Hee, hee! I love talkative cats! We've got a couple who talk in a kinda sing-songy voice...you can almost hear words in their voices, like, "What are you doing?" or "I'm here! I'm here!" or "Hello? Where is everybody?" :)
Becca, I'd almost place money on intestinal lymphoma...but I'm sure that's what you're expecting, as well...I just lost a guy to intestinal lymphoma, although that's not what got him into the oncologist's office originally...He had mediastinal lymphoma which responded wonderfully to chemo...but then developed a tumor in his belly. The oncologist said he sees it all the time, you treat one tumor and another one pops up elsewhere that is even more resistant to drugs. The tumor responded briefly to Elspar and CCNU and finally, a strong steroid combo (dex/depo). We were never able to get the diarrhea under control as the cancer was quickly rendering his intestinal tract useless...Is Paassht's diarrhea really, really watery? Especially after she's given fluids? Again, I don't mean to scare you...there are definitely options that can't hurt at this point...But be sure to listen to Paassht, too! You certainly know her best...I'm hoping for good news at the specialist's office ! Be sure to keep her well hydrated until then...that kind of diarrhea will dehydrate her quicker than anything! And if given the option I would certainly try chemo...especially Elspar. Cats typically don't have the same reaction to chemo that we do...and Elspar is well-tolerated and its effects are quickly noticable. Again, if that doesn't work ask about the steroids...Michelle Lerner from this list can give you the specifics! Hope this helps...you guys will certainly be in my thoughts! Jen **************************************************** "But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world; You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed..." --Antoine de Saint-Exupéry "If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys." --Chief Dan George ----- Original Message ----- From: Becca DuBose <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Monday, February 27, 2006 5:36 pm Subject: Re: Paassht To: [email protected] > So does she! I've never had another cat who loved his/her name as > much > as Paassht seems to. It makes a great sound. One of the things > we've > been missing is her running from anywhere in the house when called, > chirping all the way in response. Her vocabulary is almost all > chirping > and she's been known to carry on some very long conversations. > > Paassht has had no bloodwork done since she was tested in 1999, not > even > to be retested. Her current vet has been checking her heart and > resp > rate and gum color at each visit. She isn't vomiting but she does > have > terrible diarrhea. I wish I'd been educated enough to get a second > opinion back when she first tested positive. I've wanted to have > her > retested for several years, but I really trusted the vet she was > seeing. > I talked to a second specialist between posts and I think we've > found a > winner. She said what we're already doing sounds reasonable and > she > probably wouldn't have much to add, but at the same time didn't try > to > discourage me from bringing Paassht in if she starts to feel > better. > She mentioned single-agent prednisone therapy as an option and told > me > she could call a colleague at UT (we're in Nashville, so that's the > closest vet school) for advice on treatment protocols. The first > place > didn't put the doctor on the phone with me. They could see Paassht > sooner, but I doubt if one day would make a difference at this > point...the right doctor will be more important. > > Becca & Paassht > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > >Becca, did they do bloodwork on Paassht (love that name, by the > way!) to > >rule out anemia, as well? How's her breathing? Rapid or normal? Are > >her gums pale? If there is, in fact, cancer within her intestinal > >walls, she will have a difficult time absorbing nutrients and water > >(which would account for the dehydration) which will in turn cause > >lethargy (is she vomiting? diarrhea?)...but best to know that anemia > >isn't also an underlying culprit, too! > > > >Intestinal lymphoma is notoriously harder to treat than, say, > >mediastinal lymphoma (tumor in the chest cavity)...that's not to say > >there aren't exceptions, but if you go the chemo route and it doesn't > >work, another option is steriods. Large doses of steriods. They're > >certainly no cure, but they offer a good quality of life when all > else>fails. I'm certainly not trying to discourage you or bring > your hopes > >down, I'm just trying to make you aware of some of the options out > there!> > >Please keep us posted! > > > >Jen > > > >**************************************************** > >"But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you > will be > >unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the > world; You > >become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed..." --Antoine de > >Saint-Exupéry > > > >"If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know > >each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, > and what > >you do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys." -- > Chief Dan > >George > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: Becca DuBose <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Date: Monday, February 27, 2006 4:43 pm > >Subject: Re: Paassht > >To: [email protected] > > > > > > > >>She is so tired...she got up to eat and drink a little. I found > >>her > >>resting on the floor after she used her litterbox, so I put her > >>back in > >>her bed and now she's resting there, not sleeping, just resting > >>with her > >>eyes open. I called one of the vets in the phone book and we're > >>going > >>to take her in for a consult. The earliest we can go is Wednesday. > >> > >>Becca & Paassht > >> > >> > >>Marylyn wrote: > >> > >> > >> > >>>I'd make the drive to a specialist. It is worth the peace of > >>> > >>> > >>mind. > >> > >> > >>>If it helps, I've made a 3 hour (one way) drive more times than > I > >>> > >>> > >>can > >> > >> > >>>count. Just having someone in the field say what he/she thinks > >>> > >>> > >>is > >> > >> > >>>important. However, the ones I have gone to often argue for > >>>aggressive treatment. You need to talk to Paassht and see what > >>> > >>> > >>she > >> > >> > >>>wants to do re chemo, radiation etc if this proves to be the > case > >>> > >>> > >>with > >> > >> > >>>her. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> If you have men > >>> > >>> > >>who > >> > >> > >>>will exclude any of God's creatures > >>> from the shelter > >>> > >>> > >>of > >> > >> > >>>compassion and pity, you will have men who > >>> will deal > >>> > >>> > >>likewise > >> > >> > >>>with their fellow man. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>St. > >> > >> > >>>Francis > >>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Becca DuBose" > >>><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>>To: <[email protected]> > >>>Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 3:27 PM > >>>Subject: Fwd: Paassht > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>>>Hi, > >>>> > >>>>I've just been lurking and reading for a few weeks. My little > >>>> > >>>> > >>one, > >> > >> > >>>>Paassht, is 7-1/2 and tested positive for FeLV in 1999. She > was > >>>> > >>>> > >>very > >> > >> > >>>>healthy with nothing more than occasional URIs until September > >>>> > >>>> > >>'05, > >> > >> > >>>>when she started losing weight. It has been a bit of a roller > >>>>coaster ride since then, back and forth to the vet, on and off > >>>>antibiotics etc. About 10 days ago I took her in because she > >>>> > >>>> > >>seemed > >> > >> > >>>>dehydrated and they gave her some fluid SQ. Within 36 hours or > >>>> > >>>> > >>so > >> > >> > >>>>she was almost back to her old self but we went back this > >>>> > >>>> > >>morning > >> > >> > >>>>because the fatigue returned and I suspected she was dehydrated > >>>>again. She is eating very well but not regaining any weight. > I > >>>> > >>>> > >>have > >> > >> > >>>>been afraid it was cancer and sure enough, she has a palpable > >>>>intestinal mass. The vet doesn't believe she will recover and > >>>> > >>>> > >>so has > >> > >> > >>>>recommended comfort care only. I had them give her fluids > again > >>>>since that helped her feel so much better last week. The vet > >>>> > >>>> > >>also > >> > >> > >>>>sent us home with very low dose prednisone to try PRN and we > are > >>>>continuing her amoxicillin. I'd like to get a second opinion > >>>> > >>>> > >>but our > >> > >> > >>>>phone book lists no specialists on veterinary oncology or > >>>> > >>>> > >>internal > >> > >> > >>>>medicine, just a handful of clinics advertising cancer care > (all > >>>> > >>>> > >>of > >> > >> > >>>>which are a 30-45 minute drive away). There are some others > >>>> > >>>> > >>billing > >> > >> > >>>>themselves as cat specialist but they are a similar distance > >>>> > >>>> > >>away. > >> > >> > >>>>The closest option is to take her to see another generalist. > >>>> > >>>> > >>She > >> > >> > >>>>does OK in the car, but I don't want to drag her all over town > >>>> > >>>> > >>if it > >> > >> > >>>>won't really help her. Even with the fluids this morning I had > >>>> > >>>> > >>to > >> > >> > >>>>ask myself was it for her, or for me? What would you do if > >>>> > >>>> > >>Paassht > >> > >> > >>>>were your kitty? > >>>> > >>>>Becca & Paassht > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > > > > > > > > >
