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stickmakerMy 12 year old cat, Michael, has been having some health problems the past few months. Most recently, his abdomen has swollen to the point that he looks pregnant. My vet had me take him to a specialist in Lexington (Kentucky) who had better ultrasound equipment. The good news is that his organs seem fine. However, the membrane lining the abdomen had several clusters of unusual cell growth.
The vet said he thought it was cancer. He recommended against a laparoscopy to confirm this, because whatever type of cancer it is the medicine he prescribed would be about equally effective.
The medicine is a mild chemotherapy agent which was mailed from a compounding pharmacy in Texas: Roadrunner Pharmacy. The box arrived this (Thursday) afternoon. I got Michael's first dose of chlorambucil in him just about half an hour ago. I'm supposed to give one capsule to him Monday and Thursday.
It helps that the capsules are *tiny* because that makes them easier for him to swallow. It hurts that the capsules are *tiny* because I can barely handle them!
The vet said this wasn't likely to make him sick, and even if it's not cancer it's a general anti-inflammatory and should still help. However, there were multiple warnings on the package about handling the medication, which is a cytotoxic material. I am supposed to wash my hands after handling the capsules.
The vet said that on this medicine, if what Michael has is actually cancer, he should have between a month and six months.
I lost a 15 year old cat to mast cell cancer three years ago. I'm not looking forward to this. However, it might, indeed, not be cancer. I'll just have to see.
The vet said that on this medicine, if what Michael has is actually cancer, he should have between a month and six months.
I lost a 15 year old cat to mast cell cancer three years ago. I'm not looking forward to this. However, it might, indeed, not be cancer. I'll just have to see.
Michael
Date: 2017-06-09 02:45 am (UTC)The rubber part is really soft and holds the pill. You can kneel over the cat and put one hand over his head on his jaw hinge and put the piller into his opened mouth by the back of his throat. The plastic push part only moves an inch or less. Makes pill giving a lot easier
Secondy, if Michael is taking thyroid medicine, has the vet considered that THAT might be causing his issues? My cat was given the pill form of it, and it almost killed him. Then he was switched to the cream which is rubbed into the tips of the ears. I don't think it was very effective, though. The quality of his life was not great, and he went downhill anyway.
I hope that Michael will respond to the medicine the vet gave him. Guessing at whether he has cancer doesn't seem like something a specialist should do, though, but I am not a big fan of vets to begin with.
I will keep Michael in my thoughts and prayers.
Re: Michael
Date: 2017-06-09 02:56 am (UTC)Thank you for your concern.
I actually have one of those pill shooters. It doesn't work as well as just using my hands, because it's too soft to get his jaws open.
Michael is a very good cat. He has never bitten me - even when I have my fingers in his mouth - and never deliberately scratched me. Even the vets and assistants who have worked with him have commented on how he never fights back, just tries to get away. However, he *hates* getting pills. :-)
I'm picking up a refill on his thyroid medicine tomorrow. I'll ask about the possibility that's causing his symptoms and an alternate method of dosing him. Thank you for pointing those out to me.
Re: Michael
Date: 2017-06-09 03:05 am (UTC)One more thing
Date: 2017-06-09 03:14 am (UTC)Re: One more thing
Date: 2017-06-09 12:40 pm (UTC)I understood that you were only presenting one thing to check.
no subject
Date: 2017-06-10 05:47 am (UTC)