Lump on my cat's back..............UPDATE! (Page 3)

[CheshireVal]

I had a friend who lost her cat to vaccine-related cancer. Of course, her cat was 13 years old so not quite as young as yours.

You did the right thing by vaccinating your baby. Any cat that is allowed outdoors should be vaccinated against FIV. It's the right thing to do.

I have not had my cats vaccinated since they were kittens, and my vet makes me feel guilty about it every single time, like I'm a horrible pet owner. But they have never set foot outside since I got them, and I've heard enough stories to make me not want to risk it.

I'm so sorry you're having to go through this. Waiting for test results is so agonizing. Hopefully everything will be just fine though!

 

[kldmom2000]

I just came upon this post today and wanted to tell you about my cat Anastasia.... in July, we noticed a lump on her right hip that just seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. I brought her to the vet the next morning and the vet was concerned-had me bring her back the following morning for surgery. They removed the lump and a wide margin around it and it turned out to indeed be what the vet feared. It was FVAC (Feline vaccine accelerated sarcoma) It's a cancer that is CAUSED by numerous vaccines given to cats. They give the vaccines in the legs now as opposed to the neck/back area because if they should develop this particular cancer, they can try removing the lump and if they are not successful in getting it all, the limb can be amputated saving the cat's life. We were lucky so far with Anastasia (8 yrs old) It was caused by the rabies vaccine she'd gotten 9 months prior. The vet took such a wide margin that we "think" she got it all. I keep checking for signs of regrowth as it will be more aggressive if it does come back-so far so good (knock on wood) Sadly though, in October, my other cat Noel (11) started having difficulty breathing so I brought her to the vet and she was found to have advanced lymphoma and we had to put her to sleep as there was no hope. She showed NO signs of the illness until her last day GL to your cat... hope he's well!!!! ((HUGS))

 

[Pea-n-Me]

When my dog developed skin tumors a few years ago it led me to a search of cancer in pets. Having also had breast cancer myself it kind of had new meaning to me.

Bottom line, cancers are on the rise all over, exact causes being unknown. However, in the veterinary community they are currently researching the relationship between vaccinations and tumors. I do recall reading how tumors at the injection sites in cats are on the rise, but not having cats myself I do not know a whole lot about it. At any rate, please don't feel guilty about giving your cats vaccinations. Currently it is standard practice and most of us go by the recommendations of our veterinarians (and pediatricians for that matter). I do hope if a relationship is found that they can take it into consideration when giving our animals their shots.

I just got through re-reading one of James Herriot's books (the English vet who began his practice in the 1930's) and it struck me very hard how far we've come in modern veterinary medicine. Back then many, many pets died of diseases we now have vaccines for, and often all vets could do was stand by helplessly and ease their suffering via euthanasia (distemper being a good example). IMO they need to find a happy medium between vaccinating against disease but not overvaccinating. I think we also have to remember when looking at animal cancers that it may not be out of the norm at all for an older pet to get cancer since that is what many die of to begin with.

With that said, I hope your cat is ok. Keep us updated.

P.S. The tumors my dog had were hemangiopericytomas - we removed 9 of them with 5 surgeries over the course of 6 months or so. They are thought not to metastasize, but in her case they did, and she died of a brain tumor several months after her last surgery, just shy of age 12. I still miss her so much.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

I hope Max is doing well. (I have a cat named Max too )

I have lost two pets to cancer. Neither of which showed symptons until it was too late. Both were young too, very sad. I have a cat now who has a lump under her chin. Unfortunaly there isn't much we can do, she is about 15 and has arthritis. But she is happy and is acting younger than ever. She climbed the Christmas tree the other night.

Hope your kitty is ok, keep us updated.

 

[DawnCt1]

I hope all goes well with your kitty.

 

[crazymomof4]

Even though it's over the internet, your kindness is felt and appreciated. It does help to hear from other pet owners who understand the depth of love that I feel for Max, and therefore understand the pain of being in this situation.

I've been crying off and on all day. I hope that it is for nothing, but for now I just have to let it out.

Max came home at 11am today. His entire right hip is shaved. He has 10 stitches and a drain. He's wearing the "E collar" so that he doesn't pull out his stitches. Though his outward appearance is altered, he is none the worse for wear. He's eating like a bear, very active and strong (DS14 had a hard time holding onto him in the car). He even wants to go outside! He cannot go outdoors for 2 weeks and this will be hard on him (and me too).

I will post again when I have some news. Thanks again!

 

[escape]

 

[minnie56]

BIG Hugs to your baby and you...
I hope everything turns out well

 

[crazymomof4]

Well guys, the news is not good.

The biopsy showed that Max has Fibrosarcoma. (it's difficult to even type that!)
For the first 24 hours after the vet called, I was a wreck. Now, acceptance has set in and I am able to write here.

The vet said that the growth will return in the same area withing 4-6 months. How much time he has after that depends on how aggressively it returns and whether or not it travels outside of the original site to lungs, etc. Radiation is the only treatment option he gave but he said it does not have a great success rate and it is traumatic to the cat and "quite costly". So I am going to try some alternative medicine. On the net I've learned of people treating their pets with a mushroom complex, fish oil (omega 3), essaic tea, and IP-6. All of these are considered dietary supplements and make no guarantees but I've read of cats who were given 6 months (on the outside) of a lingering existance and were still doing very well after 8 months on these treatments. I am not deluding myself that I can cure Max, but if these supplements do no harm and inhibit the cancer's growth enough to add a few months on what he would have had, I will be elated. When I bought the essaic at my healthfood store the owner said to me, "You are giving your cat the best possible thing that we know of for cancer in pets". She also told me that a women had been sent there by her vet to buy the mushroom complex for her dog that has cancer.

As for Max, he is doing great. He does not act sick in anyway and has recovered unbelievably fast from his surgery. He wants to go outside so badly.....5 more days and he can! He runs around and plays, eats and grooms, seems perfectly unfazed by the ordeal.

I'm taking lots of video and pictures. I wish I knew how to post pictures in my sig. I'd show you all my beautiful baby. He is a domestic longhair, black with wht. tips on all 4 feet, white chin and white whiskers on a black face. He has big, round yellow eyes that make him look like a kitten. I hope you can picture him in your mind.

I've made up my mind that I want to enjoy this time we have with him. I don't want to remember these last months as being a haze of grief, but rather a celebration and a climax of the wonderful life that he has had. He really has lived life to the fullest. He has had a loving human family, two feline companions that he adores, and his beloved backyard where he plays and hunts and sits in the sun with the breeze in his face. He hasn't lacked a thing!

If anyone has been through this and can offer some tips on how to stay positive while letting go, please write! I need all the help I can get.

 

[disneynutt1225]

So sad....it's never easy losing someone you love, be it 4-legged or 2.

 

[escape]

Oh, no! I am soooooo sorry. Hugs to you, family and Max.

I have not gone through this same exact experience but I did have a cat with kidney disease and one with Feline Leukemia and remember how tough it was during the last few months of their lives.

My advice is to take it one day at a time. Live in the present like you're doing. Enjoy Max now. Taking pictures of him is a good idea. You'll treasure these forever.

Another piece of advice: Talk to us whenever you want. You'll have good days and not so good days. We're here for you. Many of us have been through similar situations and know how tough these days can be.

Sending prayers and pixie dust your way. I know this is very difficult for you.

 

[Disney Doll]

The vet told me that while the tumor was encapsulated, he cannot be sure that it is not Fibrosarcoma. The lab results will not be ready until early next week. I am hoping for the best, but am very afraid that the news will be bad. To think that this may be a vaccine related cancer is making me feel very guilty. If I had not taken him for the shots, he may never have gotten the cancer. My decision to vaccinate my cats put them at risk for this. How can I deal with that?

Sorry for being such a downer. It's 12:45am and I'm very tired from a stressful day. Feeling very low. I love my Max very much.

But remember, your decision to vaccinate was based on the best info you had and was made in the best interests of your kitty.

I am no vet, but I am a nurse, and I will tell you that encapsulated tumors are better, because it means they are all in one place, have spread ofr fanned out, therefore survival rate is high because once they are removed, they are gone.

Prayers for oyur sweet kitty. We do get so attached to our pets, don't we???

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm sorry about your news. If you haven't seen it already, here is an article on fibrosarcomas from www.vetinfo.com . I like Dr. Mike.

http://www.vetinfo.com/cfibro.html

 

[kldmom2000]

I'm so sorry to hear the news about Max. (((HUGS))) and I'll be keeping you in my thoughts! As a kitty mommy who has endured cancer in 2 cats in the past 4 months, all I can say is it's so hard but you will get through it. I posted my story above. My 8 yr old cat, Anastasia, had a fibrosarcoma removed from her hip. The vet removed such a wide margian and we are praying it doesn't return. If it does, we will be faced with deciding whether or not to amputate her leg to see if we can save her. I have no idea what my decision will be and I'd rather not think about it until I have to.... my other cat, 11 yr old Noel, suddenly displayed signs of difficult breathing on Oct. 25th this year. I brought her to the vet and they thought it was one of 3 things-a heart problem, cancer, or some sort of virus. After keeping her overnight and seeing her decline while running tests (x-rays, bloodwork, etc) it was found that she had advanced lymphoma and there was no treatment. I reluctantly went ahead with the decision to put her to sleep because I couldn't bear to see my poor baby suffer-she was literally gasping for air. I held her as they administered the drug and she was finally at peace within minutes. I cried for days and days. My 2 dd's were confused as to why mommy was so sad.... I still have moments when I come dowstairs to use the computer expecting to see Noel sitting here waiting for me to scoop her up on my computer chair and she's not here. I can totally relate to you and can only offer all the (((HUGS))) and prayers possible so you can get through this time with your baby....

 

[crazymomof4]

Just thought I'd post an update on Max's condition since today is a milestone.

When we got the results of the lab work the vet said that the fibrosarcoma would return in 4-6 months, in the same area from which it was removed.
Well, today marks 6 months since the surgery and there is absolutely no sign of any tumor re-gowth!! Max is very lean (always has been) so it is very easy to palpate even the tiniest lump. Every few days I feel along the incision line and I feel nothing.

Since the vet offered no treatments, I spent hours and hours researching natural cancer treatments on the 'net. I picked several nutritional supplements that were either immune boosting (the immune system helps fight cancer) or inhibit cancer at the cellular level. I visited many holistic veterinary sites and read books written by vets to make sure that the supplements were #1 safe for cats, #2 didn't interact with one another and #3 had no harmful side effects. I found recommendations for or calculated the correct dosage and frequency for a cat.

Here's what Max has been on for almost 6 months now:
Essaic Tea (tea made from an herbal blend originally used by Native Americans)
IP-6 Rice bran extract proven in mice to inhibit the very cancer Max has-- halts or shrinks tumor growth!
Triple Mushroom Blend 3 types of Japanese mushrooms, powdered in a capsule.
Vit E w/ Selenium, Folic Acid, Vitamin C Antioxidants.
Fish oil with high levels of EFA's
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Plus a immune boosting multi that contains great cancer fighters like Pau D'arco, Vit A, Grape seed extract and much more. It's ironically named Well Max We call it "Get Well Max"!!!

He is SO cooperative with all of this. I was afraid that he would resent me for putting him through the pill-taking + the tea via the dropper and avoid me. But he continues to be the same affectionate Max. He actually has taught himself to put his head back and swallow the pills when I don't get them back far enough in his throat!! He sits so patiently on my lap while I give him his tea. He is such a good boy!

I also have been making Max's food from scratch since diet is very important to fighting cancer. He gets a high fat and high protien diet-- no carbs(cancer feeds on carbs). Since he should not be exposed to any toxins, for a flea preventative this season I found an all-natural one consisting of cinnamon, clove, lemon and other oils. LOL- After I treat him he smells like a candle for a few days!!

His appetite is great. His coat has never looked better and he has the activity level of a 1 year old cat! The other day I was out planting in my yard and he tore past me at a full run-- just bc. he LOVES to run. He looked like a cheetah! My heart lept with happiness that he is doing so well.

So now that we have passed the time when the vet said the tumor would return, I feel that anything beyond this point is "icing on the cake". If and when the tumor returns, at least I know that I gave him some extra time. We are enjoying every minute with him!

Thanks again to all who posted earlier with kind words and support.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Wow, I'm impressed at all the hard work you've done! What a loving Mama you are! I'm glad Max is doing well and hope he gets lots more time with you.

 

[escape]

Wow, I'm impressed at all the hard work you've done! What a loving Mama you are! I'm glad Max is doing well and hope he gets lots more time with you.

Ditto!

I hope Max continues to do well.

 

[Mimi Q]

So happy Max got good news.