This past 6 months have been a challenging time all around. As such, I've been unable to provide frequent updates on this blog unfortunately. Today however, I made sure to allocate time to write what will be my final post. Weasel was put down today after a strong battle against cancer for the last 2 years and 3 months.
Although I was prepared for his inevitable departure from us, it still stung and I cried. It's so difficult to lose a fur baby. We feel that we need to protect these innocent beings in our lives and it's simply crushing when we fail at this task.
I'm presently visiting my mother so compounding the issue was the fact that I couldn't hug or kiss Weasel goodbye. My husband came home from work to find him barely able to breath and realized that it was time to take him to the vet.
For the past 2 months Weasel has been contending with terminal Ascites - an accumulation of fluid in his abdomen. The cancer had spread to the liver causing this to be the latest 'demon' to tackle. We had Weasel's abdomen drained 3 times. It got to the point where I thought that we could continue draining him until this as well came to pass, but a hernia developed and the reality of his situation was undeniable.
I continued to provide Weasel with his supplements..I realized that it was a waste of time but a small part of me thought that it would provide comfort until his final hour.
When reading this, please don't view his death as a reason to ever give up on your own fur babies. Yes, the cancer inevitably won, but keep in mind that Weasel was only expected to live 3 months with this aggressive cancer, and on top of that, we managed to shrink the pancreatic tumour. We were also up against the fact that Weasel refused to take many treatments that are quite important such as the Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C or Yunnan Baiyao to name a couple.
Just try your best no matter what because at the end of the day, your pets will know you are and you'll have peace of mind that you never gave up on those you love.
Best wishes to all of you. I hope that this blog is a helpful resource to refer to in your 'toolbox of arsenal' against cancer.
Weasel
Wednesday 20 May 2015
Monday 23 March 2015
Bloated Abdomen
It's been quite some time since I was last able to post an update. This is primarily due to giving birth at the end of January but I was also juggling an enormous workload as a new teacher prior to that.
Up until two weeks ago I believed Weasel was making fantastic progress thanks to the new Nature's Sunshine Paw Paw we had begun adding to his daily regime. He was very busy running in and out all day and had a hearty appetite. He had however escalated his 'bad behaviour' in the recent weeks, leaving bowel movements in the corners of our basement and urine next to shelves as well. Although it's not a renovated part of the house, it still holds tools and other valuables so his naughty ways are extremely aggravating. Because he's been urinating in spots he shouldn't for the past two years or so, I disregarded it as him being a fuss about his litter or not getting his way over something which he always makes a point of indicating is 'not acceptable'.
It turns out that this bathroom behaviour was likely due to the liver tumor. Shortly after Weasel left his excrement gift to us, I noticed that his sides were growing on a daily basis. My husband believed we were overfeeding him but I had my doubts that cats gain weight - or anyone for that matter, so quickly. About a week later Weasel looked as though he had swallowed a giant water mellon. I felt his sides and can only describe it as pushing a water balloon that has a thick membrane in which you can feel the water tightly pushing against the sides.
We took Weasel to have an X-ray at the vets down the street from us. They could see that it was due to the liver and in taking a fluid sample, where able to confirm this. Thankfully there wasn't any blood. We had a decision to make on the spot..is this dooms day or do we go on. I couldn't bear telling the vet to euthanize after all we had done to date so we had his abdomen drained. This may have bought us a few days, a few weeks or even months with him. It's really hard to tell.
I reached out to Dr. Haghighat and stated that it looks like we've hit the end of the road on this long journey. As always, Dr. Haghighat was very optimistic even when faced with this. Due to the fact that I didn't see much point in spending any more on tackling the cancer with funds being scarce with me out of work at the present moment, I politely stated that we were not going to pursue any more treatments. Here's where I was quite surprised (although I shouldn't be knowing how kind Dr. Haghighat is). He offered to treat Weasel for free in an upcoming visit. There aren't too many professionals that are as generous as he is. His belief that Weasel can combat this new hurdle is quite strong. He's reminded me that I need to give Weasel a fair chance and not give up just yet.
So based on this kind offer, today I visited Dr. Haghighat, lugging both the baby and the cat into his clinic (no easy feat I might add haha). Dr. Haghighat did blood therapy and acupuncture on Weasel. Weasel was very well behaved thankfully (unlike previous visits) and seemed to be in very strong spirits when we got home, running around and looking as though he didn't have the slightest clue he has anything wrong with him - an enviable quality animals have I might add. Dr. Haghighat mentioned as well that he felt that another ultrasound was required to see specifically what was taking place. I initially hesitated on this, as I felt it to be unnecessary but once again, his kindness has no bounds and he offered to pay for the ultrasound as well. I truly hope that the information he gathers through treating Weasel can benefit him somehow, as I'm blown away by his passion toward the wellbeing of our fur babies. He's definitely not in this for profit.
In contrast to Dr. Haghighat is the dreadful vet who operates the ultrasound machine in our area..I'm seriously thrilled to connect with him again this week (that was sarcasm btw). I'm sure he'll tell me that Weasel is about to explode in two weeks and there's nothing that can be done about it. He'll likely go into graphic detail about how messy the whole scene will look. At least I'm going in with eyes wide open on his bedside manner this time lol.
This was a long post (making up for lost time). Hopefully I have a brief but positive post in the weeks to come updating you on Weasel's progress yet again - the cat who most certainly has 9 lives.
Up until two weeks ago I believed Weasel was making fantastic progress thanks to the new Nature's Sunshine Paw Paw we had begun adding to his daily regime. He was very busy running in and out all day and had a hearty appetite. He had however escalated his 'bad behaviour' in the recent weeks, leaving bowel movements in the corners of our basement and urine next to shelves as well. Although it's not a renovated part of the house, it still holds tools and other valuables so his naughty ways are extremely aggravating. Because he's been urinating in spots he shouldn't for the past two years or so, I disregarded it as him being a fuss about his litter or not getting his way over something which he always makes a point of indicating is 'not acceptable'.
It turns out that this bathroom behaviour was likely due to the liver tumor. Shortly after Weasel left his excrement gift to us, I noticed that his sides were growing on a daily basis. My husband believed we were overfeeding him but I had my doubts that cats gain weight - or anyone for that matter, so quickly. About a week later Weasel looked as though he had swallowed a giant water mellon. I felt his sides and can only describe it as pushing a water balloon that has a thick membrane in which you can feel the water tightly pushing against the sides.
We took Weasel to have an X-ray at the vets down the street from us. They could see that it was due to the liver and in taking a fluid sample, where able to confirm this. Thankfully there wasn't any blood. We had a decision to make on the spot..is this dooms day or do we go on. I couldn't bear telling the vet to euthanize after all we had done to date so we had his abdomen drained. This may have bought us a few days, a few weeks or even months with him. It's really hard to tell.
I reached out to Dr. Haghighat and stated that it looks like we've hit the end of the road on this long journey. As always, Dr. Haghighat was very optimistic even when faced with this. Due to the fact that I didn't see much point in spending any more on tackling the cancer with funds being scarce with me out of work at the present moment, I politely stated that we were not going to pursue any more treatments. Here's where I was quite surprised (although I shouldn't be knowing how kind Dr. Haghighat is). He offered to treat Weasel for free in an upcoming visit. There aren't too many professionals that are as generous as he is. His belief that Weasel can combat this new hurdle is quite strong. He's reminded me that I need to give Weasel a fair chance and not give up just yet.
So based on this kind offer, today I visited Dr. Haghighat, lugging both the baby and the cat into his clinic (no easy feat I might add haha). Dr. Haghighat did blood therapy and acupuncture on Weasel. Weasel was very well behaved thankfully (unlike previous visits) and seemed to be in very strong spirits when we got home, running around and looking as though he didn't have the slightest clue he has anything wrong with him - an enviable quality animals have I might add. Dr. Haghighat mentioned as well that he felt that another ultrasound was required to see specifically what was taking place. I initially hesitated on this, as I felt it to be unnecessary but once again, his kindness has no bounds and he offered to pay for the ultrasound as well. I truly hope that the information he gathers through treating Weasel can benefit him somehow, as I'm blown away by his passion toward the wellbeing of our fur babies. He's definitely not in this for profit.
In contrast to Dr. Haghighat is the dreadful vet who operates the ultrasound machine in our area..I'm seriously thrilled to connect with him again this week (that was sarcasm btw). I'm sure he'll tell me that Weasel is about to explode in two weeks and there's nothing that can be done about it. He'll likely go into graphic detail about how messy the whole scene will look. At least I'm going in with eyes wide open on his bedside manner this time lol.
This was a long post (making up for lost time). Hopefully I have a brief but positive post in the weeks to come updating you on Weasel's progress yet again - the cat who most certainly has 9 lives.
Sunday 4 January 2015
An Update From Dave and His Cat Moosie
For those of you who have been reading my blog posts, you likely recall one regarding an email I received from Dave. Dave is also battling pancreatic cancer in his cat Moosie and the latest news he shared is that Moosie is doing incredibly well. Dave has provided extremely helpful information on his treatment regime which hopefully will benefit you in your own treatment process.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Moosie is doing very well! He is healthy, his weight unchanged, and acts like a normal mischievous cat. His treatment is similar to what it was before, but changed a bit.
Here's his current regimen :
I take a 600mg capsule of Doctor's Best Goji Berry extract, a 500 mg capsule of Now brand Lysine powder, a capsule of Life Extension Mega Green Tea extract, and a 500 mg capsule of Doctor's Best or Nutrigold Cucumin C3 Complex, and empty them into a bowl. I mix them up. I take two 100mg Novodalin b17 pill, and cut them in half. A half B17 pill goes into each empty pill capsule.
I fill the mixed powders in the capsules equally. Moosie gets a mixed pill in the morning with 1000mg of Barlean's fish oil, and a mixed pill and 500mg of Food Science of Vermont cold-pressed black currant seed oil.
Every two months I have given Moosie Nature's Sunshine PawPaw Cell-Reg for one week. I empty one capsule at at time, and fill an entire empty #3 capsule with pawpaw. He gets the #3 capsule full of pawpaw 3x a day-- so 21 pills in that one week period.
I also sprinkle organic MSM on his wet cat food twice daily. I give him organic Jarrow MSM.
I have been studying LDN and will probably add that to his regimen later this year. I found out I can legally order the pills and make it myself without a prescription.
Can pawpaw be added to Weasel's regimen? If he is feeling up to it, it works by turning down the voltage of the cancer cells so they self-destruct. Also MSM oxygenates the body, and cancer cells can't live in an oxygenated environment-- studies have shown cancer cells revert to normal cells when taking MSM.
(Here is a video Dave provided on Paw Paw: http://youtu.be/hD6MGd0Dz5o)
- Dave
Wednesday 17 December 2014
Liver Tumor Enlarged
Weasel and I visited the vet yesterday. The news was sad as during an examination, Dr. Haghighat discovered that Weasel's liver tumor has grown. It's very frustrating to learn this as he's on so many supplements already and there's a limit to what I can get a cat to eat or tolerate. Dogs are much easier in this circumstance.
Weasel's treatment at the vet consisted of blood therapy, acupuncture, Vitamin B injection, Traumeel injection, Biopuncture, etc. Essentially, Weasel was a pin cushion. I recognize the need to take action of this nature but financially it's a strain. I have tough decisions to make moving forward as I'm presently in a career transition and have been at school for the past year.
The challenge, as I'm sure many of you have faced, is the guilt in walking away from treatments that may help a loved one. I love Weasel more than words can describe and I would never hesitate to spend more on him if it meant that he would be cured but if the tumor insists on spreading even after spending $1000+, at some point I have to be realistic...it's times like this that a looking glass into the future would be quite handy.
I am aware that we need to still aggressively target the liver holistically. I've added a new product called Si Miao San based off of Dr. Haghighat's recommendation. I looked up this product online and voila, it turns out to be extremely effective in slowing down inflammation and cancer (music to my ears). You can read more about it here: https://pathwithpaws.com/blog/2011/06/17/si-miao-san-slowing-down-cancer-and-inflammation/. In addition, I came across a product called Denamarin that someone on a forum raved about. The company has made capsules for cats and dogs as well as chewable tablets for dogs. I emailed the company hoping that they can confirm the safety of providing a chewable tablet to a cat, as I cannot under any circumstance provide Weasel with pills. You can read more on this product at: http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/cat/cat-liver-health/denamarin-for-cats. A word of warning on this product. It's insanely expensive (Available on Amazon). By far the most costly product of any of the holistic supplements I've purchased to date, which is why I must be careful in the decision I make to move forward on this. If I have a $100 box of pills lying around because the cat refuses them, that would be ludicrous.
I will keep you posted on what the company states regarding the chewable tablets. I would be shocked to hear that there is an issue with it as I currently give Weasel the CAS Options chewable tablets for dogs without any concerns. In fact, I now have to increase his intake to a tablet per day which is what one provides a dog.
Weasel's treatment at the vet consisted of blood therapy, acupuncture, Vitamin B injection, Traumeel injection, Biopuncture, etc. Essentially, Weasel was a pin cushion. I recognize the need to take action of this nature but financially it's a strain. I have tough decisions to make moving forward as I'm presently in a career transition and have been at school for the past year.
The challenge, as I'm sure many of you have faced, is the guilt in walking away from treatments that may help a loved one. I love Weasel more than words can describe and I would never hesitate to spend more on him if it meant that he would be cured but if the tumor insists on spreading even after spending $1000+, at some point I have to be realistic...it's times like this that a looking glass into the future would be quite handy.
I am aware that we need to still aggressively target the liver holistically. I've added a new product called Si Miao San based off of Dr. Haghighat's recommendation. I looked up this product online and voila, it turns out to be extremely effective in slowing down inflammation and cancer (music to my ears). You can read more about it here: https://pathwithpaws.com/blog/2011/06/17/si-miao-san-slowing-down-cancer-and-inflammation/. In addition, I came across a product called Denamarin that someone on a forum raved about. The company has made capsules for cats and dogs as well as chewable tablets for dogs. I emailed the company hoping that they can confirm the safety of providing a chewable tablet to a cat, as I cannot under any circumstance provide Weasel with pills. You can read more on this product at: http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/cat/cat-liver-health/denamarin-for-cats. A word of warning on this product. It's insanely expensive (Available on Amazon). By far the most costly product of any of the holistic supplements I've purchased to date, which is why I must be careful in the decision I make to move forward on this. If I have a $100 box of pills lying around because the cat refuses them, that would be ludicrous.
I will keep you posted on what the company states regarding the chewable tablets. I would be shocked to hear that there is an issue with it as I currently give Weasel the CAS Options chewable tablets for dogs without any concerns. In fact, I now have to increase his intake to a tablet per day which is what one provides a dog.
Monday 15 December 2014
First Decline Since Last Christmas
It's been a year since we saw any concerning signs of the cancer, and I honestly believed that the worst was left behind us now; however, two days ago, Weasel fell ill - vomiting up white foam all over the house. Since one pile consisted of hair, we assumed it was aggravated by a complicated hair ball...a day later he was his usual self and then last evening while we slept, he fell quite ill again, bringing up his dinner and yellow bile.
This morning my heart broke when I saw Weasel. His eyes indicated that he was in severe pain, he couldn't get comfortable in any one spot and moved constantly. He would look up at me and meow in a manner that indicated he was pleading for me to help..I've never felt so helpless..well since this happened last time at least.
I unfortunately had to leave for work today, with him in this state and me anxious beyond belief. Before I left the house I rubbed Traumeel on his stomach, hoping that it would alleviate any possible swelling but after returning home from work, I can see that it didn't do a thing. He's still sitting in a ball, suffering and in extreme discomfort.
Tomorrow I'm going to see Dr. Haghighat who hopefully can alleviate Weasel's symptoms. I wish I could afford an ultrasound so see what's taking place in Weasel..does he have more tumours? Did the existing ones expand? I truly hate not knowing. Unfortunately in Toronto (and likely elsewhere), ultrasounds for pets essentially rob you blind so it's just not an option at this stage.
I have to remind myself that these 'phases' have happened in the past and they left eventually...ironically the last time this occurred was 2 days before Christmas.
This morning my heart broke when I saw Weasel. His eyes indicated that he was in severe pain, he couldn't get comfortable in any one spot and moved constantly. He would look up at me and meow in a manner that indicated he was pleading for me to help..I've never felt so helpless..well since this happened last time at least.
I unfortunately had to leave for work today, with him in this state and me anxious beyond belief. Before I left the house I rubbed Traumeel on his stomach, hoping that it would alleviate any possible swelling but after returning home from work, I can see that it didn't do a thing. He's still sitting in a ball, suffering and in extreme discomfort.
Tomorrow I'm going to see Dr. Haghighat who hopefully can alleviate Weasel's symptoms. I wish I could afford an ultrasound so see what's taking place in Weasel..does he have more tumours? Did the existing ones expand? I truly hate not knowing. Unfortunately in Toronto (and likely elsewhere), ultrasounds for pets essentially rob you blind so it's just not an option at this stage.
I have to remind myself that these 'phases' have happened in the past and they left eventually...ironically the last time this occurred was 2 days before Christmas.
Monday 8 December 2014
Still Doing Extremely Well!
Hello everyone,
I haven't been posting on this blog for the mere fact that Weasel is doing very well and there's very little to report on (thankfully). I haven't changed his treatment regime as it works beautifully. Not only does Weasel behave as though he's in perfect form (not even vomiting) but he's also put on quite a bit of extra weight and his fur is thick and healthy - ready for the cold winter season. I'm very tempted to send the vet who claimed that he wouldn't make it to Feb. of 2015 some sort of sarcastic Christmas greeting card but I can't think of anything subtle and witty enough. Upon reflection, I'm still blown away by how adamant he has been this entire time on the accuracy of his assessments regarding longevity of life. Every day we see people and animals proving that these are simple estimates based on a general group, but that those odds can certainly be defied.
I've created a funny little 'Christmas' themed video to show you. It depicts Weasel in all of his playful glory - furry, fat, funny and fantastic :). Couldn't ask for more.
I haven't been posting on this blog for the mere fact that Weasel is doing very well and there's very little to report on (thankfully). I haven't changed his treatment regime as it works beautifully. Not only does Weasel behave as though he's in perfect form (not even vomiting) but he's also put on quite a bit of extra weight and his fur is thick and healthy - ready for the cold winter season. I'm very tempted to send the vet who claimed that he wouldn't make it to Feb. of 2015 some sort of sarcastic Christmas greeting card but I can't think of anything subtle and witty enough. Upon reflection, I'm still blown away by how adamant he has been this entire time on the accuracy of his assessments regarding longevity of life. Every day we see people and animals proving that these are simple estimates based on a general group, but that those odds can certainly be defied.
I've created a funny little 'Christmas' themed video to show you. It depicts Weasel in all of his playful glory - furry, fat, funny and fantastic :). Couldn't ask for more.
I hope all of you have had a similar positive outcome in your efforts to save your fur-babies.
Saturday 24 May 2014
1 year, 4 months - A Pancreatic Tumour and a Liver Tumour
It's been over a year since Weasel was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. On our last visit to the emergency clinic in April, we discovered he now has a liver tumour to battle as well.
Let me tell you, you wouldn't know this cat was ill. Yes, I should be very nervous about his prospects but at the moment, I'm not. He hasn't been ill since I can remember, his weight is great and he looks great. In fact, he's too lively at times and can drive me bonkers, opening and closing the door for him incessantly to go outside - I can't even write this posting uninterrupted haha.
This post is intended to provide you with information on treating both types of tumours, since I don't have anything to report in terms of Weasel falling ill. I'm going to list what we currently have him on.
Any type of cancer:
- 1 tbsp of Essiac tea
- drops of Life Gold (the number depends on your pet's weight)
Pancreatic Cancer and Liver Cancer (I can't recall at this point what targeted what one as he's been taking them for the past year with new additions added in April):
- Hyland's Cell Salts: #1 (Calc Fluor), #2 (Calc Phos), #3 (Calc Sulph), #4 (Ferrum Phos), #6 (Kali Phos), #7 (Kali Sulph), #9 (Natrum Mur), #10 (Natrum Phos), #11 (Natrum sulph), #12 (Silicea)
Although it's a bit of a blur as to what addresses what type of ailment - pancreatic or liver; with cell salts, you can't cause wrongdoing by taking them, as it simply restores a system imbalance. You can read more on each one at: http://schuessler-cell-salts.com/
- CAS Options cut into quarter size pieces. This will help all forms of cancer and can be ground up into the food. It has an appealing flavour.
- Only available from the vet: Heel Mix 3 and Guna Mix 2
- Digestion support - HMF powder (good bacteria) - 1 scoop per meal
For Liver tumour:
- 1/2 capsule once a day of Livaplex
- Cytozyme-LV - 1 tablet a day
- Liquid Hepato (mine is chicken flavour but you can get bacon too)
The above items are tasty and easy to grind or mix up into the food. They strengthen liver functionality and resistance.
If you can manage it (I can't get him to take this), provide your kitty (or pooch), Milk Thistle. It's quite effective for treating liver tumours.
It may seem like a lot to do, but it's well worth it. We've been successful in shrinking the pancreatic tumour, and hope that we have the same success with the liver tumour, now that we've started treating it as well. It's inevitable that Weasel won't live forever, and I'm aware of that; however, through these treatment regimes, I may be able to prevent a terrible and painful death from occurring. I highly recommend taking a similar course of action for your pet in need if you can financially afford to. It is a cost; however, the cost is considerably less than surgery and is spread out throughout the year(s) as opposed to one large sum to pay.
Let me tell you, you wouldn't know this cat was ill. Yes, I should be very nervous about his prospects but at the moment, I'm not. He hasn't been ill since I can remember, his weight is great and he looks great. In fact, he's too lively at times and can drive me bonkers, opening and closing the door for him incessantly to go outside - I can't even write this posting uninterrupted haha.
This post is intended to provide you with information on treating both types of tumours, since I don't have anything to report in terms of Weasel falling ill. I'm going to list what we currently have him on.
Any type of cancer:
- 1 tbsp of Essiac tea
- drops of Life Gold (the number depends on your pet's weight)
Pancreatic Cancer and Liver Cancer (I can't recall at this point what targeted what one as he's been taking them for the past year with new additions added in April):
- Hyland's Cell Salts: #1 (Calc Fluor), #2 (Calc Phos), #3 (Calc Sulph), #4 (Ferrum Phos), #6 (Kali Phos), #7 (Kali Sulph), #9 (Natrum Mur), #10 (Natrum Phos), #11 (Natrum sulph), #12 (Silicea)
Although it's a bit of a blur as to what addresses what type of ailment - pancreatic or liver; with cell salts, you can't cause wrongdoing by taking them, as it simply restores a system imbalance. You can read more on each one at: http://schuessler-cell-salts.com/
- CAS Options cut into quarter size pieces. This will help all forms of cancer and can be ground up into the food. It has an appealing flavour.
- Only available from the vet: Heel Mix 3 and Guna Mix 2
- Digestion support - HMF powder (good bacteria) - 1 scoop per meal
For Liver tumour:
- 1/2 capsule once a day of Livaplex
- Cytozyme-LV - 1 tablet a day
- Liquid Hepato (mine is chicken flavour but you can get bacon too)
The above items are tasty and easy to grind or mix up into the food. They strengthen liver functionality and resistance.
If you can manage it (I can't get him to take this), provide your kitty (or pooch), Milk Thistle. It's quite effective for treating liver tumours.
It may seem like a lot to do, but it's well worth it. We've been successful in shrinking the pancreatic tumour, and hope that we have the same success with the liver tumour, now that we've started treating it as well. It's inevitable that Weasel won't live forever, and I'm aware of that; however, through these treatment regimes, I may be able to prevent a terrible and painful death from occurring. I highly recommend taking a similar course of action for your pet in need if you can financially afford to. It is a cost; however, the cost is considerably less than surgery and is spread out throughout the year(s) as opposed to one large sum to pay.
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