Prognosis and Life Expectancy for Feline Lymphoma: Vlog 99

[@heatherl8063]

My beloved 5 year old male cat went through this 5 years ago. He required many vet visits to get fluids to keep him alive another day. He also needed daily meds to make him eat. Then he went on prednisone for several months. The prednisone made him ravenously hungry, after weeks of no hunger. The prednisone made him act like an energetic kitten at times, after him being only lethargic before that med. He still had hard days on prednisone too, but it was mixed with many good days. When the vet gave him the prednisone prescription we were told that taking it would probably extend his life by 2 weeks- 2 months. He is still alive 5 years later!! He has not been sick since then. Sadly the prednisone did ruin his metabolism, he is very overweight and cant seem to lose the extra pounds. But he has been alive and happy for 5 years, we are very grateful. ❤

[@rovan26]

That's great news! I'm so happy your cat pulled through! In March, I found a lump on my 5-year-old cat's neck. My vet presumed it was lymphoma but couldn't do a biopsy in office because of the location of the mass. He said he had 2 weeks-2 months left too. We treated him with prednisone instead of chemo, and within 2 weeks the lump practically disappeared! I also started giving him all natural supplements for immune support. His appetite increased and he was a ball of energy all summer long. Unfortunately the lump came back at the end of August, as well as severe congestion and upper respiratory infections. We treated him with Covina antibiotic injections, which helped for a few weeks at a time, but the last one didn't help him. He was still on the steroids and eating well. Two weeks ago, he started sleeping more and hiding. I found him one morning sleeping in his litter box, neck extended and struggling to breathe. The vet took x-rays with showed the cancer had spread to his lungs. He was at the vet one week earlier and his lungs sounded clear, so it seemingly spread overnight. I had to put my baby to sleep, and I'm struggling. I miss him so much every day. He was only 6. 😪

[@pikaskew]

There's an alternative to prednisone that works just as well on gastrointestinal issues, but without the larger systemic side effects you're seeing. Might be worth looking into with your vet. Ask them to look into Budesonide

[@heatherl8063]

@@pikaskew Thank you for letting us know about this. I will bring it up to my vet.

[@heatherl8063]

@@rovan26 I am so sorry for your loss. The cat that I spoke about in my original comment had his cancer come back also after I had posted. The cancer returned to his heart and lungs this time, and sadly nothing could be done to save him. You have my deepest sympathies, it is so hard to lose a beloved pet.

[@rovan26]

@@heatherl8063 Thank you. I'm very sorry about your boy. I know how hard it is; I still cry over him. It's truly heartbreaking losing a beloved pet. I hope in time, your heart heals. 🙏💔

[@AnnaBaaanana]

My cat was diagnosed qoth large T cell lymphoma in January 2019. He had a mass removed from his intestines and we put him on steroids. After that, I chose not to do chemo because I was told that it wouldn't cure him but only propong his life to 6 months. I changed his diet and put him on NHV supplements. He went into remission for two and half years but unfortunately, his weight dropped dramatically by April this year. We put him back on steroids and his apetite came back. Unfortunately his body just couldn't keep the weight on and I decided ot was kinder to let him go in peace. He was such a warrior and I'm heartbroken.

[@Eveningbreeze721]

Anna so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing this. We are getting a mass removed from our cat's intestine tonight after learning she had cancer this afternoon. She is 10 and I hope she gets another few years.

[@annkay4700]

Our sweet 12 year old, Eve, had an intestinal mass removed 1.5 weeks ago… Oncology consult this week… 🐾🙏🐾 Keep me posted on your progress…

[@paulat4115]

I’m so sorry for your loss 🙏 Thank you so much for sharing your story. My cat Smores is 3 years and 5 months and was just suspected to have lymphoma 2 days ago. She has a huge mass in her messenteric intestinal area. She declined rapidly since Friday last week to the point where I had to force feed her and almost lost her and a vet said she looks like she only has 1-2 week. Now, she got back her appetite and is proving the doc wrong 💪 Can you please tell me how much you spent on diagnosis? I’m a college student and I plan on paying for everything my myself

[@LucyJazzy85]

My sweet little (4 pound!) kitty Didi was diagnosed a week ago. I am just devastated. She and her sister “Fred” (named so coz she must have hit her head really hard at 1 month old or less so she’s always been a bit retarded but Didi was looking out for her and feeding whatever bugs she could catch until they made it from the park at the end of my street to my house… that was 17 years ago almost to the day…). Fred was diagnosed about8 years ago with what I call Cat AIDS but Didi never got it. But now this bombshell and she’s just fallen like a rock. We’ve been dropper feeding her water and begging her to eat just little bits (not even one whole Fancy Feast when she was normally eating rats that she hunted outside at night and plenty of wet Friskies as well. Being so small it seems like she ate her weight every day. The Vet School here at the University of Florida found weird bean shaped things in her stomach on an X-ray which I assumed were just hairballs but 2 vets there said it was lymphoma… I declined to put her through chemo coz of our experience with it in people and didn’t want to put her through all that at her old age and secondary to that is the cost which starts at $4,000.00 just for the testing and more X-rays (a bit exorbitant for a teaching hospital I thought…) but now I’m hearing this video and am starting to wonder. I don’t even know if she has that FeLV… only that Fred has the kitty AIDS virus. I need to listen to all the rest of them so I can make a more informed decision. But your comment is upsetting to me coz I didn’t want her to be in pain. This is just horrible. I feel like I’m in a bad dream and can’t wake up. 😢

[@adriancarter825]

Our cat Orion has just been diagnosed with a mass in his stomach after a lot of sole searching and the vets saying surgery is his only hope we have decided to go ahead in 3 July with surgery we have no choice , he is rite off food and getting thinner by the day do you think I’m doing the rite thing , it is truly heartbreaking it consumes my every thought , and our younger cat knows he’s unwell and seems to be protecting him he escorts him outside and appears to guard him and shepherds him back in it’s unbelievable to watch .

[@musicity100]

My cat was 10 years old as she got ill with lymphoma... Suddenly she got very ill with typical gastrointestinal symptoms, she lost half of her weight, had no appetite. We took her to vet, he diagnosed lymphoma, sadly it was already pretty advanced, 4cm large lymphnodes alongside aorta... We started chemotherapy on Monday, sadly on Friday she died... What's worse I am in a foreign country and couldn't even see her and say goodbye for the last time. The disease destroyed her in less than two months. Despite prednisolone, that she received as a treatment and a first dose of chemotherapy. Nothing seemed to help. It was just too late. I am so sad, loved my cat so much.

[@michelleminer2190]

I am SO sorry for your loss! Absolutely heartbreaking. :(

[@kathleennabordenten6271]

You didn't get to say good bye... I feel so sad for your loss. I do think after having many many cats over the years... that they feel us and even far away.. they know they are loved. It's not your fault and your kitty knows this. I am convinced we see them again when we cross over just like we see our loved ones. I have watched many near death videos with people describe seeing their pets waiting there for them! I believe this will happen to you especially bc you didn't get to say goodbye. I hope you are doing better emotionally and am sending you lots of hugs. You will see your kitty again one day. Blessings of love and light to you.

[@brucefly3612]

@@kathleennabordenten6271 I don't think that's how it works, after we go away for good we are reborn again and again as another life being, there is people that say humans have souls, but in reality I don't know a single person that retains their memories after been born again, there is wishful thinking thought, which is what you have, but life just is, there more life after this one, but you won't retain anything you currently have, that I am very certain of.

[@MarylandMermaid]

My sweet girl battled lymphoma for her last 30 months on chemo and steroids. She’d lost a leg at age 5 from feline injection site fibrosarcoma which carried a death sentence in itself. This warrior lived to within 2 months of her 17th birthday. She did well until she developed congestive heart failure. To survive nearly 11 years from the sarcoma and 2 1/2 of lymphoma surely shows her will to live.

[@yueliu2917]

Thanks for sharing her story! It is such an encouragement for us.

[@samuelheavener261]

My cat was 8 yo when he got diagnosed with lymphoma back in September. He had been showing appetite loss and the occasional barfing so we had been concerned. We put him on prednisone since chemo was too expensive for us. We think it extended his life a little but he really started going downhill fast. Once he was around 14 lbs but in the height of his disease he was only 6.5 lbs. He only lived for about 2 months (probably had high grade). Still can't believe a cancer this aggressive can take a cat's life so early...he was completely healthy and could've lived another 8 years...

[@DrSueCancerVet]

I am so sorry for your loss Samuel

[@bettysmith7045]

Samuel sorry for your loss! I am wonder how much is the oral chemo?

[@arlenegreenbaum2110]

Betty Smith oral chemo is cheaper but it’s more for small cell lymphoma then large cell.

[@Bekka241]

Chemo would've added some years, but they are hard years. My cat has had the BEST oncologists and doctors and medicines, and mostly, we just pray. He's going on 4 years since his symptoms started, 3 since being placed on chemo for SCL. His symptoms are now ALL gone but replaced with anorexia and hiding. I assist feed him most of the time. Some days, he's good as new and then the next, he just tanks. UPDATE: They found a tumor in his intestional tract in early December and something in his lungs. We didn't have it tested, as it didn't matter. He'd been put through enough. We had him euthanized Christmas Eve. He was my everything.

[@nin5739]

I’m sorry 😢

[@rp338]

My baby Jasper was just diagnosed and at 16, the vet recommended that he be put down as soon as possible. It is around his heart and lungs and treatment wasn’t even an option. I am trying to give him the best few last days. He just had bloodwork a few months ago and no sign of illness. It came on so fast 😭

[@kathleennabordenten6271]

So sorry honey... we have lost many cats over the years and each one hurts to let go. Just know that Jasper knows you love him. They are very keen with senses. We just put down our baby boy Skyy last December... we knew he was gonna go and spent a much time as possible with him. We cherish those memories. We didn't let him suffer and know we will see him again. I truely believe you will see jasper again one day along with your loved ones who have crossed over. sending hugs.

[@universem2978]

So sorry for your loss. What were his initial symptoms?

[@Fuzzybudget]

Just found 2 large lumps in my cat's fat pad over the weekend. It's just like all of a sudden they were there. She'd been throwing up as she has always done periodically, but she was not getting better. Got her to the vet on Tues. Just shocked to find that she has either a systemic infection or lymphoma. He gave her Depo and a long acting antibiotic. Hoping and praying it's an infection and not lymphoma. She's drinking a lot of water and peeing like crazy. Not eating much. Her blood work was good but for the BUN. Just so shocked that she got so sick so suddenly.

[@123asdhjkcvnm]

My son has been receiving chemo and has mostly been thriving. Many set backs and near passings but 3 years on, my son is here.

[@arisaz.]

Thank you for fighting

[@Stormf0rce999]

Took my 17 year old cat to the vet today (had since a kitten), had been showing signs of weight loss as well as diarrhoea. Haven't had a formal diagnoses but the vet done an examination and found a lump in the abdomen area. He said chances are it is Lymphoma, will need to pay around £250 for scans and blood tests to diagnose properly

[@goldenboy912]

After dealing with IBD symptoms for about a year and recently noticing our cat was getting extremely tired and having some difficulty breathing we knew it was time to get her more help than our local vet could offer. She was still eating, drinking, using the bathroom, etc., but definitely not herself. We're lucky to live within short driving distance of one of the top 10 vet schools in the country so we took her to their emergency room a few days ago. After lots of testing she was diagnosed with small cell lymphoma and received her first chemo treatment today. Her oncologist reported that her appetite is now what they described as ravenous and she has already perked up quite a bit. Her treatment will be a long road for all of us but we hope it is successful and she gets to live her last years as healthy and happy as possible.

[@kpirron7635]

One of the biggest mistakes of my life was putting my 10 yr old small girl cat through breast cancer surgery. I found her first small lump and had it removed but then another cropped up and the vet suggested bilateral mastectomy. I was desperate to save her life. I think the vet was eager to use her new laser knife. She was not a surgeon She made it through two surgeries with no weight loss or anything but then was given a Convenia shot - probably too much for her weight and had kidney failure. Her immune system plummeted and the skin was pulled so tight from the bilateral mastectomies done weeks apart - that her skin opened up underneath....it was so sad to see her unable to get any strength- as her kidneys shut down. Her vet was out and another vet told me she was dying. It felt like a real racket. There is more to the story but just want to say I regret ever doing the surgery and ruining the last year of her life - I didn't know outcomes were so poor. Maybe she would have survived if not for being poisoned with Convenia. There was no way for me to get it out of her system - it stays in for weeks. I had no idea and then I read other people had bad experiences from it. My doc never asked...it was just given to her. I think people should decide if it's worth ruining the last months of your cat's life with surgery or chemo if the outcome is a few months. It is so traumatic for the pet. My little girl kitty was so scared at the end and I did love her and I adopted her when she was already an older cat and had her only a short while but loved her anyway. There is an explosion of cancer among animals. The whole thing is traumatic for all involved. Years later I found a feral colony and adopted a male who was neutered at 5 months and ended up at 5 years old blocking and had to have PU surgery. Thankfully his surgery was with a top notch vet surgeon and he has come through. But again, maybe neutering male cats before their genitals are matured is a bad idea. The whole thing again, reading about blocked cats having to be put down...very traumatic for all. Yet they keep neutering and spaying when the cat is a few weeks old. Presently I have another 14 year old female ginger who I got as a 2 year old. I got her after my other female passed. She also diagnosed with cancer on her beautiful face as she is getting weaker and I don't want to let her go. It happened suddenly, one day she scratched at her face and the cancer was underneath and just grew fast. It went undiagnosed at first despite a visit to the vet. I just have to be thankful for the joy and love she gave me for 12 yrs. They wear out just like people do. They get old and they can't help it. When you are young it's hard to understand how but a 14 yr old cat is like a 75-80 yr old person. However, I do think the endless vax schedules and terrible carb loaded food are to blame for some of the explosion in cancer. Cancer feeds off sugar.

[@crazyecracker]

Entering year 6 with my cat Link having SCL in his GI. I don’t believe he has too much longer, but we have done everything we can for him and his life quality has been great. He has been treated with budesonide and chlorambucil with very little side effects.

[@LizJit]

If you have a young cat please take care of them and make sure they get the care they need. My Oreo developed Lymphoma as a senior cat. Unfortunately, he recently died

[@pablobratcat]

Dom the Mog is only 10 years old

[@arisaz.]

Also if you have something like that around you, get a cat insurance, the younger the better conditions will be. You always get back what you paid pretty fast

[@LucyJazzy85]

My baby is 17. I think you have written the truth I cannot bear to face. She’s such a good kitty. This is unbearably hard. 😢

[@fixinfkinsandwiches6183]

Im very sorry to hear about your cat and I’m sure there was nothing that could’ve been done for him/her. However, I didn’t hear the Oncologist say that you can’t do anything to treat an older cat. My cat got cancer at 15 and is still here at 16 after surgery and chemotherapy. I know every day is a gift and who knows how much longer she’ll have, maybe the cancer will return or maybe her other diseases from older age will no longer be manageable. But my point is-it’s not all about age. It’s about type, location, being Felv negative and stage including if they are symptomatic. The best thing you can do for a pet is get pet insurance and get check-up every six months to catch disease early. The earlier the detection of animal and human disease the better the prognosis.

[@UnaNeary]

I am gutted to see this now, my vet just told me there was no treatment and sadly my cat only survived for 9 weeks. Was given an anti inflammatory steroid injection and anti sickness injection. Poor puss would not eat in the end and lost so much weight. Seems USA is more clued up than here in UK. Vet just suggested put him to sleep in the end. So heartbroken. My cat was my everything

[@heatherl8063]

I am wondering what is causing so very many cats and dogs to get cancer? Is it something in pet food? Is it being caused by the pesticides we give them to prevent fleas, heart worm, etc? Is it caused by too many vaccines? I wish we could find out what is causing it, so we could prevent all the suffering. ❤

[@Moxormog]

Animals are now living longer than in previous years. As you get older, your chances of cancer unfortunately increase...

[@nancygoo3405]

I agree with you, our sweet three year old cat was just diagnosed with lymphoma of the lung. We want to know why? So many sick animals and people.

[@heatherl8063]

@@nancygoo3405 I am so sorry you and your cat are going through this.

[@nancygoo3405]

@@heatherl8063 Thank you so much, unfortunately, my little Kimchi ended up passing away last week, at least she's not suffering anymore.

[@heatherl8063]

@@nancygoo3405 I am so sorry for your loss. ❤️

[@lukef1586]

My Gizmo has had intestinal lymphoma for 2 3/4 years, now a metastasis in the kidneys. We're about to start intense chemotherapy although the chances are not that good (vet said 50%-60%). I hope i'm doing the right thing. Finding it hard to spot whether he is in pain or not

[@kendraa7013]

Thank you so much for these videos. I just moved abroad, and my cat just got diagnosed with lymphoma (he apparently has abt a 4 to 6cm tumor in his stomach). I'm a masters student, so kind of tight on finances, but I want to give him the best chance he has, and it sounds like this could be something worth helping him fight. He's been getting sicker over the course of 2 months or so, so I'm hoping it's the small cell, since it sounded like that one has the highest prognosis, but he's been having symptoms for a while, which worries me. Either way, thank you so much for all this information and help! It's helped me feel more comfortable with some of my upcoming decisions.

[@dsidhl]

I had a 16 year old cat that suddenly started to lose weight and stopped eating. At 1st we thought it was her kidneys but an ultrasound found thickening of the intestines indicating IBD or Intestinal Lymphoma. I didn't think she would survive surgery for a biopsy so I went with getting low dosage of Clorumbucil with a daily dose of Prethisone. She steadily lost weight and a month later I took her to get a XRAY and they something odd and needed additional info so I was going to get more info the next day. She quickly degraded, gums became pale, was restless, was very lethargic and weak. She was euthanized at 4am the next day. The XRay tech found air in the abdomen which needed emergency surgery, but she was already passed. Could Intestinal Lymphoma cause such a drastic drop in weight (almost 7 pounds to 4 pounds in 1 month) and cause abdominal perforation so quickly despite getting Prethisone and Clorumbucil. She was being given appetite boosters on a daily basis and she was eating although less than normal. I'm just very curious how this occured so quickly.

[@kathleennabordenten6271]

Dr Sue, my kitty is 5 weeks into chop chemo and responding well so far. She has high grade lymphoma and is only 11 years old. She will have an ultra sound soon and I want to know if we can still give her cats milk during the 12 hours where she can't eat. It's the cats milk you buy at Pet Stores food supply.

[@jgbgw591]

My cat was treated for a rather dramatic presentation of either intestinal lymphoma or round cell cancer. She had lost weight but seemed very healthy. Nothing obvious at all until she developed rectal bleeding which caused intususeption that needed emergent surgery. They couldn't tell which of the two cancers it was in the pathology. Surgeon seemed optimistic. She recovered so well from surgery and we have had a beautiful week with our sweet girl. We had an oncology appointment next week but she developed an ulcerated lesion on her nose 2 days ago that must be more cancer. It came up out of nowhere and I'm so discouraged. We can't afford to have that removed and the cost of chemo if the doctor suggests that. It's so stressful. I feel like we will have to euthanize her and it's devastating. We thought we had a chance at maybe a longer remission but not with added medical costs. We can't spend our savings on this ☹ I can't figure out what's happening here. Is the lymphoma spreading from her intestines to her nose? The surgeon said that it hadn't spread to her lymph nodes when she operated a week ago.

[@arisaz.]

What's money for if not for spending it on the wellbeing of your loved ones

[@rebfranreu]

My 13-year old male cat was just diagnosed with cutaneous Lymphoma - the Vet said his prognosis is not good. She prescribed prednisolone, Buprenorphine and gabapentin. She took an x-ray and said there is an unknown mass pushing at his left lung or the lung may be deflated... Chemo was offered as a long shot - no remission, doesn't really prolong life. He is not vomiting, nor does he have diarrhea. I'm thinking about taking him to a local Vet oncologist at Blue Pearl here in Seattle for a second opinion. Thoughts?

[@Michelle-tp1wu]

In some of the cat facebook groups I've seen posts about cats living 3 or 5 years post treatment for SCL.

[@sfn-life]

My cat is a 17 year old persian. Her stomach is extremely distended very often - she is getting weak. I took her to the vet 3 months ago and was told all her bloodwork was normal. Took her to the vet again last week (diff vet). He ran labs and said her white count was way up and her Albumin was low. He said that was suggestive of cancer but the only reason to know was ultrasound. He said if they did the US and found cancer the main option would be surgery which would be very risky for a cat that old. Can you give me your opinion based on this information please? I understand that you have not seen her directly.

[@wyntresorrow403]

Mine is 5 years old and diagnosed back in September. He had diabetes, pancreatitis, got over both and now has lymphoma. He is shedding excessively, but will always be my orange and white Jasper. Nothing is working. Vet said probably 20 days. Hes so young. Poor sweet kitty😫😪😭

[@getty1595]

I am so sorry. We lost our Toulouse to an aggressive form of cancer when he was only 5 1/2. Heartbreaking. Now, his sister (who is 9) is sick with either IBD or cancer. Losing our furry ones is the worst.

[@FortheBudgies]

How does age factor in? My cat is 18 and full of life. He's always been a frequent vomiter but recently he vomited blood. They did x-rays and suspected lymphoma and told me that the only option was Prednisone. He had lost weight quickly and it seemed clear palliative care was best. However 6 weeks later with the Onc Care food, Prednisone and B12 shots he's back up to almost 10 lbs. He gained almost 2 lbs in 10 days. I swear that food is a miracle. Now I'm not sure that we shouldn't try chemo. It seems more cruel to just let the condition progress when we can shrink the tumor with chemo. 1 more year at 18 seems maybe not worth putting him through lots of treatment. I'm mostly interested in quality of life and making him as comfortable as possible. If it's possible to sooth the disease causing the discomfort that seems the most humane option.

[@HibikiRush]

What did you decide to do? My cat is 18 1/2 and was diagnosed with large call lymphoma and I am in the same position of trying to decide what to do.

[@FortheBudgies]

@@HibikiRush they had already put him on steroids and that made it impossible to test for which cancer without stopping the Prednisone and they said that would probably kill him. They wouldn't give chemo without the confirmation of cancer so I didn't have a choice. He was on steroids for a few months before the tumor made it impossible for food to leave his stomach. I had him put to sleep at home as soon as he stopped eating. I wasn't going to let him suffer. The Hills Oncology diet dry food kept him eating and he actually regained 2 lbs after starting steroids and that food. I will never brush off vomiting in a cat again. I could have had him for more years if it's treated the bowel inflammation but they just didn't know about it when he was young. If it would have been an option is have done the chemo but the stress of finding a specialist vet and probably traveling a few hours and more tests and biopsies just didn't seem fair to him. It would have been for me, not him. He was already fading away from his usual self. It was the correct and heart wrenching decision. I now have 2 6 month old kittens and they don't even come close to filling the hole he left behind. They are a wonderful distraction though. Good luck with your baby. At this age it is really never too soon to decide to let them go peacefully but it is also so hard. Papers say that chemo have old cats another years with the show lymphoma and a few months with the fast lymphoma. I would choose whichever gave the least suffering regardless of the time. I couldn't stand the idea of him suffering and wasting away just so I could delay the inevitable. He deserved the best because he's probably the best soul I'll ever share breath with fur 18 years. I'm so grateful to have had that kind of bond even if I never experience it again. Good luck.

[@HibikiRush]

@@FortheBudgies Thank you for sharing your experience and I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. Sounds like he was lovely. My guy also had fairly frequent vomiting and I wish I had brought him in to get checked out sooner. He is still eating well and is on steroids, but they don't seem to be helping a whole ton as of now. Our oncology vet is 15 minutes away, but I can't decide if putting him through all those visits and through our harsh winter is the right thing.

[@FortheBudgies]

@@HibikiRush I forget if large or small cell is the really rapid varient. That makes a difference. My vet friend agreed with videos I saw on KZbin that you can give the chemo as an oral liquid at home. They sell it on Chewy with a vet script. This assumes your baby has the same as mine. I've let 2 cats go beyond where it was probably kindest for them and I really didn't want to do that again. The others were due to not realizing how bad things have gotten because of a long slow decline. With Buddy it was pretty clear cut. Yes he could have lived longer but would have been literally starving because he didn't even want to eat. There was no way I was going to let that go for more than a day. However I know from my vet that people do let it go on. Thanks for your condolences. Even I've been a bit blindsided by how hard it is to get used to him being gone. I've also been going through health issues that led to job loss and I've always worked from home, so we spent most of those 18 years literally together and he was a huge part of my coping strategy with life! Make the decision you will feel best about for him. It will never feel like the right time, it will always hurt to do it. Buddy was in literal perfect health and weighted 11.5 lbs when he suddenly git very sick. He lost a lot of weight fast and then regained on Prednisone and the high cal food. But it only lasted 8 weeks and by the end he still looked great, weighed 9 lbs, but was not himself even though he looked it. At 18.5 it's never wrong to decide not to do stressful and or invasive treatments. I didn't want him to ever suffer just for me. Having someone come to our home and euthanize was expensive but worth every penny. Honestly I'd spend the chemo money on that if it was a choice about money. He just fell asleep in my lap without a moment of stress and I'm so grateful I was able to do that for him. I would not have done any treatment that required frequent trips to the vet because it was hard on us both. Whatever decision you make will be the right one as long as you are putting his quality of life first. I worried about doing it too soon. My husband thought it might have been too soon because he looked so good. But I'm the end I know I did it exactly right for Buddy and me. I'm sure you will do the same for the 2 of you.

[@brucefly3612]

@@FortheBudgies Did you try Dr. Thomas Seyfried cancer curing protocol? , that one seems to work very well with over 200 peer review papers, he can stop cancer in it's tracks.

[@MichelleDespres]

General Recommendations for a geriatric 17yo domestic short hair whom has held steady at stage 2b CKD for 3 + years presenting just yesterday with 20% recent weight loss, 2lb over a short time, along with palpation of a new abdominal mass. He eats a restricted protein/phosphorus Rx kidney diet, both wet food twice per day and free choice hills renal diet kibble. They have 5 water stations of varying types, I.e. ceramic, stainless steel, glass, fountain, some tap water, some filtered, all changed daily. His bowel movements seem firm and typical. Demon is very painful due to arthritis in his lower back, hips and knees. He does sleep a lot but still plays, seeks my companionship constantly and still begs to go outside. He is newly on 50mg gabapentin per day which makes him sleepy and unstable. Hoping he get s used to this dose. We have an ultrasound scheduled for 2 weeks out. What else can I do in the meantime? Blood work came back all normal except low albumin and low protein. Any general advice would be appreciated! Ty.

[@carriestiles2286]

I love your website & videos. My cat was diagnosed w/ bilateral renal carcinoma 4/27 & she’s been on Palladia 2 weeks. She had been doing really well, down 3lbs but maintaining weight now, typically good appetite. I believe she’s been nauseated the past 2 days so currently trying to give nausea meds. Was originally given Cerenia, now have Zofran. Do you prefer one over the other? She’s also on 5mg Prednisolone daily. From watching your other videos I wondered if you’d prefer the steroid or an NSAID? The main thing I’m trying to work out now is pain relief which is why I ask. She has Gabapentin (told to give 2x a day) & Buprenorphine (PRN). I see online Gaba dosage recommendations for 8lb cat closer to 0.5ml 2x a day but cancer vet saying 1.5ml. I feel like she hides more on Gaba but it’s so hard to tell what causes certain behaviors. Don’t want to make her too sedated but also don’t want her in pain. In general, what kind of pain medication(s) would you recommend & how often? My goal is to keep her comfortable & not hiding as much. Just trying to learn as much as I can. From what I’ve seen renal carcinoma is rare. She has pretty large tumors. Lab work has been normal except last week now showing slight anemia. Vet said nothing to be alarmed about yet & hopefully it should level out. Thank you so much!

[@icyrosequeen2161]

I just had to euthanize my senior Reuben of 11 years do to GI lymphoma he was given less than 3 weeks to live even with steroids it had gotten so bad he couldn’t hold anything down even water do to a golf ball size mass in his GI track he had very bad prognosis with his case but one thing I’m glad about is he is no longer suffering and went peacefully so please if your cat is young or old always do regular vet visits and watch their behavior don’t brush off vomiting as just a hair ball or an upset stomach or weight loss as a phase of growing or getting older because depending on how fast you catch it , it is the better the outcome I wish I could have done more for my Reuben so don’t be like me and brush it off 😞😞😞

[@pablobratcat]

Good advice

[@kimchi8022]

Sorry for your loss. Thank you for your advice.

[@raymondalvin3645]

When do you prescribe surgery for cats with lymphoma on the small intestine?

[@DrSueCancerVet]

Typically if there is obstruction or perforation, but it can be case by case.

[@davidgardner1589]

My 8 year old female cat started having constant diarrhea since April 2019. Took her to the vet and started steroid treatment. Her diarrhea stop immediately. Unfortunately the steroids no longer work. It’s been almost three months now and my cat has diarrhea all throughout the day. She used to weigh 11 lbs. and now is 6.5 lbs. She still has a good appetite and isn’t lethargic, but I feel if I don’t do anything she will waste away. If it is indeed lymphoma of the GI tract the treatment is so expensive. I’ve look into a few vets in Mexico as I am close to the border. That really is my only option. I don’t know why chemo. Is so expensive here. Thank you for your videos.

[@DrSueCancerVet]

I am sorry for everything you are going through. I am glad you are finding the videos helpful. Hopefully you found the other ones on the series and the weight loss video was well. sending hugs!

[@arlenegreenbaum2110]

You could try viltality science a cat who had big cell lymphoma named Nat got better from it goggle it. I would say pet insurance but if the cat already has it they won’t give it to you. You could try care credit too.

[@JeanaLong-g6j]

When the white cell count is 4 times what it should be, lost a lot of wait and throwing up almost always on daily basis. She is now on chemo therapy and I think doing well. Always been healthy and all shots up to date. Is she looking at a monthly lifespan or yearly? Thank you, video very helpful.

[@TheJemanja]

How about his/her quality of life?

[@mff301]

Hi, thank you for sharing such valuable information. Do you use supplements in conjunction alongside chemotherapy? Would you talk about them if you do?

[@angiefuego]

Thank you for your informative videos. My cat, 4 yo dsh flv+, was diagnosed with large cell intestinal lymphona in December 2019, and she is currently going through chemo. She is improving, but I would like to know more about diets, whether it would be ok to feed her regular cat food, or whether she needs to be on a special diet.

[@JolajnaLoja]

Hi, I also have a cat Felv+ with lymphoma. How was your story? I hope she is still with you

[@angiefuego]

@@JolajnaLoja Hi, unfortunately, Misa went off to Rainbow Bridge in July 2020. Although her deterioration was gradual, but she just suddenly collapsed one day and then gone. She was only 5 years young. 😭 Luckily, she guided us to her successor a year later, one day after my birthday. 🥰

[@Savannah-ed4rv]

I think the better discussion is why are so many cats getting cancer and Lymphoma? What is going on when you see a vet. Not this one here, but I saw a Vet on another video about natural treatments for cancer who had three of her pets with cancer including two cats! When I was young we very rarely heard of it animal getting cancer and now I think it's like one out of two pets will get cancer! I really think people should have their pets on a preventative and proactive diet with supplements cancer preventives to avoid the Heartbreak of this horrible horrible disease. I went through with my husband too and all I can say is Cancer Sucks. 😢😢😢 I almost don't want to watch videos or read anything about it because there's very really anything terribly hopeful that I get from the information 😢

[@solracer66]

The life expectancy for cats in the USA has almost doubled since 40 years ago so I suspect one factor is that cats are simply getting older. But I suspect that there are also more cancer-causing agents in out environment too.

[@vickyviajeraOK]

My cat-daughter is taking prednisone and chlorambucil but the prednisone is making her vomit, is there any other drug that could replace it and not cause her to vomit? It was prescribed with the aim of increasing her white blood cells.

[@stephebo3998]

My cat got diagnosed with a lymphoma. I'm so devastated. The vet give me two option. The chemio or the steroid. She told that the only treatment for lymphoma and if i choose chemio i can extend is life from 6 to 9 mounth but when i saw think on internet they say a little bit more. Also, i dont know what type it is and if the cancer spread. I do not know if it's a low or high cancer. I Need to pay 1000$ for the test to know what type of lymphoma is. My question is if we dont know the type of the lymphoma how can she tell how much time he have ?

[@JolajnaLoja]

Hi, and what did you choose?

[@mariaswanson2103]

My cat died last Saturday had her 3 years and at the vet twice he did not do what you said reworking because she was in door he didn,t treat her the right way

[@mtal5042]

What can be done early on in pre adult cats to prevent cancer

[@CyberAnvil]

My research seems to indicate that the treatment with a drug cocktail (and blood tests) is pretty darn expensive. Thoughts?

[@MrChippiechappie]

That's all well and good if you have thousands to throw at treatment, most people do not. My cat has been ill with Pancreatitis which developed into Triaditis over about three years. He had been fine on B12 injections until about a week ago wen went completely of his food. My vet says its not the Triaditis this time, he has vomited but its been very sporadic about once a week with his his Triaditis it was every time he ate. The vet did a ultrasound which showed his intestines were very inflamed plus a cyst on his kidney she said his gums are pale also. They took biopsies and sent them off for testing just waiting for the results now, im praying to god its good news but it will probably be this and if that's the case I don't know what I'm going to do as I've virtually exhausted all of his pet insurance cover getting him this far.

[@Bewefau]

How much does treatment cost ?

[@evesapple6445]

My girl just got diagnosed. We were looking for the reason for her vomiting for months... I’m super sad... the place for her to get chemo is an 1,5 hr drive away, not sure now if it’s in her best interest to put her through that on a weekly basis when it concers stress etc... she’s 13. We’re probably going to go for prednisolone... it’s such a hard decision...

[@DrSueCancerVet]

It is a difficult decision. I am glad you are seeking information. I too have clients that must travel for treatment but when one considers the potential improvement in survival and that chemo is so well tolerated in cats, I do believe it is something to consider. All my best

[@Skeptigal1]

@@DrSueCancerVet , I think it's irresponsible to encourage an expensive, futile treatment that an owner can't afford, either in terms of money or time to say nothing of the hardship on the cat (not many would enjoy 3 hours in a car every week). Way to make them feel worse! Not a fan of this site at all.

[@pablobratcat]

We have a long drive to take Dom for his chemo, the vet has given us Gabapentin which he takes the night before and the morning of his appointment. It certainly seems to make it less stressful for him (I wish I could take it too!)

[@pablobratcat]

@@Skeptigal1 if you follow her vlogs she goes through all the options including no treatment

[@arisaz.]

She stands with the cat, not the human, and that's what I expect of a vet. Mine never mentioned cancer treatment and just pushed to put her down immediately. I will blame myself for the rest of my life because I took away her chances of getting better, she was a fighter and never gave up. If she was a human, no one would even consider to surrender to this. My girl was the most important person in my life and now she's gone because vets didn't care about her survival

[@Lt.852]

I just adopted 2 3 yr old tabby cats from a town shelter. The female seems to have a small marble sized movable nodes on either side of her neck/under jaw!

[@Monalisa9603]

Why are the doctors hard to find? Why do I need to pay a doc just to be told I havta take them to someone who is able to cure the cat

[@cryptomeownalysis]

Hey I’m hoping you can reply asap on this….. we just found out our leukemia + cat 5 years old has lymphoma, and had fluids in her lungs. Is there hope for her ?

[@janedoe133]

God bless Jo Jo, Nico and Jackie and their pet parents 💕🐈💕🐈💕🐈💕🙏 Praying for those affected by this illness # happy subscriber

[@DrSueCancerVet]

Thank you 😻

[@pablobratcat]

Please send good thoughts to my very sick boy Dom who is fighting with intestinal lymphoma.

[@PianoGhostz]

my cat is currently waiting on results for the type of cancer in their stomach how many days of wait is too long for results. hes already very thin the vets we implying i just give up but i want to do anything i can for my boy. How long is too long to wait to get my cat medical intervention? shouldnt they be treating him immediately

[@salsanchez2114]

Good video. Thank you, Dr Sue.

[@theodorevegh6030]

My cat has a tennis ball size mass on her rear end. She can't poop now. My Veterinarian said it is a tumor. He said to feed her "wet wet" cat food with Metamucil to loosen her stool. If she can't poop in four days then put her to sleep. 🤔

[@louietoltolvlog9699]

My cat diagnosed a large cell, aggressive lymphoma cancer and he hid in the bathroom and he did not eat so I gave him a blood transfusion and it went up to 19%. (15-) 19%) Then I was almost heartbroken and living in a hell. Vets said feeding tube or euthanasia. I took him for feeding tube almost but we just let them wake him up and did not proceed. Then. He eats very well. He started eating very well and poops every day. And he reduced to hide in the bathroom but he mostly stays in his cat cave. He just comes out every hour or every 2hour to eat food and drink water or go to bathroom. Good change is he shows his interest in his food cabinet. He comes to kitchen and sniffed his food bags. But he does not groom himself And he does not come up my bed. When he gets more sick, mirtazapine only worked a little bit now it works very well. How can I put him in sleep because he eats good. But every day, I’m dreadful of any sudden change. Is it possible for cat with lymphoma cancer all of sudden going bad next day? Or can I get a chance to know any sign? I contacted home euthanasia and I even contacted a pet cemetery for burial info. Because vets said it’s better before he’s getting worse. They said he will be gradually getting bad. Do I have to put him in sleep in advance? Can you review my cat medical report?? Can I email you ? I want 2nd opinion.

[@kathleennabordenten6271]

My 17 year old kitty had kidney disease and they told me he would not last long. He kept eating and purring for 2 years... He wanted to live and we Coouldnt believe how he still ate eventhough he was weak and had lost weight. He was 21 when we finally had to put him down. He had such a strong will to live. The Vets were amazed. Maybe your kitty is like mine and his will to live may keep him with you for a little longer. I sure hope that's the case! Hang in there and remember Cats are intuitive and sense your sadness..love etc. I believe we will see them again after they cross over. Spoil him abs enjoy him as much as possible! Hugs

[@kathleennabordenten6271]

I meant for 4 years he lived after we were told he would be gone before the year was over.... sorry for mistake

[@fixinfkinsandwiches6183]

Is blood work a prognostic predictor? My cat had 46% esinophil count. Also an enlarged mesentaric lymph node. Due to this along with weight loss and vomiting our vet was very negative about her prognosis.

[@jonfreeman5494]

My cat has been vomitting alot ft the past year. Gotten all kinds of tests done. She reacts differently to different foods. Either she vomits less or vomits more. Would lymphoma have that effect on her? Or would that sound more like inflammatory bowel?

[@angelhollobaugh7798]

They diagnosed my cat with IBS 3 months ago and now she’s dying of lymphoma... same thing, she was vomiting for a little over a year... proviable forte was the only thing that helped he stop vomiting, but the lymphoma was found a month later

[@LindaB1963]

I had a cat with cancer at the liver, spline and lymphoma. Without chemo nor radiation she is health with just supplements.

[@harlosasmr4702]

May I ask what supplements you gave her please?

[@stephj6551]

My lovely boy has just been diagnosed, it is stage 1 large cell lymphoma, no idea how long he has got, he has perked up considerably since feeding him high quality raw food with bone broth, he gets absolutely no dry food now which seemed to trigger the vomits. He is only 9 1/2 and is a Maine coon, I got him after my Mum died and he has been such a beautiful companion to me, he still looks so good but his weight has dropped which is what led me to the diagnosis. I am basically working in keeping his gut as healthy as possible, probiotics are in the broth I give him and he loves it warmed.

[@Kolahh]

What are the risk rates of a sepsis after GI biopsy? My heart and soul was dying from that until I euthanized her. I can't stop thinking I should have said no to the biopsy. And our previous vet said it was a mistake to take a biopsy and not remove part of the colon . He said it's actually riskier to biopsy. And then she has a second rashes surgery when they see the leak. THEN they removed part of the colon and said it was like brittle and they barely stitched... I can't understand if they did a mistake. Because she was so lively and happy. I can't stop thinking about it

[@solracer66]

There are two different types of biopsy, the normal old-fashion one that is pretty invasive and a newer non-invasive one. The Helpful Vancouver Vet recommended the non-invasive.

[@freespiritwithnature4384]

Can Pancura C help squamous sarcoma. I’m assuming it is because it’s a stinky growth , I thought was a tooth , but it’s slowly growing,how can I help ,because I cannot afford the vet bill. Unfortunately I was robbed of everything and I went from 6 figures to 1000 a month . So I need advise . She’s eating,playing,drinking pooping,she’s 18 . Thanks so much !❤️❤️❤️

[@thethingswe]

I wonder what kind of car the vet drives? we need more laws regulating vets and their services and prices!

[@mariaariaspoweredbyartwork688]

Ah this answers my comment on the previous video! Thanks so much!

[@DrSueCancerVet]

Wonderful! Thanks for watching! Please subscribe too! 😻

[@vravl2]

mY cat has been diagnosed with lymphoma that can explode, according to the vet, into his spleen also he has cancer in his jaw and another small mass into his intestine, he is 14 yrs old I love him and I have been in so many vets bust they all say the same thing - to give him a good life as now, and I do not get any other answers. How long can I expect him to live? just some idea - he has been constipated and eating normally choosing his favorite food and he drinks lots of water. However, he does vomit about twice a month - either because his food ended and he has to wait until I got home to feed him. I want to give him the best end of life if is the case, but can you let me know? thank you.

[@Skeptigal1]

May I ask how you got the diagnosis? What procedures were done to arrive at it? Thanks.

[@misterkim4524]

My cat has lymphoma and two tumors. Can he still receive chemo after taking prednisone ? Please advise. Thank you

[@Bekka241]

Of course.

[@pikaskew]

The steroid injections help a lot but only go so far until they stop working. There are ingestible options too which are more targeted to intestines and less impactful overall than prednisone shots...typically these are meds that are also used for humans with IBD. We got about 1.5 years of quality life with treatment, and we're thankful we decided to treat it. Eventually the body gives out though and the treatments stop working...but the quality of life can be good, and in some cases the cancer itself can be beat.

[@DashoMedia]

Dr Sue, my 7 month old kitty was just diagnosed with mediastinal lymphoma. we discovered it because he had pleural effusion. He is also FeLV positive. I found an article by Horta et al. (2020) on a new protocol LOPH for the FeLV positive pt population. do you have any insight into this new protocol? any thing helps

[@DashoMedia]

link to article: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X20926893

[@sgtigereye]

I had kittens who were born with feline leukemia, the whole litter passed away after one year.

[@janegallardo4731]

how bout the cost of treatment

[@Linda-jj1sj]

Just diagnosed my cat, they said 4-5 thousand. May extend life 6mos - 2 years

[@arlenegreenbaum2110]

I went to a consultation with a oncologist and he said if she has full remission it will only last a year. She had high Grade lymphoma.

[@Skeptigal1]

Yes; it's a lot to put the cats -- AND owners -- through for just a temporary fix. No matter what we do, and even if a cat lives a long, healthy life, they DON'T live very long compared to humans! That's a just a fact of life. I think saving a pet from needless suffering (either via treatment or disease) is getting lost in this whole discussion; that's our first and most sacred obligation to them.

[@Bekka241]

No. My cat lived 2 1/2 years with high grade lymphoma and had a tumor. She lived to nearly 16. Diligence saved the cat.

[@lichlin8296]

@@Bekka241 what’s the treatment strategy? Pls share more

[@denizsevinc8633]

​@@Bekka241 pleade could you share more info re the treatment? Many thanks

[@Nuksukow]

That’s so interesting that you say get on prednisolone if you’re not going to do cancer treatment. We believe my cat has cancer and they have stated that she has fluid in her lungs but the ultrasound and x ray wasn’t enough to definitively state it’s cancer or that it’s her lungs or her heart with the problem but they’re going with their best educated guess at this point to put her on prednisolone. She seems a little better but I understand it’s just a band aid and not a long term drug since it suppresses the immune system. If there is anything you could make me more aware of for my 12 year old cat please let me know. I want to save her life but I don’t know what route to go. To my understanding the pred will reduce the inflammation and help her be more comfy but it obviously does not come without side effects. I’m worried that she will slowly get worse at some point even while on the drug. Am I just extending her life a bit longer with pred and that’s it or is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Please help.

[@stephebo3998]

I totaly understand you. My cat receive is diagnostic yesterday. He is on prednisolone too. Nothing really change yet. I hope is not in pain. My heart is just so broken right now. I know how you feel.

[@Nuksukow]

@@stephebo3998 sorry for what you’re going through. Things just happen in life that you can’t control. Stay strong. All you can do is be there for him, to comfort him while he still is around. I miss my girl so much.

[@christinaiwanitza9482]

My sisters cat has intestine cancer and is on steryoids but at the mo is not eating😟😔

[@universem2978]

@drsue can small cell lymphoma become large cell lymphoma?

[@DrSueCancerVet]

yes in some cats it will transform, or small cell can become resistant to the chemotherapy

[@noneyun9943]

The dry kibble is what’s causing this stuff in young cats! They have no standards on pesticides and other cancer causing agents.

[@mrbear8771]

@207 fuck this I’m gonna watch cat video! 😥

[@jw8578]

Dr Sue, How about prognosis of neck lymphoma?

[@csantoi]

I guess the big factor is large cell or small cell. we found a lump on my cat Smokey's neck a few weeks ago that the vet confirmed as lymphoma last week. she actually seemed relieved that it wasn't a mast cell tumor or carcinoma since lymphoma is much more treatable. he's been on prednisolone for 10 days and has been doing great, so far, and should start chlorambucil in a few weeks. I guess it's difficult to predict, but sounds like if a cat is still doing alright after 6 months or so, then he could have another year or more. Smokey is 10 and I hope he has at least a couple more good years, but you just never know. hope your kitty is doing well.

[@jw8578]

@@csantoisadly, we lost our cat Allie. She was 10 years old as well. Too young. She had such a huge personality. Enjoyed car rides like a dog. We loved her dearly. I hope your cat's treatments go well.

[@APOSTLESDOCTRINEPHOENIX]

We are giving mistletoe for our cats lymphoma

[@sadieellen1997]

My cat was 15 weeks with lymphoma but died the next week..

[@Monalisa9603]

My boy has the nasal lymp how much do I need for the first visit

[@eddiew2325]

I can’t make it on my own. I don’t need you

[@bettysmith7045]

How much do the oral chemo drugs cost?

[@123asdhjkcvnm]

About $30 for a 3 month supply.

[@linaburon5672]

You talck but we dont se the tumer

[@arisaz.]

I agree, I was hoping for more examples shown

[@kristofthibaud8491]

Have You ever treated Cats with RSO?

[@kananikarasaki1658]

I just adopted my 2-year-old cat a week ago and found out he may have Lymphoma. I am beyond devastated.

[@arisaz.]

Get a clear diagnose to find the best treatment, young cats are strong fighters

[@marymorningstar6832]

So you talk about extending life as if that is the only goal You don’t talk about quality of life while being treated with the different chemo agents

[@arisaz.]

Chemo does not affect cats like it affects humans, they feel it little to not at all. The only stress could come from the vet visits. I am pretty sure any person that puts their pet through chemo does it for the cat, so if the cat is suffering they'd stop

[@Skeptigal1]

This is largely a disease of older (male) cats -- in their teen years. Some pet owners simply don't believe in putting their elderly, sick pets through the stress and pain of treatment for an incurable disease when they can't understand or consent and would prefer hospice care and quality over quantity. I won't be watching any more of these. She is REALLY pushing aggressive veterinary care and pharmaceuticals. I believe this also creates false hope in the owner and keeps them from facing reality (again -- you can treat it, but not cure it). Pets don't care how long they live; only how comfortable and happy they are while they live.

[@bettysmith7045]

This is the truth....

[@fixinfkinsandwiches6183]

@Ana Paula cats and dogs don’t get sick with chemotherapy like us humans. They are smaller and receive smaller doses. My cat lived 5 years with chemo and radiation, she never was sick from cancer or from chemotherapy. In fact she would run around and play the very next day after chemo and loved the attention she got at her oncologist’s office.

[@suzannef8677]

You are incorrect. Most cats get lymphoma around 9 or 10. Cats can live to be 23 years old.

[@fixinfkinsandwiches6183]

@@suzannef8677 Yes you are correct! I’ve also never heard that it’s more in common in males. I don’t know where that person is getting their information from! There is nothing wrong with not knowing something but I can’t stand it when people insist that they are correct without knowing for certain that their info is accurate. I swear idiots never doubt themselves!

[@Skeptigal1]

@@fixinfkinsandwiches6183 , oh really? It's poison intended to kill living tissue (and it's not very selective), but it doesn't effect little tiny cats like it does big strong men? Okaaaay.