Our 13-year-old cat, Réglisse, has lymphoma—a 7cm abdominal mass 😞😞😞
The vet has prescribed him Dermipred (prednisolone) to be taken every day. He was eating and taking his medication (mixed into his food) until today, but now he's refusing to eat... We've tried crushing the tablets to make it easier for him, but he still won't touch his food.
The vet says the mass is quite large and it looks like it's inoperable.
Chemo might be an option, but we don't know where we'd go to get it done, or even if it's a good idea. We really don't want him to suffer.
I've heard people mention the PDSA or other charity vets for more affordable treatment, but I don't really understand how they work... do any of you have experience with them?
He's very lethargic, probably because of the vomiting...
Do you think he can pull through? We honestly don't know what else to do.
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I’m so sorry. I really think it is time to help him pass away peacefully now, and definitely before Monday if you see him in respiratory distress (panting with his mouth open). Sending strength to you both.
Hi everyone, thanks for your replies,
Sadly, I think it’s the end. He hasn’t eaten yesterday or today, and he’s been sick twice.
We’ve tried to get him to eat all sorts of food that he usually loves, but he doesn't want any of it. We gave him some Sheba liquid treats; he had a little bit, but it won’t be enough. He’s drinking less and less.
The vet advised us to stop giving him his medication for now, but we can’t get it down him anyway.
We’re going to try crushing it into a powder and mixing it into the Sheba tomorrow lunchtime. Maybe that will ease his discomfort... it’s the only thing he’s still willing to eat (and even then, with difficulty).
He’s just staring into space and hardly moves... anyway.
We’re going to have him put to sleep on Monday. We’re just hoping he isn’t in too much pain until then; otherwise, we’ll head to the out-of-hours vet tomorrow.
We’re obviously heartbroken... but he’s had a wonderful life, that’s what we have to tell ourselves.
I'm so sorry to hear about your little cat. I’ve also had cats with cancer, and the vets always suggested surgery and chemo, even though there was no guarantee of it working—especially when it’s at such an advanced stage as yours.
For the first one, we had two operations and two recurrences that happened closer and closer together. For the second one, who passed away after three weeks, we didn’t do anything because there was nothing that could be done, other than an operation that would have involved removing half of his head (it was an aggressive carcinoma). My vets, for both the first and the second, advised me that if it were their own cat, they’d just continue with the palliative care. They said that when I could see the end was near—when he stopped eating and became lethargic and withdrawn—I should bring him in to let him go with dignity and have him put to sleep, which is what I did for both of them.
I don’t regret at all not pushing for more treatment, as I'm certain they would have suffered so much more. It's hard to accept, but you can’t do the impossible. Given your cat's age, I would let him go. Our animals don’t deserve the suffering that’s forced upon us humans; they still have this chance, and it’s the final act of love we can offer them. Wishing you a lot of strength.
Hi Mtok, Based on your description, it’s almost certainly digestive lymphoma, which involves [...] I hope this helps. Best of luck, Romain
Hi Provéto Junior Conseil,
Thanks for your help; it does seem like it must be digestive lymphoma.
Regarding the grades and stages, we’ll ask the vet tomorrow, but I can already show you the results of the tests he had last Saturday:
As for chemo, we’re worried he won’t handle it well... he’s a difficult cat; we had to have him sedated for his tests because he wouldn't stop hissing and growling—a real little tiger! Then there’s the financial side; we’re a family of modest means and it’s going to be hard to pay several thousand pounds if that’s the price...
At the moment, he’s on Dermipred—probably the medicine you were talking about—but the problem is actually getting him to take it. He ate this morning but carefully avoided his pill, then he was sick, and since then it’s been impossible to get him to eat anything else (the pill is crushed and mixed into his favourite food, but he just won't touch it...).
And regarding clinical trials, is it basically a case of monitoring him during treatment to see if it’s effective? I was under the impression that it could lower the cost of the treatment? Is it a good idea? And where can you do that?
Sorry for all the questions, but I’m just curious...
PS: As for clinical trials, to put it simply, they are analyses (of survival times during treatment, for example) used to prove—or disprove—a hypothesis, such as whether a new drug is more effective than an older one.
Hi Mtok,
Based on your description, it sounds like gastrointestinal (GI) lymphoma, which is the most common form of lymphoma in cats. It’s caused by an abnormal proliferation of lymphocytes (white blood cells) in a section of the intestine.
There are different grades (which help predict how the cancer will progress): low-grade GI lymphoma (the most common, with a relatively good prognosis as life expectancy is around 2 years with treatment) and high-grade (still fairly common but with a poor prognosis, typically with a survival time of 4 to 6 months with treatment). You can ask your vet to take a biopsy or a sample to send to the lab to determine the grade (if they haven't already). This will help your vet give you better guidance on the best way forward.
There are also different stages (meaning how advanced the cancer is), which can also be determined through further tests to help tailor the care plan as effectively as possible.
Sadly, lymphoma is ultimately terminal, but treatment (like chemotherapy) can slow the progression of the cancer, with the main goal being to maintain your cat’s quality of life. Chemotherapy can be carried out at your local vet surgery or at a veterinary referral centre. If you don’t want to or can’t go down the chemo route (for financial or other reasons), there are still medications available to keep your cat comfortable (palliative care rather than a cure), although life expectancy won't be as long as it would be with chemotherapy.
Don't hesitate to have a proper chat with your vet and ask them any questions you have. They’ll be there to help you make the right decision—which is never easy—by looking at your cat’s physical condition as well as other factors involved.
I hope this helps.
Best of luck,
Romain
