Hello, everyone.

Some of you may remember a posts I made over the last few months about
my sick kitty.  He started out with rather vague symptoms: lethargy,
fever, and limping.  After seeing three vets, a feline specialist, and
doing multiple tests and procedures, my dear companion has died.

We are awaiting results of a biopsy performed two days before he died,
but we suspect cancer.  His lymph nodes in his legs and mammary glands
were extremely swollen.  It was a terrible, long, depressing illness.
He actually died at the vet while I was signing euthanasia papers.

Looking back on it, I knew all along that he wasn't getting better.  I
wish now I had not bothered with the biopsy, which I believe made his
last few days miserable.

It's so hard being a pet owner with so many resources available.  It's
almost paralyzing.  For example, my wife was posting to another message
board during the last two weeks of his life.  Up until the last day,
someone with "credentials" was telling not to give up, to get more
tests, to see another specialist IMMEDIATELY, etc.  My poor wife was so
stressed out -- she really thought our cat had a chance and was in
tears because she felt we were not doing enough.

I know that vets cannot be 100% certain about anything without many,
many tests, but I think there must be a point at which it can be said
that there is no reasonable probability of recovery.  I only wish I
were more confident in my own opinions at the time.  Then, perhaps my
cat might not have suffered so much during his last days.  Hell, at
this point I'm so mixed up that I just don't know anymore.  What do you
DVM's and those studying to be DVM's think about this?

Thanks for reading my little rant.  

Joseph