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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / March 2005Starving Kitty...spoke with vet...says it's the END OF THE ROAD
Starving Kitty - Quartizone wears off..Vet says it's THE END OF THE ROAD Sad Kitty...she was eating great at the beginning of the week, then yesterday she stopped - she got her Quartizone shot last Saturday,so I guess it wore off. She's sitting there with a "zonked" look, she seems to be in pain, knocked out... I had a shot scheduled for a week from now..but moved it up to tomorrow - Saturday. I spoke with the vet - Her ultrasound biopsy missed the tumor, all they found were dead cells..but the tumor is there as per the sonogram. We don't know if it's cancer or not.. But vet says that surgery on liver will be too traumatic for Kitty - she's 13...So basically, she gets quartizone...I don't want her starving at home.. I called back and asked about euthanasia..They said some advance notice would be good, to get things ready. So now I'm deciding. If I get home tonight and she hasn't eaten her food, and won't eat dinner...Then I will need to end it..I don't want her slowly starving alone at home in my apartment while I'm at work... Feel sad, but glad I got the diagnostics done, to see what was wrong... I'm really so sorry to hear this. > Starving Kitty - Quartizone wears off..Vet says it's THE END OF THE ROAD > Sad Kitty...she was eating great at the beginning of the week, then [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Feel sad, but glad I got the diagnostics done, to see what was wrong... > Starving Kitty - Quartizone wears off..Vet says it's THE END OF THE ROAD > Sad Kitty...she was eating great at the beginning of the week, then [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Feel sad, but glad I got the diagnostics done, to see what was wrong... You *don't* know what's going on! You don't even know if the tumor is malignant. There seems to be no evidence of metastasis and the tumor is still very small and very amenable to resectioning. I know you hold this vet in high esteem, but personally, I think he's an incompetent idiot. He even botched up the biopsy which could have been *easily* avoided with ultrasound guidance. David, you've been spinning your wheels with this bozo vet for weeks to months and now you're considering euthanasia based on inconclusive and erroneous information. The feline liver has a *fantastic* ability to *regenerate* - especially with such a small resectioning. You *owe* it to your cat to get a second opinion. Your cat *DOES NOT HAVE TO DIE*. I can't make it any clearer. Phil Whether the tumor is malignant or not, surgery will cost $1000K plus, there is no guarantee that tumors will not re-occur...I can't pour $$$$ into this cat, it's not like I have the money for experiments. It cost $900 already just to do the diagnostics... Chemo will mean months of going for treatment...week after week after week... Plus, Kitty doesn't know what's going on, cats can purr, lick, play, and snuggle...but they can't HOPE. That's what gets people through surgery...but a cat will just suffer. Maybe I'll just get her the quartizone shot and see how she does, get a second opinion..(and a new biopsy). David P.S. please stop calling my vet incompetent. Are you a vet? Where is your degree? > Whether the tumor is malignant or not, surgery will cost $1000K plus, there > is no guarantee that tumors will not re-occur... I can't pour $$$$ into this > cat, it's not like I have the money for experiments. It cost $900 already > just to do the diagnostics... You should have just said you can't/won't spend the money. That's the *only* explanation you've given that makes sense - even though I don't agree. If your vet is such a great guy and you have such a wonderful vet-client relationship - he should have no problems with accepting partial payments -- although I wouldn't want him to preform the surgery... since he couldn't even get the biopsy right. > Chemo will mean months of going for treatment...week after week after > week... Chemo??? You don't even know if the damn tumor is malignant! *That's* one of the reasons why I think your vet is incompetent or just doesn't give a sh.t. > Plus, Kitty doesn't know what's going on, cats can purr, lick, play, and > snuggle...but they can't HOPE. That's what gets people through > surgery...but a cat will just suffer. Cats handle surgery much *better* than humans *precisely* because they *don't* attach the emotional bondage to surgery as humans do. They simply go to sleep and wake up cured - All they understand is that they feel better. They don't know why and don't care why. A few days to a few weeks of recovery is certainly worth a few to many years of good quality life. > Maybe I'll just get her the quartizone shot and see how she does, get a > second opinion..(and a new biopsy). That's the smartest thing you can do and the best thing you can do for your cat. > David > > P.S. please stop calling my vet incompetent. Are you a vet? Where is your > degree? I've worked with enough *good* vets to know a good vet when I see one - Yours is a long way from one. > Maybe I'll just get her the quartizone shot and see how she does, get a > second opinion..(and a new biopsy). Man, if the vet actually missed the tumor, I think I would want to go to another and see if he/she can do better. Now that you have explained it better, I wonder why the vet would say it was "the end of the line." As Phil said the tumor might not be malignant. You already sank $900 into this, go a bit further. > Whether the tumor is malignant or not, surgery will cost $1000K plus, there > is no guarantee that tumors will not re-occur...I can't pour $$$$ into this [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Maybe I'll just get her the quartizone shot and see how she does, get a > second opinion..(and a new biopsy). Based on what you've said, & how well the liver can regenerate, I'd really be interested in a second opinion, with better diagnostics. I had a cat whose liver enzymes were virtually off the charts; my vet said the only times she'd seen values _that_ bad was when there was necrotic tissue. But she - my vet - referred me out to an internist/oncologist who did a sonogram & needle biopsy (the cat was too acutely ill at the time to do a surgical biopsy), the specialist found that the cat didn't have cancer, and worked w/ me & my vet and came up with a treatment plan - which worked. > David > > P.S. please stop calling my vet incompetent. Are you a vet? Where is your > degree? Don't worry; he's called my vet incompetent (or words to that effect) in the past, too - because she didn't agree w/ him about potassium supplements for older cats when bloodwork &/or clinical signs don't indicate the need. And my vet, of whom I've been a client for 14 years now, most definitely is competent - very much so. Cathy >> Based on what you've said, & how well the liver can regenerate, I'd really > be interested in a second opinion, with better diagnostics. > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > do a surgical biopsy), the specialist found that the cat didn't have cancer, > and worked w/ me & my vet and came up with a treatment plan - which worked. This sounds very hopeful, David. I hope you go for it. You can't let your cat go before you get an effective biopsy done, not after you have already done so much, don't you think? <snip> > But vet says that surgery on liver will be too traumatic for Kitty - she's > 13...So basically, she gets quartizone...I don't want her starving at home.. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Feel sad, but glad I got the diagnostics done, to see what was wrong... Peace. I'd strongly urge you to get a second opinion. First, I've had several cats with liver surgery and they do indeed tolerate it well. One lived until she was almost 21 after half of her liver (which was necrotic, and never biopsied by the vet who I now consider royally incompetent) was removed. Second, cats may not hope, but they do tolerate chemo well. And you don't know if the cat even needs chemo. I'd continue force feeding and quickly get an opinion from a specialist. Good luck. > Starving Kitty - Quartizone wears off..Vet says it's THE END OF THE ROAD > Sad Kitty...she was eating great at the beginning of the week, then [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Feel sad, but glad I got the diagnostics done, to see what was wrong... > Starving Kitty - Quartizone wears off..Vet says it's THE END OF THE ROAD > Sad Kitty...she was eating great at the beginning of the week, then > yesterday she stopped - she got her Quartizone shot last Saturday,so I > guess it wore off. She's sitting there with a "zonked" look, she seems to > be in pain, knocked out... [...] > So now I'm deciding. If I get home tonight and she hasn't eaten her food, > and won't eat dinner...Then I will need to end it..I don't want her slowly > starving alone at home in my apartment while I'm at work... > > Feel sad, but glad I got the diagnostics done, to see what was wrong... I'm sorry, David. I know you have really tried to help her, and I know you will know when to give her the final kindness. It is very hard, though. I am sorry to hear she isn't doing well. No matter what, it's a terrible decision to have to make. Carol > Starving Kitty - Quartizone wears off..Vet says it's THE END OF THE ROAD > Sad Kitty...she was eating great at the beginning of the week, then [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Feel sad, but glad I got the diagnostics done, to see what was wrong... Well, I got home tonight and she ate about half a can of Friskies!! Just started to panic when she started sinking back to her old ways. I'll probably keep the vet appointment today for quartizone...She still has her appointment for a week and a half from today..Will the extra amount of quartizone hurt?? ..I see in other posts that people have had trouble with their cat's food too...I was feeding her refrigerated food...But she really responds to fresh-from-the-can. I will try the pouches - she didn't eat them before quartizone, but she might now. I did look in the Yellow pages for other vets- I will go for a second opinion..Meanwhile, the "put her to sleep" feelings have passed.. Like Scarlett, I won't think about that today, I'll just think about that tomorrow. David > Well, I got home tonight and she ate about half a can of Friskies!! Just > started to panic when she started sinking back to her old ways. I'll [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > ..I see in other posts that people have had trouble with their cat's food > too...I was feeding her refrigerated food... That might be part of the problem. Cold food is not aromatic (very little odor) and not very palatable to cats. But she really responds to > fresh-from-the-can. ...because it smells more and its more palatable. Try heating up her food to body temp (not hot- 90-95*) - put 1/2 can in a microwave dish and nuke it for 10-15 secs. She'll probably gobble it up. I will try the pouches - she didn't eat them before > quartizone, but she might now. > > I did look in the Yellow pages for other vets- I will go for a second > opinion..Meanwhile, the "put her to sleep" feelings have passed.. Good man! That's the best thing and the right thing to do for her! > Like Scarlett, I won't think about that today, I'll just think about that > tomorrow. A better idea would be to keep the faith and not think about that at all. Post the result from the new vet when you get them. Good luck. Phil > Well, I got home tonight and she ate about half a can of Friskies!! Just > started to panic when she started sinking back to her old ways. I understand how that feels, and it is clear that you love your cat. Thank goodness for Phil, who really does know a bunch about these things. He knew it was not time to give up, and it seems he was right! > I did look in the Yellow pages for other vets- I will go for a second > opinion.. That is great! I hope you get good news. >Meanwhile, the "put her to sleep" feelings have passed.. > > Like Scarlett, I won't think about that today, I'll just think about that > tomorrow. One step at a time. |
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