Hi cat_mom, thank you for your response. Unfortunately I'm in UK so unable to visit ASC, but I will look at Dr Sue;s website, if I can access it. I'm glad your cat did well. Sadly, I am concerned my baby is not doing so great, she seems very lethargic and un-settled, and is drinking much more than normal. Today she vomited, although she is still eating ok. I am really unsure I want to put her through the op, as I fear the cancer may be spreading, and it seems unkind to put her through major surgery if it is going to make her worse in herself. I am getting myself in a bad state worrying about which way to go. I love her sooo much, its breaking my heart not knowing what is best.

I appreciate your reply, thank you, I'll go see if I can find Dr Sue's site now, to see if that helps.

Hi cat mom, my cat was very ill and drinking a lot. She is fourteen. I found it was due to her diet which was biscuits which she loved - they were no good for her kidneys. They were expensive biscuits! I had to wean her off her beloved biscuits and now she loves chicken and veg, also sardines in tomato sauce. She has got a lump in her side which I asked the vet to check last time she was in for her flu jab, but the vet couldn't feel it! Anyhow, she is much better on her new diet, although elderly she does still scamper about sometimes, and I had thought she was going to die. I am not too concerned about the lump as it does not seem to trouble her, and as she is elderly I think I will just see how she goes. I found out about the kidney problem on a natural feeding for cats website. Sorry I have lost the link.

Terri Ann,

I am so very sorry for what you and your girl are going through. Unfortunately, I know exactly how you're feeling, because I've been through the same thing with my Mew very recently. To give you a bit of background, Mew is right around your girl's age (he was a stray, so his exact age is unknown). I sent him to a specialty clinic last November for 10 days to be treated with radioactive iodine (I-131) for his hyperthyroidism. That treatment was successful, and his hyperT is cured.

In the aftermath of the I-131 treatment, Mew developed kidney disease (which is, I suspect, what is causing your girl's excessive thirst).

A month or so after his return home, one of the other cats attacked him. A couple of weeks later, he developed a swelling around the wrist joint of his right front leg. I was certain it was an abscess from the fight and started giving him an antibiotic. After another week or two, there was no improvement of the lump, and he was becoming progressively more lame on the leg, so I took him to my local vet. He thought it was cancer rather than an abscess. Because my local vet is not properly equipped to monitor an elderly cat under anesthesia, I made an appointment with a surgical clinic 100 miles away to do the biopsy.

Unfortunately, the lump came back as fibrosarcoma - cancer. A week later, Mew was back at the surgical clinic having a full leg amputation. The tumor was far too large by that time to do anything less. Mew is now adjusting to being a tripod kitty, and the hair is gradually growing back over where his right shoulder used to be. He is, hopefully, cancer-free. With any luck at all, the kidney disease is the only problem we'll have to deal with from here forward.

Prior to Mew's amputation, I consulted with a veterinary oncologist to make sure that as many of the diagnostic bases were covered as possible. His type of cancer was typically only locally invasive, though there was a slight chance of it also metastasizing to the lungs. For that reason, three views of chest x-rays were taken to check for additional tumors, and his lymph nodes were checked for any swelling that may indicate metastasis. If these pre-surgical diagnostics had identified metastasis beyond the leg, I probably wouldn't have proceeded with the amputation. Fortunately, they were clear.

Has a biopsy been done on your girl and cancer verified and identified? Did your vet run a full blood screen, including a full chemistry, CBC, and Total T4? If not, those things need to be done (the bloodwork will need to be done BEFORE surgery). If you do have a verified cancer diagnosis, I strongly recommend you and/or your vet consult with a veterinary oncologist prior to surgery so that you know exactly what is the recommended course of treatment for your girl's specific type of cancer. Don't count on a general practice vet to be fully versed on current cancer treatments.

I wish you and your girl the best possible outcome.

Laurie

Hi Laurie,

Thank you so much for your reply, poor Mew, he really has been through it, I'm so glad he is now on the other side of it all and cancer free, at least the kidney disease is manageable.

My girl hasn't had any x rays done as yet, to see if the sarcoma has spread, so I have decided not to go ahead with the surgery until we have checked for secondary cancer, I just cant put her through it, if the outcome isn't good. I am keeping the appointment tomorrow and will ask for further investigations, x rays, bloods etc, before I make any decisions. She had bloods done about 6 weeks ago, as she is on Metacam for joint stiffness and that can affect kidney functions, but her bloods were all fine then, and the vet gave her a clean bill of health, so all this has come as quite a shock, and I think I opted for surgery too quickly, without giving it enough thought, and have spent the past few days thinking of nothing else! It was mentioned about amputation, I was reluctant to do that to her at her age, and the vet wasn't sure it would be a good idea, in view of her age and the fact that she has the arthritis in her back legs, it might be too much for her to cope with, so I don't think I would go for that. It's all so horrible, and hard to know what to do for the best for my beautiful girl. I guess its a case of, taking one step at a time, getting the tests done, and go from there.

Thank you for sharing your story with me, its nice to know there are good outcomes like yours, I just pray in a few months time I will be able to say the same.

Thanks, Terri. x

Terri,

Yes, Mew really has been through it. He needs a break!

I think you are wise to postpone the surgery until after you have fresh bloods and x-rays done. The fact that your girl is suddenly drinking a lot more AND is on Metacam points toward a kidney issue. Are you also giving her a good joint supplement like Dasuquin or other? If her kidneys are compromised (or even if they aren't yet), I would recommend quitting Metacam and doubling up on a joint supplement. If she needs pain relief for her arthritis, ask your vet about one of the narcotics like buprenorphine or Tramadol. They are safer for the kidneys, though they have no anti-inflammatory action like Metacam.

Make sure your vet does THREE chest views on those x-rays. One view won't be enough to fully visualize all parts of the lungs. Fibrosarcoma was described to me by the oncologist with whom I consulted as being very locally invasive and aggressive, and I can tell you that Mew's grew very quickly over the course of a few weeks. It grew even faster during the week between the biopsy and amputation. Because there is so little tissue in the lower legs, it would have been impossible to get clean margins without the amputation, so there really wasn't any other option if I wanted Mew to be cancer-free.

I can certainly understand your reluctance to amputate your girl's leg, esp. in light of her arthritis, but it may be your best chance of curing her cancer. If you go for a lumpectomy and the cancer recurs, you'd need to remove the leg, anyway, if you want to cure her. But that would present more opportunity for metastasis. It's a very tough call, I know.

Again I will suggest a consult with an oncologist. The Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University offers free telephone consults with its oncologists, and I assume they'd be willing to do one for you in the UK. It's where I've gotten my oncology consults for Mew and two of my other cancer animals. I'll give you the link below. You can request a consult either for yourself or for your vet (I always opt for the consult for myself, since I know exactly what questions I want answered). If you decide to do this, acquire copies of all diagnostics (x-rays and current bloods) and exam notes from your vet to submit with your request. Here's the link:

http://www.csuanimalcancercenter.org/consult-service

Laurie

Laurie,

Thank you so much, I will certainly bear everything you say in mind, when making any decisions, and the link will be very helpful. I'll se what happens tomorrow, and let you know what they find. Many thanks.

Terri.

I will hold good thoughts that they find no indication of metastasis elsewhere in your girl. If you're inclined to do so, I'd be very interested in seeing you post her bloodwork results here when you have them. Oh, and make sure you fast her for at least 9 hrs before your appt tomorrow so that they can get a fasted blood sample for accurate testing.

Keep us updated!

Laurie

Thoughts & prayers for your kitty.

Thanks Laurie and Christine. x

i'm so sorry to see this. my dane boy was recently diagnosed with osteosarcoma so i know the sadness you are feeling. hope your kitty does well!

Hi guys,

Update on Tabitha, my baby, good and bad news, so far all the x rays were clear, there is no sign of metastasis, although we are waiting for lymph node biopsy results, but the bad news is the sarcoma has grown to more or less double in size in the space of a week. Vet has said amputation would be only option, but they do not advise it at her age, and because of the type of tumour, it would not benefit from a lumpectomy, as there would not be safe margins around it. We are waiting for advice from an oncologist to see if it would respond to radiotherapy, but the vet said, in her experience of this type of aggressive tumour, they rarely respond well to treatment, so she has advised us to enjoy my baby as much as possible, as it may only be a matter of weeks before it has got to a point where she will be suffering. ( I am sobbing my heart out as I write this) It seems so unfair, she is eating, drinking and all her bodily functions are working, she is still moving around and jumping onto my bed for snuggles, so to say goodbye to her soon is going to be a very difficult decision to make, and will break my heart.

Ninapearl, thank you for your comment, what have they said to you about your prognosis? My thoughts are with you, its so hard isn't it.

Terri,

You have been told everything I was told about Mew's fibrosarcoma, and as I told you earlier, his also grew quickly after the biopsy. I assume the biopsy itself triggered that rapid growth of the tumor. Only difference is that Mew's surgeon assured me that he would do fine with the amputation, which he did. And remember that Mew is CKD, so he had that consideration to deal with, as well.

I had Mew's surgery performed at a fully equipped surgical clinic with all of the necessary monitoring equipment to keep Mew safe under anesthesia. Most private practice vets don't have the proper blood pressure monitoring equipment for feline patients. That's why I take my old cats 100 miles to this particular surgical facility when surgery is necessary. I've had cats several years older than Tabitha with multiple chronic diseases undergo anesthetic procedures at that clinic with NO complications.

With Tabitha, the only consideration that would make me hesitate to amputate the leg is her arthritis. If the arthritis in her other legs is severe, then she may not do well on three legs, but if her arthritis is mild, it may be adequately manageable with a pain med and good joint supplement.

I can tell you that Mew has slowed down a LOT with the loss of his leg. I don't know if that will improve if he develops more muscle tone in his remaining legs, but I'm hopeful that it will. Remember that Mew was also hyperT for 3 yrs before his I-131 treatment last November. He lost a LOT of muscle mass during his hyperT years as a side effect of the hyperT, which is probably why he tires so easily on only three legs.

So here's my suggestion to you. Consider the amputation ONLY relative to Tabitha's arthritis and strength in her other legs. If you think she could still get along adequately on the other three, find a fully equipped surgical clinic and get the amputation done ASAP.

Oh, and here's another intriguing possibility. I have a dog who has custom made orthopedic braces for both hind legs. They were made by a world-class orthotist in Denver, CO. I've been wondering if he could make some sort of prosthetic for Mew to replace his lost limb. I have no idea if that could be done, but you might want to give him a call and ask about the possibilities. His website is http://orthopets.com.

Laurie

OK, I just called OrthoPets out of curiosity on Mew's behalf. As I suspected, they can't do anything for him because he had a full leg amputation, including the shoulder. There just isn't anything left to attach a prosthetic to or to stabilize or mobilize it. They said that they need a functional shoulder, elbow, and at least 40% of the radius and ulna in order to create a functional prosthetic. So, it's extremely doubtful that the degree of amputation Tabitha would require would leave enough for a prosthetic. I'm sorry to have gotten your hopes up about that possibility, but it still doesn't count out amputation as an option if you think her arthritis is manageable enough to make 3-legged life comfortable for her.

Laurie

oh teri, i completely understand what you're feeling right now. as for my situation, bentley is almost 9 years old. the only options for treatment are amputation and chemo, things i would never think to put him through. even with treatment, the prognosis is grim. my vet and i agree that comfort care would be the kindest thing. on friday, it will be 3 weeks since diagnosis. the vet told me we would have 1-3 months so i am trying to prepare myself. i lost my female dane in february so this sudden illness came as such a shock to me. i will do whatever i must to keep him comfortable but i know our time together is very limited. *sigh*

Terri, what type of sarcoma does Tabitha have, and exactly where is it located? I don't know anything about osteosarcoma, but I know that fibrosarcoma like Mew had is locally invasive but not typically (however possibly) metastatic. Since Mew showed no indication of metastasis in either his lungs or local lymph nodes, there's a strong probability that the amputation cured him. There is, however, still the possibility that some cancer cells are floating around in his body that weren't visible in his chest x-rays or lymph node exam. I'm choosing to believe that the amputation got it all and that he is cancer-free.

Nina, I am so very sorry to read about your boy's osteosarcoma. I can certainly understand not pursuing treatment when the prognosis even with treatment is poor. Such a horrible thing, cancer. I went for decades without ever seeing cancer in one of my animals (though perhaps it occurred and went undiagnosed). But now it seems that a number of different types of cancer have taken my animals over the last 10 yrs, with increasing frequency. I don't know what's going on. Is this the legacy of our human population's poisoning of planet Earth? It frightens me.

Nina, I am so sorry, it sounds as if you are going through exactly what I am right now, its heart breaking isn't it. I can totally understand what you are saying about not persuing the treatment, if the outcome would be guaranteed a good one, it might be worth considering, my vet also told me the type of sarcoma Tabitha has is a very aggressive one and in her experience of this type, they rarely respond well to treatment, and to put her through all the stress of it, without a good chance of it improving, just seems unfair on her. Comfort care is possibly the only option we have too. Sadly, we were told it could be weeks, rather than months, I am finding this very difficult to get my head round. It seems so unfair, that she is still well in herself, but because of a horrid lump on her leg, we will have to let her go.

My thoughts are with you Nina, and your boy, I am so sorry. It must be especially hard, having lost your girl in Feb too, how sad. :'(

Laurie, the tumour is in the front leg, around about the knee, so far there is no evidence that it has gone into the bone, but the vet described it as similar to the type that sometimes occur at injection sites. They tend to grow rapidly, and swell, to the point where they can get ulcerated and infected. It sounds awful, I just cant bear the thought of my poor girl having to suffer that.

I agree, I have had many kitty's over the years, and none have had such terrible illness, it does seem to be something that is suddenly more frequent. It is frightening, and very sad. Its become a very cruel world.

I really hope Mew is well, and keep positive thoughts that he is completely cured. xx

Terri,

I really don't intend to sound like I'm trying to talk you into amputation, because only you can make that decision. But I really want you to understand exactly what you're dealing with so that you can make a fully informed decision. If the tumor on Tabitha's leg is the same type of tumor that occurs at injection sites, then it is a fibrosarcoma, NOT an osteosarcoma. Fibrosarcoma is very LOCALLY aggressive, but it has a low rate of metastasis. That's why vaccination recommendations for vets have changed from giving vaccines in the scruff of the neck to giving them as far down on the legs as possible. That recommendation was specifically adopted so that when injection-site fibrosarcomas occur, owners would have the option of saving the cat's life by amputating the leg and eliminating the cancer. Obviously, if a fibrosarcoma occurs on the back of the neck, the neck can not be amputated to save the cat.

So, assuming that Tabitha's tumor is a fibrosarcoma, and in the absence of any identifiable metastasis elsewhere in her body, there would be a high likelihood of cure of her cancer with amputation. It sounds to me like your vet hasn't made that clear to you. The fibrosarcoma will, however, result in her death pretty soon if it is not surgically eliminated through amputation.

If you are uncertain about any of the information either your vet or I have supplied, call CSU's Animal Cancer Center and speak with an oncologist. Again, I'm not trying to sway your decision one way or another. I just want you to be perfectly clear on the facts so that you can live comfortably with whatever decision you make.

Laurie

Hi Laurie,

Just thought I'd update you on where we are at. Yesterday I had a long talk with Tabitha's vet. All of her tests have come back clear, so no metastasis anywhere, and on the whole, the vet says she is a pretty healthy older lady! We discussed all the possible options, none of which sound particularly promising, apart from amputation. The vet thinks Tabitha's chances of getting through the op are good (although obviously there is always a risk) and she thinks she would recover and adapt pretty well, especially if we get her on some supplements for the remaining legs, to help her along. She said if it was her cat, she would definitely go with amputation, as this would rid her of the cancer and give her the best outlook. My daughter and I, along with sis-in-law and nieces, have all discussed it, and were all in agreement that we should go for it, as I would never forgive myself if I didn't try to give her the chance, it just felt wrong cutting her life short, just for her leg, when she is healthy in all other aspects. So, decision made, we are going for amputation. We will do everything possible to help her adapt, and pray she will then continue to live healthy and happy for as long as possible. We love her so so much, I just hope she doesn't hate me for doing it!

So, there we are, she will go in early next week, I will keep you up-dated in how she gets on.

Thank you so much for all your input, it is good to know there is someone who has been through it, who can relate to what we're going through, and knowing people out there care enough to message, is a great comfort. xx

thank you for your kind thoughts and words. i'm so glad to know you have an option for tabitha that can lead to a good outcome! i wish you the very best and will look forward to an update!!

Thanks Nina. x

Hi Terri,

I want you to know that I am glad that you have reached a decision that leaves the door open for a good outcome for you and Tabitha. I wrote a much longer post earlier that disappeared before I could submit it (danged computer), and I'll try to replicate it in the coming days for you. Right now, though, I am reeling from the unexpected news that my dog, Pippin, almost certainly has late stage liver cancer. Anything I write here now is likely to be colored with sadness and pessimism, which has nothing to do with Tabitha. So, keep the faith and rest assured that Tabitha will continue to love you as she does now, even after the amputation.

I have to go spend time with my boy now.

Laurie

Hi Laurie,

I am so very sorry and saddened to hear your news about Pippin, how awful, I really feel your pain. Life is very cruel. Is there anything they can do for him? I don't know anything about liver cancer, so can only hope for his sake they can help him, bless him.

Know that I am thinking of you, and will pray for poor Pippin, and thank you for still making time to post to me.

Stay strong, sending you hugs. xx

Terri. x

Hi Terri,

Thank you for your kindness and sympathy. None of the four vets who have seen and/or consulted on Pip's case so far have mentioned any sort of treatment options. One has said that it is 99.9% certain to be terminal liver cancer that will take his life. The diagnostics so far are suggestive of cholangeal carcinoma, but the only way to be 100% certain is with a liver biopsy. I'm just not sure I want to put him through that when all of the other diagnostics have pointed so strongly to cancer.

However, none of the vets on his case are oncologists, so my next step is to forward all of his test results to the Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University and request an oncology phone consult. I've done that with several of my cancer animals, including Mew, and it always helps clarify things for me. If an oncologist agrees that there is no other realistic diagnosis but cancer, I will ask about treatment options. If there are no treatments that offer a good chance of extended quality of life for Pip, I'll have to let him go.

Laurie

Here are a couple pics of Pip in his younger, healthier days.

oh laurie, i am SO SO sorry about pippin. :( i know what you're going through as my dane boy was diagnosed 3 weeks ago with osteosarcoma. my girl is limping badly and i have an appointment tomorrow with our ortho vet. i am praying for a knee/acl issue and not more cancer.

did the vet give you a timeline? this just saddens me so much. (((((hugs))))) to you!

Aww Laurie, that is so very sad, he is really beautiful, I am so so sorry, and feel for you, you must be feeling terrible. I just don't have enough words, its so difficult to go through, and your world must seem just awful right now. I will say prayers for you both, and hope that the oncologists can give you some brighter options.

Tabitha is booked in for tomorrow for her amputation, so I will be in turmoil until I hear she has come through it ok.

Know that you and Pippin will be in my thoughts, please update me on what the oncologists say.

God bless, and big hugs. xxxx

Nina, Im so sorry to hear your girl is suffering too, I'll keep everything crossed that she is diagnosed with something easier to cope with, and as you say, not more cancer, let us know how it goes.

Thinking of you too. x Hugs and prayers for you also. xx

thanks, terri! it seems olivia got a little to frisky and "tweaked" her knee. vet said nothing is torn from what he can feel so she is on an anti-inflammatory and restricted activity for 6-8 weeks. she is NOT gonna like that part!

dr. o'brien was surprised at how well bentley is doing. he said at the rate the lump is growing, he would have expected him to be in more pain than he is. nothing much has really changed with him other than he sleeps a little more but that really isn't unusual because he hates the hot weather almost as much as i do!

Thank you, Terri and Ninapearl. Sadly, Pip took a turn for the worse this morning, so I had to say goodbye to my sweet boy. Didn't even have time for the oncology consult. I've been very ill myself since Saturday, so I had to have a friend drive us both to the vet. I just couldn't let him pass from this world without me by his side.

That makes three cats, one horse, and now Pip that I've lost since the end of October. Chunks of my heart are being ripped out at far too fast a pace these days. I've got two more very old cats and three very old horses, any of which could leave me at any time.

I'm feeling very drained today.

Laurie

Terri,

I'll be holding Tabitha close in my thoughts tomorrow. Make sure the clinic at which she's having her surgery has the proper equipment to monitor feline blood pressure which she's under anesthesia. Also, make sure they run IV fluids both during and after surgery to keep her blood pressure up until she's awake and alert. Those measures will help protect her kidneys.

Ninapearl, I'm very glad that Olivia just tweaked herself and that Bentley is holding his own.

Laurie

Terri,

How is Tabitha? Did she come through surgery without any complications? I know it can be shocking to see her without one of her limbs. I'm still getting used to Mew's new physiology (and so is he). When you can pull yourself away from her side long enough to respond, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would appreciate an update.

How are YOU doing?

Laurie

Hi guys,

Laurie, I am so sad to hear about poor Pip, I really feel your pain, its so difficult to say goodbye to them isn't it, I send you enormous hugs, at least you were able to be there right to the end, no consolation, but he knew how much he was loved. I hope and pray you will feel better soon, as you have been unwell too, it must have been very difficult.

With regard to Tabitha, yes, she made it through surgery fine, she is doing ok, a bit spaced out from the pain killing drugs at the moment, but she was apparently an ideal patient! The vet said she had no concerns through the surgery, and she recovered well. They kept the fluids going in until late afternoon/evening, and she is now home with me, the thing she seems to hate the most right now, is being in a crate! She has to stay rested in there for about 10 days, until the stitches come out, but she has tried to walk a couple of times, albeit very wobbly, there is plenty of room in there, as it was a friends Dobermans cage, so its certainly roomy! She does look sorry for herself though! We see the vet tomorrow for a post-op check, but so far no oozing or anything to be concerned about from the wound, so hopefully all will be ok. I am ok, just feel so helpless, when she looks at me and miaows I just want to pick her up and hug her, but obviously at this stage that's not an option. Will take each day as it comes now.

Again, I'm so sorry for your loss, will be thinking of you. RIP Beautiful Pip. xxxx

Nina,

So relieved for you, that's good news about Olivia, and I'm glad Bentley is hanging in there. You must be very relieved.

Right, got to get back to my girl, I'll keep you posted when I can. Bye for now. xx

Terri,

Thank you for your condolences.

I'm very glad that Tabitha came through surgery with flying colors. Did they do a full leg amputation (including the shoulderblade), or did they amputate below the shoulder? It's interesting that your vet has put Tabitha on crate rest for 10 days. Mew's surgeon didn't even want me to keep him restricted to a single bedroom. She thought he'd be fine let loose in the whole house and that it would be less stressful for him during his recuperation. But I knew I had to keep him out of blind old Pip's way until he was recovered and mobile enough to stay out of his way himself. I suppose Mew's surgeon wasn't concerned about him moving around during recovery because without the leg, there also wasn't any pressure put on the sutures to cause them to rip out.

In any event, I can't see the harm in sitting on the floor by Tabitha's cage, opening the door, and letting her spend some time on your lap, if that would make her happy. Truthfully, though, Mew's incision (full leg amputation) was so long that I feared touching him anywhere in the front half of his body might be painful until he had done some healing. I spent my time sitting on the bed next to him, just letting him know I was there. The narcotic he was on (buprenorphine) had him fairly spacey for the first 5 days or so, anyway.

I gauged the degree of Mew's healing by how he would lie down. For at least the first week, he laid only on his non-surgical side. Sometime between day 7-10, he started lying on his surgical side, so I knew the tenderness around his incision was subsiding. It took quite a bit longer for me to figure out how to pick him up without putting pressure on his incision, so I tried not to pick him up until the area was well healed.

You and Tabitha will figure it out, and now you've got the time to do so.

Laurie

Hi Laurie,

I hope you are feeling a little better today, I know it takes time.

Thank you for still caring about how Tabitha got on, with what you are /have been through.

She didn't have the shoulder blade removed, they took it just below, as they felt it would be better to keep the surgery as short as possible in view of her age, but they are 100% they took enough to get it all and some, so hopefully a good prognosis. Tabitha is doing ok, we saw the vet again this morning for a post-op check, and all looks good, she is eating and drinking ok, and has tried a few times to move around the cage, very wobbly, but she managed! I asked about letting her out this morning, but they want her to stay confined for another 7 days until she has the stitches removed. She has some fluid below the wound, which they said is quite normal, but I am very nervous of trying to pick her up as I don't want to hinder her progress. I guess another week is a small price to pay if she is then well and happy. At the moment she is still laying on the good side, so will hopefully see that change as the tenderness subsides. She has had the meds reduced, as they were making her so spaced out, so now on every 12 hours instead of 4-6 hours, vet couldn't sense any signs of pain when examining her this morning, so thinks that will be ok, but if she starts to show otherwise, I can increase the dose to every 8 hours. Tabitha has never been a "lap cat" she always lays net to me, either on the sofa or bed, so I am just spending time in the cage with her (that's a sight in itself, as I have to double myself up to get in!!) At least she know Im around that way.

Well, that's it at the moment, so far, so good. Will keep you posted when I can.

Take care, Terri.

terri, i'm so glad to know tabitha is doing well after the surgery! she must be a real fighter!!

laurie, i'm so so very sorry to see you have lost your dear pippin. i know all about the hole in your heart. i hope that some day, happy memories of your sweet pup will push all the bad stuff away. i know it takes lots of time. it is the price we pay for the love we give and get back. we wouldn't have it any other way, right? (((hugs)))

nina

Hi Laurie,

How are you doing? I hope you are starting to feel a little better, I know it must be a very difficult time.

Thought I'd just update on Tabitha, whilst she sleeps! She is off the meds, as they were making her seem worse, she would appear to be hallucinating, and was head-banging the cage door and crying, but as the effect was wearing off, seemed much more settled and comfortable, so after talking to the vet, they said take her off them. Since then she seems so much better. She is eating and drinking well, and, although we weren't meant to, we let her out of the crate for a short time yesterday and she managed to wobble her way around the room, made it to her food and water, and tucked in quite happily!! She then laid back down, it seemed to tire her, so we are just going to give her short spells each day, and gradually build her up. She will have stitches removed Thursday, and then we can start on the road to adjustment! She's a tough little cookie, and is really trying, so hopefully it will be a steady progression. Did your Mew show any signs of depression after his leg loss? I have read a lot of sites regarding tripod kitty adjustment, and some say they suffer depression to begin with. I guess with the right love and attention, they get over this ok. I am starting to feel much better about having taken this route, now that I see she is doing ok. I guess time is of the essence, for all of us.

Nina, how is Bentley holding up? I hope things are stable, and Olivia is doing ok too, and not getting too frustrated with her limited activity!! Keep us posted on Bentley.

Will update again soon, on how Tabitha is doing.

Bye for now, both stay strong. xx

laurie, hope you are at peace knowing that pippin is saving you a place. (((hugs)))

terri...thanks for asking. bentley is beginning to decline. i upped his pain meds last weekend and added gabapentin. i have the option to start him on tramadol also but that is something i dread as i know once he starts on it, he will sleep the majority of the time. i am wrestling with my options as i do not want him to be in pain. yesterday, my vet had me increase the dosage of the gabapentin and he seemed a little more mobile this morning. i know the time will come soon and i'm dreading saying good bye to my silly, goofy, lovable boy.

olivia is very gentle with bentley. i'm sure she senses that he is sick so she is careful not to bowl him over with her exuberant play. i have occasionally seen her walk over to him and lick the top of his head. so sweet. as for her knee, it's healing well and she has been really obedient when i tell her to "go slow". i do get the stink eye often, though. lol

Nina,

I'm so sorry to hear Bentley is not doing so good, it must be a very difficult time for you, its so hard to see them sick. How sweet Olivia senses he is poorly and is showing such affection to him, they are so intuitive. I feel for you and what you are going through, knowing what to do for the best is very difficult. Try to stay strong, sending hugs. I'm glad Olivia's knee is healing well though, and she is being so good, bless her : )

Laurie, hoping you are holding up ok, and feeling a little better each day, I know it will take time to heal the pain you have in your heart.

Tabitha surprised us today, we had her stitches out, all good, and can now let her try to start working things out. We brought her into the lounge this evening, she walked all around, chin rubbing everywhere, then proceeded to jump (yes jump!!) up onto the couch!! we laid cushions in front of where she laid, and after a short while, down she got, a bit of a wobble, but she did it!! Amazed at her determination! She then made her way to the kitchen and her water bowl for a drink, then back in and up on the couch again!! I am so proud of her strength and courage! I think she is just so relieved to be out of the crate, she is trying really hard to prove she doesn't NEED it anymore!!

Laurie, I'm so grateful to you for all your advice pre-op, which helped me make the right decision, I can't thank you enough. Hopefully now, we can move forward and Tabitha will continue to improve and be 100% disease free.

Hugs.

Terri.

Terri and Nina,

I apologize for having disappeared for a while. Between trying to regain my health, trying to keep up with my daily obligations while ill, and trying to catch up with everything that didn't get done while I was ill, I'll be scrambling for the rest of the summer. But I am feeling stronger and healthier, both physically and emotionally, every day now. Thank you both for your well wishes and support.

Nina, I am sorry to hear that Bentley is in decline. I hate that final phase of life. I am so glad that you have taken in the beautiful Destiny. Her infusion of vigor will help pull you through the sad time to come.

Terri, I am delighted to hear that Tabitha is recovering and adjusting so well. They are astounding, these elderly felines who never give up. I'm not one bit surprised that she reclaimed her couch as soon as she had the opportunity. I do recommend, however, that you either create steps or ramps for her next to furniture and other higher objects, or you make a point of lifting her down when she's ready to get down. I've noticed with Mew that the jumps down seem to put a LOT of concussion on the one front leg. I can see those repeated concussions having substantial arthritic impact over time. Jumping up doesn't cause that sort of concussion, but the jumps down worry me with Mew.

I hope you will update again on Tabitha. I'm just so happy for you both. I know what a difficult decision this was to make. I miss Mew's leg every time I look at him, but I sure don't miss the cancer that would have taken him from me far too soon.

Give Tabitha a snuggle from me and a head bonk from Mew.

Laurie

laurie, so good to see you back and glad to hear you are regaining strength! i know how things can get away from you when you are down both physically and emotionally.

thank you so much for your kind words. i am struggling with this decision as bentley is showing more discomfort and the pain meds, while they are helping, are not keeping him as comfortable as i had hoped. i do think that i will be laying him to rest within the next couple of weeks. it's so hard to tell because he is still eating like a horse but he does spend most of the time sleeping.

destiny has definitely breathed some life back into my world. she's a lovely dog, very affectionate and she and olivia have become fast friends. :)

Laurie, so nice to see you back, and I hope you are improving healthwise, and also emotionally, I know how tiring things can be, and its good to see you back here, just try not to over-do things, one day at a time, things can get done if and when you feel strong enough.

Nina, I'm saddened to hear Bentley is not doing so good, its so difficult to make that decision, I could cry for you right now. I think I have missed some comments somehow, Destiny? I have just read about her in Laurie's comment, I'm guessing she is a new addition!

As for Tabitha, we had a set back, she woke up suddenly on the armchair, and I think she must have forgotten she had lost her leg, jumped straight off the chair, and unfortunately hurt her remaining leg. (despite steps, cushions etc, which she totally refuses to use) Vet said it was most likely bruised, (not broken thank the Lord) so back on cage rest she went again for another week, which is why I have not had much time to get on here. We were so upset, since she was going so well. It seems to have taken her back quite a bit, she is very very slow now, and seems to have lost some of her confidence, which may not be such a bad thing, but she has also stiffened up on her back legs from all the laying around, so I think we are in for quite a long haul to get her completely moving again. She is on joint supplements now, but vet says it will take 4-6 weeks for them to start kicking in, so, slowly goes it!! But, we thank our lucky stars she is still with us, her recent bloods were all good, and she is eating and drinking well, and does move a bit, so we'll just take it one day at a time. It is also extremely hot here at the moment, so the heat is probably making her less willing to move much.

Laurie, how is Mew? Hoping he is still doing good, head bonks from us!!

Nina, keep strong, and know you are in our thoughts, keep us updated, and give Bentley a huge hug from me.

Take care guys, will keep you posted. x