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LafayetteLady -> RE: Cat health question (11/18/2011 10:19:43 PM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Duskypearls
quote:
ORIGINAL: tazzygirl
Thank you all for your so kind words. We got binxie home and havent seen her since. she is hiding and the man doesnt want to disturb her. Lilly, our other cat is also upset. Its amazing how they can tell when something is wrong with the other.
The x-ray they did of her leg got part of the lungs. He pointed out he said was masses in her lungs... saying... "While I cant be positive because I wasnt trying to get her lungs, what I see here is not promising". He mentioned amputation.... no way, not gonna do that to her... told the man that as well. But, thank you for the suggestion, Dusky... to be honest, we were so stunned we didnt know what to ask.
He cant handle the planning, so that is falling to me. Im thinking cremation... anyone dealt with that for their pets? Any advice or suggestions?
Binxie (and you all), obviously need time to calm and settle down after this. Were she my cat and valuable to me, I would get 2 chest views to confirm or deny, so I'd never had to wonder if I'd made a wrong decision based on incomplete information.
As offensive as it may sound now, amputation is actually a common, viable option, depending upon the weight, age, and health of the animal. They tend to get along very well after amputation (much better than humans), easily becoming "tripods." Is it a front or rear leg? Was the cancer located high or low on the leg? How much of the leg is involved?
Was the cancer anywhere near what might have been a previous vaccination site?
Chemo is difficult, expensive, and takes quite a toll. which is why I was recommending the Neoplasene, which is natural and far, far less expensive.
Cremation is a personal choice. I've been to a reputable pet crematorium in my area and was very impressed. They offered many beautiful urns, and what not, and even jewelry, into which some of the remaining "ashes" can be placed.
I'm sure whatever you decide will be right.
As Dusky said, you two need time to process the information and then figure out what the next best step is. I also agree that dismissing amputation so quickly is not a good idea, depending how old Binxie is, and how long such a step would prolong her life. For months? Not worth it. For years? Worth considering.
There are two types of pet cremation. "Group" and individual. Obviously, individual cremation is more expensive. Most vets offices do offer it though. My cousin had one of her dogs die earlier this year and I know that Rage is in a nice box on the bay windowsill. Cheyenne was horribly ill and they finally had to put her down, but I never asked if they cremated her individually and put her with Rage (they were together many years). Both these dogs were pit bulls and I'm pretty sure the cost of cremation was at least $500. For a cat, it should be significantly less.
The most important thing to consider when making this decision is how much pain Binxie is in. If she isn't in that much pain (even favoring the leg), you might want to take Dusky's Neoplasene suggestion and give it a try. If she is in pain, or when that time comes, your first thoughts need to be what is best for Binxie; keeping her around because you aren't ready to let go, or euthanizing her so that she doesn't suffer in pain. I've known people who have kept their animals around with the concept they should die a "natural" death, and have seen how much pain those animals were in. It was very selfish of the owners, in my opinion.
You have the weekend to start thinking about what to do and can call to talk to the vet on Monday. A good vet, like a good human doctor, should have no trouble getting on the phone to answer your questions. Just make sure you have a list of what you want to ask. This way you don't forget anything, and you don't waste any of your vet's time trying to think while you are on the phone. You are a nurse after all, so even though biologically different, most of the terms and such should be very familiar to you as well as potential treatments. The outcomes, however, are very different in animals.
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