a furball but yesterday he had trouble breathing so
she
took him to the vet today. The vet gave him a steriod shot and a shot
of
antibiotics and took some samples. She said swollen neck lymph nodes
usually mean lymphoma in dogs but it is more variable in cats.

I seriously doubt the cat has cancer. The lymph nodes you're describing
are
the submandibular lymph nodes. Enlargement of these nodes usually
indicates
a gum infection which can also spread to the throat & tonsils and can
cause
coughing and difficulty in swallowing- which can appear trying to cough up
a
hairball and trouble breathing .

Your daughter's cat needs a thorough oral exam w/dental x-rays ASAP. Oral
pain and/or pain when swallowing can lead to anorexia which could have led
to his bout of hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver syndrome).

Phil

Well the aspiration of the lymph nodes came back clear but last night he
stopped breathing. They were able to revive him and rushed him to the 24
hour clinic. The vet took x-rays and he has fluid in his lungs. They have
him on diuretics, steriods and antibiotics. My daughter said they are
running more tests (she didn't say which kind). I hope they figure this out
soon.

Kathy

On Jan 7, 7:32*pm, "kat" wrote:

Any idea of the percentage of cats that respond to the treatment?

If they survive the first and second course of the IV DNA supressor
drug (about 6 weeks apart, and which is really a kill-or-cure), the
typical good-quality-of-life survival is 18 months with up to 3+ years
being possible. Sadly, there are not yet any sure-cures for animal non-
Hodgkins lymphoma as whole-body radiation and tissue-matched bone-
marrow transplants are not in the cards.

We do have a well but it is a shallow well. *We periodically treat it for
bacteria so I have switched to spring water. *I recently (March) had a dog
die from CRF *and I thought the spring water would be easier on the kidneys.

What sort of bacteria in the well (have you determined of a certainty
that it is present)? And do you treat the well itself? What do you
use? Chlorine Bleach? And do you do the flush afterwards? After a week
or so, there should be no more chlorine in the well and it should be
fine for about any use. Unless you over-chlorinate. But, unless you
have actually proven that there is a constant source of harmful
bacteria or other harmful contaminant (lead, mercury, arsenic and so
forth) in your well rendering it un-drinkable unless treated, just use
it. It will be better than anything you can buy over-the-counter as
well as put a bunch less plastic into landfills.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

wrote in message
...
On Jan 7, 7:32 pm, "kat" wrote:



We do have a well but it is a shallow well. We periodically treat it for
bacteria so I have switched to spring water. I recently (March) had a dog
die from CRF and I thought the spring water would be easier on the
kidneys.

What sort of bacteria in the well (have you determined of a certainty
that it is present)?

Not lately although it was positive (for e-coli if I remember correctly) 8
years ago when we bought the house and were told to treat it periodically.
We were new to the whole well thing.


And do you treat the well itself?

Yes

What do you
use? Chlorine Bleach?

The same stuff we use for the pool.

And do you do the flush afterwards?

Um no. What does that entail?

After a week
or so, there should be no more chlorine in the well and it should be
fine for about any use.

Yes I've noticed that the chlorine smell dissipates after about a week. Is
it safe for my husband to use for his cofee during that week? We actually
haven't treated the well in about 5 months and I've actually been a little
worried that there is bacteria growing. Are those over the counter tests
effective?

Unless you over-chlorinate.

We use a cup for a 16-20' crock well. Is that over chlorinating? As you
can tell I really don't know too much about this stuff


But, unless you
have actually proven that there is a constant source of harmful
bacteria or other harmful contaminant (lead, mercury, arsenic and so
forth) in your well rendering it un-drinkable unless treated, just use
it.

Would we do that kind of testing through the health department?


It will be better than anything you can buy over-the-counter as
well as put a bunch less plastic into landfills.

We recycle so I feel a little bit better about using bottled.

Kathy