It's been such a long time since anything dramatic occurred, I naively assumed we may be controlling this terrible ailment. That we somehow defied all medical laws...however, Weasel has fallen quite ill. The past week or so, he's been sleeping a lot, not behaving frantic to go in and out all day - showing his usual signs of high energy. I didn't particularly notice it as strange since the weather is cold and he got to sleep on my lap for most of the day while I worked on the computer. Two days ago I started to get concerned as he wasn't himself. He wasn't interested in sitting on anyone's lap. He seemed depressed..then yesterday he was quite ill while outside, and vomited in several places across our back deck. He's been sitting on his little mat since and isn't interested in eating. This morning he made an attempt to come say hello when I woke up, but walked very slowly toward me, then returned to his mat.
It's quite possible he's going through one of these phases we've encountered on a few occasions, which means that he'll become his 'old' self in a few days; however, it will start to become a more frequent occurrence if the cancer is progressing, until we face a time where he doesn't improve after a few days... There is truly no way to prepare for these things. It tears you up on the inside, but I'm trying my best and as such, was exploring what the final stages appear as in the hopes that by recognizing it, I'm 'mildly prepared'. Vomiting is one of them and naturally loss of appetite. The animal can also go into a state of shock and behave in a manner where they're confused. This is often due to massive dehydration. They show signs of lethargy as well . Blood tests can show anemia and low blood sugar. Jaundice can also occur, but not always. We've been battling his anemia but I'm not sure if it has been successful without getting another blood test. I truly wish he would take the Yunnan Baiyao as it would control the mild bleeding from an ulcer that causes the anemia.
I'm hoping to get an appointment today to see Dr. Haghighat, as we saw positive results from Weasel's visit last time. Unfortunately this close to the holidays it's likely the clinic will be fully booked. The timing overall is very unfortunate as I also have family obligations to consider and will be away for 5 days, likely unhappy and worrying the entire time about my poor baby. My husband was going to join me for two days but can't do so any longer, as someone needs to be home. In the past, our automatic feeders and plenty of water was perfect but it's too risky to rely on him eating on his own now.
I'll update this blog if we see progress or a further decline.
Weasel
Monday, 23 December 2013
Sunday, 8 December 2013
Wishing All Kitties Health and Wellness Entering Into The Holidays!
I'm very happy to announce that Weasel is still doing incredibly well. In fact, his fur is wonderfully thick. His ridiculous ruffle around his neck is back so he has a clown appearance once again (something we haven't seen in years) and he's nice and round - a little plump in fact, which is great to see.
I don't have any new news to report which is great! The remedies we use have not differed from previous posts. Weasel also still gets cooked chicken liver occasionally to address the fact that he was anemic a couple of months ago, which I believe is under control now.
The holistic vet is interested to do another ultrasound in January to mark the 'year' since diagnosis. Although we discovered it in February, Weasel likely had the tumour for quite some time prior to that. My issue with this is that it's incredibly cold outside right now and I don't particularly like shaving his belly to do the ultrasound which will leave him chilly haha. I'm very relieved that that's my largest issue with him at this stage.
I thought you might get a chuckle out of the Christmas Card below that I created for the Holistic Vet, which shows Weasel in the background sound asleep while his brother poses for the camera (I used their formal names). And don't worry, I put the hats on afterward in Photoshop.
I will also send this card virtually out to all of you, wishing not only for a wonderful holiday season, but great health for your fur babies, and newfound happiness when hopefully seeing positive results to your actions.
I don't have any new news to report which is great! The remedies we use have not differed from previous posts. Weasel also still gets cooked chicken liver occasionally to address the fact that he was anemic a couple of months ago, which I believe is under control now.
The holistic vet is interested to do another ultrasound in January to mark the 'year' since diagnosis. Although we discovered it in February, Weasel likely had the tumour for quite some time prior to that. My issue with this is that it's incredibly cold outside right now and I don't particularly like shaving his belly to do the ultrasound which will leave him chilly haha. I'm very relieved that that's my largest issue with him at this stage.
I thought you might get a chuckle out of the Christmas Card below that I created for the Holistic Vet, which shows Weasel in the background sound asleep while his brother poses for the camera (I used their formal names). And don't worry, I put the hats on afterward in Photoshop.
I will also send this card virtually out to all of you, wishing not only for a wonderful holiday season, but great health for your fur babies, and newfound happiness when hopefully seeing positive results to your actions.
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
A Wonderful Story From Dave
Although this blog is about Weasel, I wanted to make an exception with this particular post. Dave emailed me to tell me about his cat Moosie who is also battling pancreatic cancer and in fact, had surgery at the beginning of his treatment plan. He is doing quite well now and what Dave is providing treatment wise is fantastic. Dave's story is below. I hope this helps others:
_______________________________________________________________________
I have a seven year old male neutered cat named Moosie. On August 27th 2013 he stopped eating, and was very lethargic. He was brought in to our vet, who gave him an xray and discovered a tumor in his body. The xray didn’t show where the tumor was, so an ultrasound was performed. The ultrasound looked like a tumor was on one of his lymph nodes.
My vet is an excellent surgeon and very trustworthy. He recommended surgery to open him up and remove the tumor. The vet opened Moosie and discovered many tumors covering his entire peritoneum, a membrane which covers the stomach and most of the intestines. The vet had never seen anything like it in 25 years. The vet thought the tumors were not cancer.
The lymph nodes turned out to be tumor-free. It was questionable to whether there was a tumor on the spleen, so it was taken out as a precaution. The vet explained the spleen is not necessary for the cat to survive, as other organs step in to take over its job.
Right after the surgery, Moosie returned to his old self. He was very hungry and his energy returned. The tumor samples were sent into the lab, and it turned out it was pancreatic cancer. The vet was grim about his prognosis, and referred me to a veterinary oncologist. The oncologist recommended Gemcitabine, a chemotherapy agent, for four weeks, a week off, then four more sessions of Gemcitabine. The oncologist only had treated 2 cases of pancreatic cancer in five years. One cat died one month into treatment, the other cat survived for four months.
While our vet did not see a tumor on Moosie’s pancreas, the pancreas was sending out cells that spread through the body. There might be a tumor inside the pancreas, or not one at all. In pancreatic cancer, cancer is usually spread to the peritoneum, lymph nodes, and spleen. Lungs and brain are spared.
Given the low rates of success, I researched pancreatic cancer. I found this blog as well as other helpful sites. It has been nine weeks since he came home, and Moosie is doing great. He is vibrant and full of life. He was 9 pounds prior to surgery and now is 11.5 pounds. Here are the things I am doing that have helped him:
Moosie was taking Wellness dry chicken dry food. I have switched him over to wet Wellness to insure he has more water going through his system. He also eats organic hardboiled eggs.
He gets one Barlean’s Fish oil (pharmaceutical grade) capsule a day, that provides 185mg epa, 115mg dha (20mg of EPA per pound of animal, and 12mg of DHA per pound of animal.)
Daily he gets one black currant oil cap from Now Foods. It provides cancer killing compounds gla and quercetin :
Daily he gets one cold-pressed black cumin seed oil cap from Amazing Herbs, it contains cancer fighting compound thymoquinone.
Until two weeks ago, I was giving him 1 ½ tablespoons of 8 herb organic Essiac tea from Swanson. It contains the whole root of sheep sorrel.
I was giving him this with his b17, 10cc twice daily. I stopped giving him it when I started giving him pawpaw, as the kelp in the Essiac blend is thought to make the pawpaw less effective.
For two weeks I have been giving him pawpaw. It is a strong natural chemotherapy compound which kills cancer cells. It was studied by a professor at Purdue University for over 20 years. The professor Dr. Jerry McLaughlin studied over 3,500 plants and found pawpaw to be the most effective cancer killing plant. It has over 50 cancer fighting compounds, whereas a chemotheraphy drug has one. It is the only substance natural or man-made to be effective in killing drug resistant cancer cells. I purchased it from Nature’s Sunshine: http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Sunshine-Paw-Cell-Reg-caps/dp/B001X04STA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1384156624&sr=8-2&keywords=pawpaw
Pawpaw is an emetic, meaning at certain dosages it makes one vomit. If it causes vomiting, then reduce the amount given until vomiting stops. The size of the pills are 00 from the bottle, and caused Moosie to vomit, so I purchased size 3 pill capsules. http://www.amazon.com/Gelatin-Extra-Small-Empty-Capsules/dp/B009K6YXFI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1384156755&sr=8-3&keywords=size+3+gelatin+capsules
Here’s info on pawpaw:
Moosie also gets half Goji Berry extract pill daily http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Vegetable-Capsules-120-Count/dp/B000N98096/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384157049&sr=8-1&keywords=goji+berry+extract
I open the two pills and combine them together into an empty size 0 or 00 gelatin capsule (left over from the empty unused pawpaw capsule)
The Goji berry contains germanium which kills cancer cells. It is also a powerful antioxidant and has a good source of vitamin c.
I will probably place him on Low Dose Naltrexone(LDN). I do not want to find a holistic vet, so have contacted Dr. Sasan Haghighat who provides phone consultations to vets for a fee.
I will have him contact my vet to inform him about LDN, and so he may be able to write me a prescription.
I may also give Moosie organic sulfur at a later date, after I do more research about it. It can turn cancer cells into normal cells.
I hope this info is able to help others.
_______________________________________________________________________
Hey Melissa, thanks for making this blog. Weasel is very beautiful. His looks and personality resemble my loving boy that has unfortunately passed.
I have a seven year old male neutered cat named Moosie. On August 27th 2013 he stopped eating, and was very lethargic. He was brought in to our vet, who gave him an xray and discovered a tumor in his body. The xray didn’t show where the tumor was, so an ultrasound was performed. The ultrasound looked like a tumor was on one of his lymph nodes.
My vet is an excellent surgeon and very trustworthy. He recommended surgery to open him up and remove the tumor. The vet opened Moosie and discovered many tumors covering his entire peritoneum, a membrane which covers the stomach and most of the intestines. The vet had never seen anything like it in 25 years. The vet thought the tumors were not cancer.
The lymph nodes turned out to be tumor-free. It was questionable to whether there was a tumor on the spleen, so it was taken out as a precaution. The vet explained the spleen is not necessary for the cat to survive, as other organs step in to take over its job.
Right after the surgery, Moosie returned to his old self. He was very hungry and his energy returned. The tumor samples were sent into the lab, and it turned out it was pancreatic cancer. The vet was grim about his prognosis, and referred me to a veterinary oncologist. The oncologist recommended Gemcitabine, a chemotherapy agent, for four weeks, a week off, then four more sessions of Gemcitabine. The oncologist only had treated 2 cases of pancreatic cancer in five years. One cat died one month into treatment, the other cat survived for four months.
While our vet did not see a tumor on Moosie’s pancreas, the pancreas was sending out cells that spread through the body. There might be a tumor inside the pancreas, or not one at all. In pancreatic cancer, cancer is usually spread to the peritoneum, lymph nodes, and spleen. Lungs and brain are spared.
Given the low rates of success, I researched pancreatic cancer. I found this blog as well as other helpful sites. It has been nine weeks since he came home, and Moosie is doing great. He is vibrant and full of life. He was 9 pounds prior to surgery and now is 11.5 pounds. Here are the things I am doing that have helped him:
Moosie was taking Wellness dry chicken dry food. I have switched him over to wet Wellness to insure he has more water going through his system. He also eats organic hardboiled eggs.
He takes 100 mg of B17 Amodalin tablets 2 times a day on an empty stomach(passes to gut easier where it works). B17(Laetrile) kills many types of cancer, and is particularly great killing pancreatic cancer.
He gets one 500 mg capsule of curcumin w/ peperine a day with food. Curcumin has proven effective at killing cancer. The peperine is essential as the curcumin is not readily absorbed in the body. With the peperine, it is absorbed 2,000 times more. I give him Nutrigold Tumeric Curcumin Gold:
He gets one Barlean’s Fish oil (pharmaceutical grade) capsule a day, that provides 185mg epa, 115mg dha (20mg of EPA per pound of animal, and 12mg of DHA per pound of animal.)
Daily he gets one black currant oil cap from Now Foods. It provides cancer killing compounds gla and quercetin :
Daily he gets one cold-pressed black cumin seed oil cap from Amazing Herbs, it contains cancer fighting compound thymoquinone.
Until two weeks ago, I was giving him 1 ½ tablespoons of 8 herb organic Essiac tea from Swanson. It contains the whole root of sheep sorrel.
I was giving him this with his b17, 10cc twice daily. I stopped giving him it when I started giving him pawpaw, as the kelp in the Essiac blend is thought to make the pawpaw less effective.
For two weeks I have been giving him pawpaw. It is a strong natural chemotherapy compound which kills cancer cells. It was studied by a professor at Purdue University for over 20 years. The professor Dr. Jerry McLaughlin studied over 3,500 plants and found pawpaw to be the most effective cancer killing plant. It has over 50 cancer fighting compounds, whereas a chemotheraphy drug has one. It is the only substance natural or man-made to be effective in killing drug resistant cancer cells. I purchased it from Nature’s Sunshine: http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Sunshine-Paw-Cell-Reg-caps/dp/B001X04STA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1384156624&sr=8-2&keywords=pawpaw
Pawpaw is an emetic, meaning at certain dosages it makes one vomit. If it causes vomiting, then reduce the amount given until vomiting stops. The size of the pills are 00 from the bottle, and caused Moosie to vomit, so I purchased size 3 pill capsules. http://www.amazon.com/Gelatin-Extra-Small-Empty-Capsules/dp/B009K6YXFI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1384156755&sr=8-3&keywords=size+3+gelatin+capsules
I fill the larger half of the size 3 pills with pawpaw, and he receives one size 3 pill every 6 hours (4x a day). Dr. Jerry McLaughlin has stated it is best to give every 6 hours as the compound will stay elevated in the blood. I will give Moosie pawpaw for 8 weeks, then probably give it to him for one week a month.
Here’s info on pawpaw:
Moosie also gets half Goji Berry extract pill daily http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Vegetable-Capsules-120-Count/dp/B000N98096/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384157049&sr=8-1&keywords=goji+berry+extract
mixed with half of a sheep sorrel pill(it is not sheep sorrel root which is better, but I did not find out until after I ordered it.) http://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Sheep-Sorrel-Swanson-Premium/dp/B00392KUVA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384157085&sr=8-1&keywords=sheep+sorrel
I open the two pills and combine them together into an empty size 0 or 00 gelatin capsule (left over from the empty unused pawpaw capsule)
The Goji berry contains germanium which kills cancer cells. It is also a powerful antioxidant and has a good source of vitamin c.
I will probably place him on Low Dose Naltrexone(LDN). I do not want to find a holistic vet, so have contacted Dr. Sasan Haghighat who provides phone consultations to vets for a fee.
I will have him contact my vet to inform him about LDN, and so he may be able to write me a prescription.
I may also give Moosie organic sulfur at a later date, after I do more research about it. It can turn cancer cells into normal cells.
I hope this info is able to help others.
-Dave
Saturday, 9 November 2013
Better Than Ever
I just wanted to quickly write a post about how well Weasel is doing these days. He's in better shape than he's been in years!! Granted I don't have x-ray vision to see his insides but he sure does have energy! He drains me in fact, demanding to have the door opened and closed all day/night whenever I'm home. He's back to his very vibrant, mischievous and bossy ways haha. He also eats plenty now thank goodness. In fact, I've been able to feed him the Amino B-Plex due to his ability to eat well again. So he's beginning to get his vitamin B intake back to where it was previously.
The last time we saw Dr. Haghighat he noticed that Weasel was anemic, which the blood results proved to be correct. We addressed that with chicken liver 3 times a week and he's doing very well as a result.
This case has been so astoundingly a-typical, that my holistic vet as well as a vet that works in the emergency clinic in Toronto are willing to provide some financial assistance to have another ultrasound done, as it's my understanding this could be published in veterinary journals. I would still have to pay half the fee though. Since I'm cashed strapped at the moment while going through school again, I can't follow through on this, as it doesn't serve any purpose except to satisfy one's curiosity ultimately. Once I'm employed again, if we stay on this fantastic course, I'll look into this and report on the results.
On a side note, lately I've been following the radiation leak that's been pouring from Fucushima into the Pacific Ocean. It has already affected those who live along coastal regions in the US and parts of Canada. If you live in an affected area, I would highly recommend following a detox regime for not only your pet but yourself as well. Once again, it seems our only potential defence to a situation that leaves us as sitting ducks, is a holistic one. Here is a site that you may find beneficial for obtaining detox remedies to keep your pet's immune system as healthy as can be (or yours): http://www.herbalhealer.com/detox.html
Just be certain that there aren't any ingredients such as 'Mistletoe' that can harm a cat. In a quick review, the ingredients seem quite safe.
The last time we saw Dr. Haghighat he noticed that Weasel was anemic, which the blood results proved to be correct. We addressed that with chicken liver 3 times a week and he's doing very well as a result.
This case has been so astoundingly a-typical, that my holistic vet as well as a vet that works in the emergency clinic in Toronto are willing to provide some financial assistance to have another ultrasound done, as it's my understanding this could be published in veterinary journals. I would still have to pay half the fee though. Since I'm cashed strapped at the moment while going through school again, I can't follow through on this, as it doesn't serve any purpose except to satisfy one's curiosity ultimately. Once I'm employed again, if we stay on this fantastic course, I'll look into this and report on the results.
On a side note, lately I've been following the radiation leak that's been pouring from Fucushima into the Pacific Ocean. It has already affected those who live along coastal regions in the US and parts of Canada. If you live in an affected area, I would highly recommend following a detox regime for not only your pet but yourself as well. Once again, it seems our only potential defence to a situation that leaves us as sitting ducks, is a holistic one. Here is a site that you may find beneficial for obtaining detox remedies to keep your pet's immune system as healthy as can be (or yours): http://www.herbalhealer.com/detox.html
Just be certain that there aren't any ingredients such as 'Mistletoe' that can harm a cat. In a quick review, the ingredients seem quite safe.
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Improvement But With A Fight
So great news, Weasel is enjoying running in and out all day again, spying on his girlfriend through the fence two doors down, so it's business as usual for now. He wasn't eating very much until this morning. Yesterday was an improvement, but today he returned to eating the amount he use to eat in the mornings. Unfortunately it requires me to be around constantly. It takes hours for him to get through everything. In a month, I won't be around in the day to cater to this.
You may be curious as to know 'why the sudden uplift?'...perhaps this is pure coincidence and unrelated; however, I don't particular believe that... On Monday afternoon there was a cancellation at the Newmarket Holistic Clinic and as such, I was thankfully able to drive Weasel to see Dr. Haghighat. Although Dr. Haghighat had the best intentions in aiding Weasel's recent downturn, Weasel did not exactly see it that way. In fact, this clever little kitty hasn't forgotten the previous visits. The moment Dr. Haghighat started massaging Weasel's neck and trying to relax him, he began growling. No matter how much attention either one of us gave him, he was annoyed and distrusting of what was to come.
The next step was to draw blood, as the vet wanted to inject Weasel with remedies mixed with his blood into acupuncture points. He received an anti-inflammatory remedy (liquid form of Traumeel) as well as an appetite enhancing remedy. The issue however was obtaining the blood. At the point when the vet was delicately parting the fur on this paw, he was growling. The second the needle touched him, he transformed into the Tasmanian Devil and thankfully, no one was harmed. The vet had a plan of action though. All was not lost. Two blocks away there was a large vet clinic that had many members on staff. It took 3 of them to obtain the blood but it was done. I was able to drive it back quite quickly and Dr. Haghighat was able to resume his treatment plan. By the time the injections were complete, Weasel had worked his way into many corners of the room but thankfully the vet was accommodating. Unbelievably, he was able to administer the vitamin B injection at the end, even though seconds before, we were both being swatted at by Weasel who was dripping foam from his mouth in anger. With his ruffle all fluffed up and his body coiled up on his hind legs, he had morphed into a cobra snake before our very eyes.
It's quite amazing to witness an animal's reaction to being helped in dire times, in contrast to humans who are so appreciative. Can you imagine one's loved one, standing on a hospital bed and punching and spitting at a surgeon who just saved his or her life? The idea is ludicrous.
So although Weasel feels as though he was punished, I did see a radical turnaround since our visit. His tail is twitching a lot though, so we're not completely out of the woods when it comes to eliminating his discomfort, but we've certainly made some strides.
On another note, I have the opportunity to get another ultrasound for a reduced price - which the animal hospital is categorizing as a 're-examination' so the fee is reduced which is wonderful. However, although I'm dying to know where we stand on matters and if any of this treatment has really proven to be effective, it's literally throwing money away. Our treatment plan won't differ. If I was wealthy, I wouldn't hesitate but times are tough and I need to pay for daily treatment regimes. For an animal to live 7 months with a terminal illness, it would be fantastic to see if we've stumbled across a treatment that helps. This would provide that proof.
You may be curious as to know 'why the sudden uplift?'...perhaps this is pure coincidence and unrelated; however, I don't particular believe that... On Monday afternoon there was a cancellation at the Newmarket Holistic Clinic and as such, I was thankfully able to drive Weasel to see Dr. Haghighat. Although Dr. Haghighat had the best intentions in aiding Weasel's recent downturn, Weasel did not exactly see it that way. In fact, this clever little kitty hasn't forgotten the previous visits. The moment Dr. Haghighat started massaging Weasel's neck and trying to relax him, he began growling. No matter how much attention either one of us gave him, he was annoyed and distrusting of what was to come.
The next step was to draw blood, as the vet wanted to inject Weasel with remedies mixed with his blood into acupuncture points. He received an anti-inflammatory remedy (liquid form of Traumeel) as well as an appetite enhancing remedy. The issue however was obtaining the blood. At the point when the vet was delicately parting the fur on this paw, he was growling. The second the needle touched him, he transformed into the Tasmanian Devil and thankfully, no one was harmed. The vet had a plan of action though. All was not lost. Two blocks away there was a large vet clinic that had many members on staff. It took 3 of them to obtain the blood but it was done. I was able to drive it back quite quickly and Dr. Haghighat was able to resume his treatment plan. By the time the injections were complete, Weasel had worked his way into many corners of the room but thankfully the vet was accommodating. Unbelievably, he was able to administer the vitamin B injection at the end, even though seconds before, we were both being swatted at by Weasel who was dripping foam from his mouth in anger. With his ruffle all fluffed up and his body coiled up on his hind legs, he had morphed into a cobra snake before our very eyes.
It's quite amazing to witness an animal's reaction to being helped in dire times, in contrast to humans who are so appreciative. Can you imagine one's loved one, standing on a hospital bed and punching and spitting at a surgeon who just saved his or her life? The idea is ludicrous.
So although Weasel feels as though he was punished, I did see a radical turnaround since our visit. His tail is twitching a lot though, so we're not completely out of the woods when it comes to eliminating his discomfort, but we've certainly made some strides.
On another note, I have the opportunity to get another ultrasound for a reduced price - which the animal hospital is categorizing as a 're-examination' so the fee is reduced which is wonderful. However, although I'm dying to know where we stand on matters and if any of this treatment has really proven to be effective, it's literally throwing money away. Our treatment plan won't differ. If I was wealthy, I wouldn't hesitate but times are tough and I need to pay for daily treatment regimes. For an animal to live 7 months with a terminal illness, it would be fantastic to see if we've stumbled across a treatment that helps. This would provide that proof.
Monday, 30 September 2013
Potentially A Downturn...
Yesterday was very shattering on the nerves. Weasel ate all of his food in the morning, then an hour or so later, started behaving strangely and laying on a small rug by our kitchen door. He's normally quite active so I instantly knew something was amiss. He began to roam around, trying to get comfortable and sitting in many different places within our house - always low to the ground. Shortly after that, I went to see him and talk to him. He opened his mouth at me and a deep hollow sounding meow came out. He sat there looking up at me with his mouth open and panting. He stayed like this - panting for quite some time. The frustration and anxiety over not being able to help him was something I dread having to endure over and over again and naturally had me thinking the worst on all accounts.
Eventually Weasel was violently ill, loosing all of his breakfast. He vomited again shortly after that but all he had was white foam to release. He had foam hanging from his mouth and he sat there panting. He's been sick numerous times before but this was an unusual reaction. It appeared as though the pain overwhelmed him. What I'm shocked by is how normal he was the previous day, that he did in fact eat his breakfast and then suddenly, out of the blue had this reaction.
In a fit of panic I reached out to Dr. Haghighat on a Sunday - his day off, and unbelievably he called me back. I don't know any other medical professional who would do that, well, at least in my life, that's never happened before. If there was a 'vet of the year' award to nominate him for, I would do it in a flash. His kindness is most welcome when one is facing situations such as this. He told me about the Traumeel, which we were able to obtain at Shoppers Drug Mart right away.
Weasel ate about a tablespoon of food at 11:30 pm last night but otherwise didn't touch a thing and sat on his cat mat all day, trying to sleep it off. What I did notice was that half an hour after I applied Naltrexone on his ear, he jumped up on the couch and came to get a cuddle which was quite the welcoming sign. About 2 hours prior to that, I also applied Traumeel ointment on his ear and some on his stomach, where he's licked his fur off. I'm fairly certain his mood lift was due to the Naltrexone though.
This morning, he was chatting with me again which I was pleased to see, but still barely ate anything. He was willing to eat a large spoonful of food with nothing in it - ie. HMF powder, tissue salts, etc. but refuses to touch the food with the Essiac Tea and Life Gold which could potentially provide him with relief. Any of the remedies he receives can only help and now I have the issue that he's off of everything. I truly hope it's temporary.
This afternoon I'm taking him to see Dr. Haghighat and am hoping that we can administer an injection that will provide relief and/or stimulate his appetite. I'm in somewhat of a sticky predicament in that the visit to the vet usually throws him off of eating, due to the stress of the drive and being poked; however if I don't do anything, he may completely go off of eating, or be so disenchanted with food, that it's virtually impossible to give him remedies.
With respect to how all of this came to be, I did have a thought that perhaps I created the situation. Two days ago, my husband and I moved all of the furniture from the dining room into the living room, as we're clearing the space to do some minor reno work in the dining room. I'm not sure if you've read my previous entries, but a while ago, I had noted that Weasel became ill if people visited or if someone other than my husband or I, fed him. It seems as though any stress or anxiety causes tension that perhaps pushes on the tumour and instigates vomit. The vomiting is obviously quite painful and scares him enough to stop eating for at least a day. Back in the 'good ol' days' when he had the occasional fur ball, he was completely unfazed and it certainly didn't impact his appetite.
This situation is quite an eye opener to how terrifying cancer is. I am thankful in that my immediate family/loved ones have never been negatively impacted by cancer. My mother's melanoma was caught in time so I didn't have to watch her slowly deteriorate in front of me. When one goes through this ordeal, which I'm sure many of you can relate to, it's hard to not fall into a depression due to complete helplessness. I truly thought we had this under control but these past two weeks have taught me otherwise. That being said though, I have to remind myself that I would have only had about 3 months with him, had we moved forward on the surgery which likely involved removing the pancreas. Cats can't handle the toll it takes on them. I've had 7 wonderful months with Weasel since diagnosis.
Eventually Weasel was violently ill, loosing all of his breakfast. He vomited again shortly after that but all he had was white foam to release. He had foam hanging from his mouth and he sat there panting. He's been sick numerous times before but this was an unusual reaction. It appeared as though the pain overwhelmed him. What I'm shocked by is how normal he was the previous day, that he did in fact eat his breakfast and then suddenly, out of the blue had this reaction.
In a fit of panic I reached out to Dr. Haghighat on a Sunday - his day off, and unbelievably he called me back. I don't know any other medical professional who would do that, well, at least in my life, that's never happened before. If there was a 'vet of the year' award to nominate him for, I would do it in a flash. His kindness is most welcome when one is facing situations such as this. He told me about the Traumeel, which we were able to obtain at Shoppers Drug Mart right away.
Weasel ate about a tablespoon of food at 11:30 pm last night but otherwise didn't touch a thing and sat on his cat mat all day, trying to sleep it off. What I did notice was that half an hour after I applied Naltrexone on his ear, he jumped up on the couch and came to get a cuddle which was quite the welcoming sign. About 2 hours prior to that, I also applied Traumeel ointment on his ear and some on his stomach, where he's licked his fur off. I'm fairly certain his mood lift was due to the Naltrexone though.
This morning, he was chatting with me again which I was pleased to see, but still barely ate anything. He was willing to eat a large spoonful of food with nothing in it - ie. HMF powder, tissue salts, etc. but refuses to touch the food with the Essiac Tea and Life Gold which could potentially provide him with relief. Any of the remedies he receives can only help and now I have the issue that he's off of everything. I truly hope it's temporary.
This afternoon I'm taking him to see Dr. Haghighat and am hoping that we can administer an injection that will provide relief and/or stimulate his appetite. I'm in somewhat of a sticky predicament in that the visit to the vet usually throws him off of eating, due to the stress of the drive and being poked; however if I don't do anything, he may completely go off of eating, or be so disenchanted with food, that it's virtually impossible to give him remedies.
With respect to how all of this came to be, I did have a thought that perhaps I created the situation. Two days ago, my husband and I moved all of the furniture from the dining room into the living room, as we're clearing the space to do some minor reno work in the dining room. I'm not sure if you've read my previous entries, but a while ago, I had noted that Weasel became ill if people visited or if someone other than my husband or I, fed him. It seems as though any stress or anxiety causes tension that perhaps pushes on the tumour and instigates vomit. The vomiting is obviously quite painful and scares him enough to stop eating for at least a day. Back in the 'good ol' days' when he had the occasional fur ball, he was completely unfazed and it certainly didn't impact his appetite.
This situation is quite an eye opener to how terrifying cancer is. I am thankful in that my immediate family/loved ones have never been negatively impacted by cancer. My mother's melanoma was caught in time so I didn't have to watch her slowly deteriorate in front of me. When one goes through this ordeal, which I'm sure many of you can relate to, it's hard to not fall into a depression due to complete helplessness. I truly thought we had this under control but these past two weeks have taught me otherwise. That being said though, I have to remind myself that I would have only had about 3 months with him, had we moved forward on the surgery which likely involved removing the pancreas. Cats can't handle the toll it takes on them. I've had 7 wonderful months with Weasel since diagnosis.
Friday, 27 September 2013
Tight Stomach
I'm not sure if any of you have noticed this, should your kitty also have a pancreatic tumour, but these past few days, it's really become quite apparent to me. I have another kitty - Gabriel (Goober) who is the chunky round one in the family. Although he's a plump one, if you push on his sides, you eventually feel his ribs and there's a lot of give, as though his insides are soft and malleable. This, from my experience is completely normal and should be what happens.
If you touch Weasel's side, there is no give at all. It feels to me as though there's something pushing extremely hard against his rib cage. His skin is tight and his sides are starting to protrude. I'm not feeding him extra so it's not weight gain due to sudden obesity. He feels tightly bloated. When I looked this up, it was a symptom that some people described when they talked of their own pancreatic cancer.
I'm honestly shocked. He hasn't vomited in over two weeks that I can see (unless it was outside), and purrs like crazy when we give him attention. He's also eating all of his food, including the chicken liver that we started to give him, as his gums were looking grey. Initially he wasn't fond of the liver. He has an apparent 'healthy' appetite. And of course, being a kitty with probably an extremely high pain threshold, he shows no signs of discomfort. I have to wonder if he's one day just going to suddenly pass away on me within a week - very quickly, literally from eating, purring and playing to...nothing. It's an awful thought that I can't shake, but with an abdomen shaped like his, it brings forth a lot of questions.
One tell tale sign that something is wrong is how he reacts when his brother is nearby. Within these past two weeks, if his brother sniffs him or stands too close to him, he suddenly hisses and swats at him. These two were inseparable their whole lives and now he just wants distance. So he is sensitive about what surrounds him that's neither my husband or I.
I suppose I'm naive but I really thought this beast of a tumour was under control. That the growth would stop, but the tumour wouldn't necessarily vanish, just not expand. Had I gone through with the surgery, I would have only had about 3 more months left with him, as they would have had to remove the pancreas and according to the traditional vet I was seeing, the toll is too much on a cat. Although I've had 7 months since diagnosis, no matter what, I'll feel robbed. His little personality fills a room. The thought of not having him nearby is truly devastating.
If you touch Weasel's side, there is no give at all. It feels to me as though there's something pushing extremely hard against his rib cage. His skin is tight and his sides are starting to protrude. I'm not feeding him extra so it's not weight gain due to sudden obesity. He feels tightly bloated. When I looked this up, it was a symptom that some people described when they talked of their own pancreatic cancer.
I'm honestly shocked. He hasn't vomited in over two weeks that I can see (unless it was outside), and purrs like crazy when we give him attention. He's also eating all of his food, including the chicken liver that we started to give him, as his gums were looking grey. Initially he wasn't fond of the liver. He has an apparent 'healthy' appetite. And of course, being a kitty with probably an extremely high pain threshold, he shows no signs of discomfort. I have to wonder if he's one day just going to suddenly pass away on me within a week - very quickly, literally from eating, purring and playing to...nothing. It's an awful thought that I can't shake, but with an abdomen shaped like his, it brings forth a lot of questions.
One tell tale sign that something is wrong is how he reacts when his brother is nearby. Within these past two weeks, if his brother sniffs him or stands too close to him, he suddenly hisses and swats at him. These two were inseparable their whole lives and now he just wants distance. So he is sensitive about what surrounds him that's neither my husband or I.
I suppose I'm naive but I really thought this beast of a tumour was under control. That the growth would stop, but the tumour wouldn't necessarily vanish, just not expand. Had I gone through with the surgery, I would have only had about 3 more months left with him, as they would have had to remove the pancreas and according to the traditional vet I was seeing, the toll is too much on a cat. Although I've had 7 months since diagnosis, no matter what, I'll feel robbed. His little personality fills a room. The thought of not having him nearby is truly devastating.
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