I wasn't going to add another entry as I thought, well, I don't have anything in particular to add. However, I think it's also important to share with everyone when I have good news. I'm sure many of you are feeling like you're running out of options and consequently time. I'm not sure when you first discovered your kitty's cancer, but I now think that a combination of a few treatments, can at least stabilize the cat and perhaps give you the chance to see them live at least another year..maybe longer.
We've had great success with Naltrexone. Perhaps on its own, it's enough to maintain Weasel's health, and possibly shrink the tumor; however, I don't take my chances using only one remedy so he also receives 3 times a day, Schuessler tissue salts - #10 and #11 - one tablet of each in his meals/snacks. He also receives 1 tablespoon of Essiac Tea and 5 drops of Life Gold. In his main meals we add the HMF Powder for digestion and 1/3 of a dropper of the concoction the vet made for him. I'm not entirely sure what is in it. Although he seems to be off the Amino B-Plex, he is still thriving and hasn't lost any weight! This is great news, as a side effect of pancreatic cancer is weight loss.
Weasel still eats all of his food and now enjoys his snacks. I've discovered that if I get several different flavours in the small tins of wet cat food from the pet store, he stays pretty enthusiastic about eating his treat. He'll only eat chicken and turkey so we run the risk of him becoming bored if we stay with one brand for his treats. He's off on Tuna these days as we overdid it a month ago. What I also do is about once every week or so, I'll make a roast chicken in the oven and keep the carcass which has bits of meat all over it. The flavours from the roasting process soak into the chicken and I'll take bits of it off the bones and spread it across the top of his treat. He devours it. It's just the extra bit of incentive that's needed as the cat food alone isn't enough.
The only side effect we're seeing is a constant discharge from Weasel's right eye..it's a rather unappealing substance, dark coloured and oozy. Since he doesn't have an eye infection, I'm going to assume it's his body detoxifying.
Someone was kind enough to post on this blog a suggestion that I'm going to investigate, and that's to use MMS. They've had great success using it to battle swollen lymph nodes.
I just discovered my cat has pancreatic cancer (spread to liver) How is Weasel doing?
ReplyDeleteHi Kittylover!
DeleteOh I'm so sorry to hear that :(. Very crushing news but don't lose hope!
I was just about to add a new post and update. He's doing great! In fact, he's gained 2 pounds!
I completely understand your struggle, and hope your beloved Weasel will recover... I was told by Animal emergency care today that the test results showed my 10 yr old cat had cancer. She was diagnosed pancreatitis 1 week ago. A week before that, she started vomiting just like your Weasel, and lost appetite and weight. However her X-ray blood work and temperature all look normal... Even after the ultrasound revealed that she had pancreatitis, I didn't think it was terminal, because after reading all the online sites it was implied most pancreatitis cat would recover. But my cat later showed fluid built up in her lung after given IV through vein and she had problem of breathing (breathing hard)... I sent her to emergency care again but this time more thorough tests were done, and the test of cells brought me the bad news. Doc said chemo won't help either, and it will just a matter of 2-4 days. I brought her home today so we can spent some quality time tonight in her last days.
ReplyDeleteThe past a few days has been a devastating time for me, now I am facing the same questions you had before - what is the best decision for my cat from her point of view?
Reading your cat's story is inspiring. I admire your love and support you with my whole heart. During the past a few days, I have thought a lot about life and responsibilities to the beloved ones. I regret a lot of things I didn't do for my cat (negligent the periodic vomit, ignorant about her diet, could have spend more time with her... ) She has taught me a lesson about life and love.
God bless your kitty. How is Weasel doing?
Hi Flyiingfish,
DeleteMy heart goes out to you and your kitty. I completely understand what you're going through as I felt very similarly when I first heard the news and thought that I was with him in his final days. The grief is overwhelming. I was also hard on myself for what I ignored and didn't do. Please don't be hard on yourself. You loved your kitty unconditionally and raised him with warmth and love. At times we do have to make practical decision such as evaluating vomit as a possible hairball or reaction to food, not rushing them to the vet after every incident. You conducted several tests after you saw the tell-tale signs that something was wrong. Unfortunately with cancer, our hands are completely tied at times and depending on how much it's spread, we can only do so much. Not everyone has resources at their fingertips either. I'm fortunate in that Dr. Haghighat is a drive away and also a very informed holistic vet. Another might not have steered me in the right direction.
I never really did get a clear idea on what to do in the final days. I look at it as a 'don't give up on them, until they give up on themselves'. If your kitty doesn't want to eat anymore and is in visible agony (and it's too late to administer a Naltrexone solution for instance as the cancer has progressed too far), then in my opinion, the humane thing to do is put them down. Albeit a very painful thing to go through and no doubt a decision riddled in guilt - ie. Did I do the right thing? Did I give up too quickly? One site said that a day early is better than a day late.
Weasel is doing very well. Thank you for inquiring :). I am going to post an update after I reply to everyone.
A friend of mine suggested Tiki cat food last Friday. You can get them from Mud Bay store. I wish I knew this brand earlier. My cat may turn out to have a different life now.
ReplyDeleteHere are some amazing reviews about the food.
http://www.petropics.com/Koolina.htm
Thanks! I'll look into that as well :).
DeletePlease update us! The biopsy came back today for my cat to be pancreatic cancer.
ReplyDeleteIf you can, please visit a nearby holistic vet and talk to them about Naltrexone - a cream application for the ear so that you don't have to orally administer it. A traditional vet won't refer this, or even know about it perhaps. It's prescription based so one can't order it online. I also would recommend making Essiac Tea and providing that in a snack each day. I believe the combination of the two to be quite amazing. In the beginning it will seem that your efforts are not working, but give it time, your kitty will likely start perking up again. You can see in my posts that it felt as though I would lose him on any day..each week having ups and downs in progress. It's a rough road but it pays off to be persistent.
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