Our cat, Oscar, who is at least 16, is having a challenging time right now. He has a lesion/tumor inside his mouth on one side, in his cheek. The vet tried a needle biopsy but it was inconclusive.
The big fear is that it's cancer. We declined to have a cone biopsy done because if it is cancer, we aren't going to go for treatment.
The vet indicated that the surgery would leave him disfigured, and that chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy would be needed. We don't believe in putting an animal through suffering and trauma that they can't understand, just because we want to keep them around. So if it is cancer, we'll just maintain him as long as he seems able to enjoy being alive, and then give him a painless goodbye if possible.
However, it might not be cancer. He has a history of granuloma, and the lesions eventually resolved on their own. We're not panicking over it--just going day by day.
Mudpie got about an extra 6 months of reasonable quality time with gabapentin - a pain med that didn't turn her into a zombie. Different with each animal of course and I hope Oscar has some time left with you.
One of my neighbor's 15 cats has some sort of cancer which causes her to drool excessively and she cannot eat hard food. Her owner opted not to treat the cancer and to let her live out her normal life. She's been hanging on for over two years. She has to have her face and chest cleaned twice a day and can only eat two things--deli shaved turkey and canned tuna mixed with either mayo or cream cheese (I can't remember which). Poor little thing is as scrawny as you can imagine but still sweet as ever.
My keeshond developed a large lump under her tongue over a year ago. I decided not to get it biopsied because she is getting on and even a checkup at the vet is traumatic to her. It must be benign because there's no sign she's any less healthy now. She's almost 13 years old, and quite spry. Yesterday she didn't get a walk due to rain, and she invited me to "play" last night... she tore around the house like a maniac, spinning in circles and charging past me repeatedly. So full of joy!
Saef, you are making me think a visit to the southwest is in order. We have had a trip to the Grand Canyon in the back of our minds. DH had a goal of losing enough weight to take the mule trip. But he is 6'4" and muscular, so I don't think that will, or even necessarily should, happen. He dropped a lot of weight for the benefit of his joints already and we should celebrate that.
Jay, I'm sorry your household is once again experiencing cancer and that tense, life-and-death feeling that accompanies it. I imagine you both have been holding and loving your cat, and keeping him close to you.
I am so glad that my mother's cat, Fritz, survived the death of my father by several years. I know my mother grew even more attached to him afterward. Before then, he'd really been my father's cat. But eventually she lost him, too, to bone cancer.
Just back from Vegas, I have to say this: I am sick of the roulette wheel spinning for friends and acquaintances and family and so often stopping on some form of cancer. It feels that random. What body part will it be next?
Thank you all for your kind thoughts and words. Dagmar, I'll look into that gabapentin. Right now Oscar doesn't seem to be in any pain.
Life really does seem to be a crap shoot or roulette wheel sometimes. If it's not cancer, something else will get us. Or nothing! Both of my parents just... died. My dad died in his sleep one night, and my mom died in her home with my sister there. Both were in their mid- to late 80s. There was no particular cause of death except old age.
Oscar is an older gentleman, and he has a number of health challenges besides this lesion. It seem as though we're at the vet every week or 10 days for one thing or another.
Good luck to all! So much about what we share here is about cancer, family problems, and other scary aspects of the human condition. I'm glad we have a space together to support one another on all these levels. Also, thanks to just writing earlier this week, I've gotten back on track quickly, just knowing I'm being supported (and watched!)
