HELP! Cancerous Tumor

[critters]

Is there any chance it could be an abcess? Angelo popped up with a linear lump on his head, near his R ear, literally in a few hours. The only thing I could think of moving that fast was an abcess, so I started him on Koi's Clavamox. Sure enough, it's shrinking, although not as fast as it popped up.

[MissWhiskers]

Tonight when I got home I find that Serenity is sneezing alot and her breathing sounds croupy. I am thinking she might have an Upper Respiratory Infection? I just missed my vet's office before they closed so now if I want to take her to a DR I would have to go to an Emergency place - and I am all out of money, so IF I can treat her myself I want to do that. I do have various pet meds here at home.
Thank you for the idea Critters, but we just within the last few weeks treated her first with Clavamox, then Clindamycin in the slim hopes that the tumor or lesion (THis was on her other side - her left side) was an abscess. It did not help. The past 2 Mondays she has received injections of Elspar and I give her daily injections of the steroid Dexamethasone and that tumor has shrunk almost completely! And I am taking her for a radiology consultation on WED this coming week - with the intention of moving forward in treating her for Lymphoma.
But now she is having problems on the other side, her right side. First swelling around the eye and the skin is pinkish and her 3rd eyelid is showing more than normal. Then this evening she is sneezing and sounds croupy so I am wondering if it might be a URI???? And if so, if anyone can give me advice on treating that I would appreciate it! I am sure I have treated some cat for that before but right now I am so stressed I can't hardly think straight.

Karen

[Christine]

Oh girl.....I looked this up and found some information which will probably make your head swim until one of our experts steps in, but this article points to a lot of the symptoms that Serenity has - including the eyes. Look at the picture of the cat in the article. If it is a URI, it is very contagious.

Does your vet have an after hours number for questions?

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_fe ... atory.html

We are right here - holding your hand and stroking Serenity.

[CarolC]

Thanks for posting the pictures. It wasn't what I expected (it looks better than I expected, though). It does look like inflammation of the skin more than the eye, I agree. Has it gone down any? Could she have been bitten or stung by something possibly?

[MissWhiskers]

Thank you all for your ideas. Thank you Christine for posting the photos. And thank you for that link - I just printed the info out. I know some of the things but I was starting to panic and couldn't think straight. I got some ideas from Troopersmommy and Mumpkees by email and have tried them and she does seem a little better. Some of their ideas were nose drops for her nostrils - which I had, and Terramycin Eye Ointment - which I had. Those things helped - she doesn't sound so croupy and her eye looks better, though she still is sneezing alot. Carol, even a little sooner than all this tonight I meant to let you all know that the swelling and pinkish skin has subsided quite a bit. The night you suggested it I tried and tried to post pictures but couldn't and then Christine e-mailed me and offered to help -
She is so good to me! Well you all are great!
I recently got a Kodak Easy Share camera - but I haven't read all the directions yet! I think my problem might have been that I needed to save the photos to the "Public" folder in order to be able to attach it....?
Anyway, I am really thinking Serenity has a URI, but if the poor baby has Lymphoma - that can't be good!? I mean her immune system must be compromised right? I am taking her for a Radiology Consult this week.
I thank you all again.

Love you ALL!
Karen

[CarolC]

That's the same kind of camera I have. If you use the Kodak software for uploading, it saves the pictures in some obscure folder. Then you have to open the pictures and save them to My Pictures if you want to actually use them for anything.

Newer computers have a built in uploader that automatically uploads photos without having to install the Kodak software, and they go directly to My Pictures.

[MissWhiskers]

I am trying lots of everyone's advice in treating what I am pretty sure is an Upper Respiratory Infection or a cold? that Serenity has. While they all help - nothing has completely cut through the congestion and so I am begging for more suggestions for that! Actually if you all could tell me what the best medecine for that would be I would really appreciate it!! One person suggested Baytril. If anyone has any other suggestions PLEASE PLEASE let me know. Her appetite was good before this but not with this situation!! And that was already a precarious situation! The Drs believe she has lymphoma so I would think her immune system is compromised! I am taking her for a consultation with a Radiologist on Wed and I don't even know how I am going to pay for that!? so I wanted to get this situation under control without having to spend money at the vet! I am thinking that I might be able to get the Oncologist who has seen her the last 2 Mondays in a row to OK a prescription for something for the congestion?
Here are the things I have been doing:
I am using "Little Noses" drops in her nostrils.
I am giving her periodic treatments with a warm steam vaporizer.
I have been cleaning around her eyes(The swelling and pinkness has gone almost completely!)
and nose with a cotton ball which I soak in distilled water with a capsule of Ethinacia and Goldenseal opened and sprinkled into it. I squeeze out the excess liquid first.
Sometimes I dab a little Vicks on the leather of her nose above her nostrils.
I had a little Cyprohepatadine left from another kitty recently and I have been giving her a litle of that. Because she still can only open the right corner of her mouth I can't give her pills so I have crushed the pill and put into a little bit of water and give that to her through a syringe. Does that sound ok?
I have crushed up a 1/4 of a Chlor- Trimeton tab and mixed it with water and given that to her by syringe a couple of times. Not more than twice a day.

Carol and or Christine, could I also post this on the emergency forum? If so, how? Like copy and paste?

I am really concerned about this affecting her eating!

Thank You!

Karen

[Christine]

Karen, I moved the entire topic to Emergency Help. That is encouraging that her eyes are doing better...if you just knew which thing actually helped. Can you get your oncologist appointment moved up to Monday?

Carol, I left a shadow topic....not sure if this was the correct way to do it.

[MissWhiskers]

I just wanted to let everyone know that the Oncologist who has seen Serenity the past 2 weeks called in an RX for amoxycillin for her. However she did say these problems could be complications from cancerous tumors, not URI. I wish we had gotten another injection of Elspar in the last couple of days! The Oncologist had said it would be Ok not to see her on Mon for a 1 week recheck since we are going to the Radiology Consult tomorrow. The Dr had not said she would have been giving another injection, but I wish we had gotten another one as that (Elspar) has helped reduce the previous tumor(s) greatly! Right now I do not see any tumor-like areas externally but I guess they could be internal and not showing? Diana, are you out there? I think you might know about this kind of thing?
Again, we Are seeing a Radiologist tomorrow but in the meantime the main problem is that her breathing sounds very congested - and of course she is not very interested in eating!!

Karen

[Diana R.]

Hi Karen:

So sorry to hear what's going on with Serenity. I don't have too much more to add---it sounds like you are in good hands with the oncologist. You know sometimes they will not give chemo if their white blood cell count is too low since the chemo will further compromise the immune system. Little Serenity really needs to fight off the URI if it is a URI. I would think the tumors could be more extensive then what you are seeing. I know you are in a catch 22 financially and wanting to do what is best for Serenity but you may want to talk to them again about the feeding tube since she needs to eat. Diana

[MissWhiskers]

Sorry, I said the RX I just got was Amoxicillin, but I meant to say Clavamox.

Karen

[MissWhiskers]

I took Serenity to her Radiology Consultation appt today, but unfortunately because she is having the respiratory problems and the radiation treatment involves anesthesia(use of an anesthesia mask?) the Dr thought it would be too risky for her. I asked for her to have another injection of the Elspar which was ok with the Dr.
Here are the Dr's notes on my receipt:

Today we discussed palliative radiation therapy for the treatment of her presumed lymphoma in her head. She appears to have an upper respiratory infection that is causing congestion and difficulty breathing. If she has lymphoma in her head, the radiation could significantly reduce the disease which would hopefully allow her to open her mouth, however at this point in time, especially with the upper respiratory infection, the required anesthesia is very risky. Since you didn't want to take that risk, you decided to try another dose of L-asparaginase.
I gave her the injection of dexamethasone(steroid). She then received the L-aparaginase(Elspar) in to a muscle. We also gave her some fluids under her skin because she seems dehydrated. Please continue the dexamethasone and Clavamox. I am also dispensing mirtazapine, which is an appetite stimulant that is administered once every 3rd day and Baytil, which is another antibiotic . The addition of the Baytril will help cover some bactrisa that the Clavamox may not take care of . Please crush up the tablet and mix with some food to syringe feed her.
You can recheck with your vet or Dr. Manley(the referrring Oncologist) later this week if you think she in not improvng, or declining. Once she is feeling better, we can consider the radiation again. Please call me to schedule.

So of course I am extremely disppointed and fearing for life.

Karen

[Christine]

Your vet sounds very caring. Prayers for healing coming at your Serenity. Take care, my friend.

[janew]

Karen, how is she doing?? I have thinking of her all the time & hoping...this whole thing stinks & should not be happening to you. I've had all my closely aged babies leave very close to one another & it hurts, you have not even been able to heal from Goober & now have deal with all this. I am hoping Serenity goes into remission & you get some respite.
jane

[MissWhiskers]

Thank you for thinking of us. Thank you all for all of your supportl Unfortunately Serenity died last week - the day after I took her to see the oncology radiologist. The Dr. said it would be very risky to start radiology that day because anesthesia would have been neccesary but with the respiratory problems she was having that would have been next to impossible! We agreed to begin baytril and try to clear up the URI and then reconsider the radiology. They also gave her fluids under the skin. The next morning she was begining to breathe much easier. I was pleased about that and went on to work. When I got home she did not want to be picked up - but I had to give her meds and try to feed her - she had lost more weight in the last few days. I sat down with her and realized she had urinated on me. Then she threw up alot of liquid - which I am very confused about what that was? It was not the food I had been feeding her - for one thing she had not been eating much. And I don't even think it was waterI had given her as I don't think she had taken in that much.
Then she died in my arms.
I have not wanted to believe it ... I know that doesn't make much sense as I am waitting for her ashes to be returned...
In part I wanted to wait till I could post these photos when i wrote of her death - but mostly I just don't want to believe it...
Thank you for reminding me that others have lost their similar aged cats in fairly close proximity and that I am not the only one. Again, thank you for thinking of us.

Karen
This is the photo I call her Playboy pose... My cute, sweet girl!!