Bad news about Dufus Claudius Felis
I saw him limping late Saturday afternoon and was giong to call the vet this morning, except that he vanished after breakfast. He came in for supper before 4pm, so while he was eating, I closed off his escape route and called the vet, and when he was finished, put him in the carrier.
He's lost 2# in 6 months. The limp is
not idue to something in his paw, but to a lemon-sized tumor on his left hind hip. She thinks it's probably
cancer and probably coming out of the bone. His lifespan is now
measurable in months.
Even if it's not coming out of the bone and
is not malignant, an operation at his age and in his condition would be
devastating, and probably would end up as an amputation. If it is
cancer, and they operated, it would be just as devastating and the
chances are it would spread rapidly unless I went the entire
chemo/radiation route. Gaaah---- I wouldn't wish that on a human being
in his shape! Let alone a little cat who loves his freedom, follows me
around, and would be made miserable.
She asked if I'd like Dr. Bolton's opinion, too. I did; he concurs.
I
now have a couple of week's supply of pain meds on hand just in case he
needs them, but so far he hasn't complained. Except when I tried to
probe his paw Saturday for splinters or foxtails and when I tried to put him in
the carrier.
I just fed him a second supper with 1/4 tsp of flax
seed oil on top. The vet said that and fish oil, especially fish oil, will be good
for his comfort, in 1/4 the amount I myself would take. He gobbled the
supper right down.
I'm afraid I've lost the little guy. Not
now, maybe not even this year, though I'm not making any bets on it.
But the end is visibly in sight. And he's - was - such a dear kitty. I'll make him comfortable and feed him well until the time comes. That's all I can do.
He's lost 2# in 6 months. The limp is
not idue to something in his paw, but to a lemon-sized tumor on his left hind hip. She thinks it's probably
cancer and probably coming out of the bone. His lifespan is now
measurable in months.
Even if it's not coming out of the bone and
is not malignant, an operation at his age and in his condition would be
devastating, and probably would end up as an amputation. If it is
cancer, and they operated, it would be just as devastating and the
chances are it would spread rapidly unless I went the entire
chemo/radiation route. Gaaah---- I wouldn't wish that on a human being
in his shape! Let alone a little cat who loves his freedom, follows me
around, and would be made miserable.
She asked if I'd like Dr. Bolton's opinion, too. I did; he concurs.
I
now have a couple of week's supply of pain meds on hand just in case he
needs them, but so far he hasn't complained. Except when I tried to
probe his paw Saturday for splinters or foxtails and when I tried to put him in
the carrier.
I just fed him a second supper with 1/4 tsp of flax
seed oil on top. The vet said that and fish oil, especially fish oil, will be good
for his comfort, in 1/4 the amount I myself would take. He gobbled the
supper right down.
I'm afraid I've lost the little guy. Not
now, maybe not even this year, though I'm not making any bets on it.
But the end is visibly in sight. And he's - was - such a dear kitty. I'll make him comfortable and feed him well until the time comes. That's all I can do.