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Original poster

Just back from the vets and it’s not good news

26 replies

FlamingoFloss · 20/10/2023 17:10

my baby has lost weight and has had some diarrhoea although she is eating. Took her to the vets this afternoon and she has a large mass near her liver. Vet said it can only be cancer and also she has lost a kilo in a short space of time so fits.
not many choices (or choices I’m comfortable with). We can put her through a raft of tests and an operation to remove the cancer but it may already have spread or removing it could make it spread. I’m not sure I can put her through all that.
the only other thing is palliative care. He thinks 2 months although obviously no one can really know.
today she has had a streroid and antibiotic injection. She messed on the way there and so we had to give her a bath when we got back.
I sobbed in the vets. I love that girl with all my heart. Losing our babies is heartbreaking.

OP posts:
CesareBorgia · 20/10/2023 17:14

So sorry to hear this. My cat had a liver tumour - we kept her going with palliative treatment for a little while, but she made it clear to us when it was time to let her go. The low chance of success meant that the trauma of an operation would not have been worthwhile for a cat who could not understand what it was all about. Make the most of the time you have left together, you will know when it is time to say goodbye. Flowers

Jasmin1971 · 20/10/2023 17:35

I am so so sorry xx

margotrose · 20/10/2023 17:59

I am so sorry OP. Sending you a massive hug Flowers x

catlovingdoctor · 20/10/2023 18:03

I am so sorry
God bless her 🙏

Cowlover89 · 20/10/2023 18:03

I'm so sorry x

DaftQuestionForToday · 20/10/2023 18:10

I'm so very sorry to hear that.
much love to you both.

how old is she?

what did the vet say about the op & treatment??

i think the thing to remember is they don't know anything about being PTS, they just drift off, it's US that suffer, with surgery/treatment, it's THEM that suffer & have no concept of why they're suffering.

so we are sparing ourselves, not them, if we choose the surgery/treatment route.

it's bloody hard to keep that in mind though when all you want is for them to be well again though

xxx

Sprig1 · 20/10/2023 18:13

So sorry to hear that. If she was mine I would be letting her go now. Better a month too soon than a day too late.

Toddlerteaplease · 20/10/2023 18:15

That's exactly what happened with my girl. I suspect lymphoma. She was started on steroids. But went down hill within 24 hours and I just knew it was time. She'd been her normal self up until then. Do sorry you are going through it. It's awful.

Toddlerteaplease · 20/10/2023 18:15

I long ago decided never to put a cat with cancer through treatment.

LaurieStrode · 20/10/2023 18:23

Very sorry you are going through this. It's horrible.

She loves you too, and knows that you love her and are doing your best for her.

As @DaftQuestionForToday said, they don't have fear of death and they don't know that they are being put to sleep, if it comes to that.

My sister's 14-year-old little dog in August started having V & D and three specialists couldn't figure it out; the dog was in and out of hospital and just miserable. Hadn't eaten or drank water in 12 days (was getting IV fluids and nutrition) and nothing worked. Finally I said "when animals stop eating and drinking they are trying to tell us something." Vets all concurred.

We went to the hospital and they put us in a small room with battery-powered candles, low lighting, armchairs. They brought our little girl in and put her in my sister's arms.

When we were ready we pressed a button and the veterinarian came in; he knelt on the floor to administer the medication. (Before that they gave us a piece of chocolate to let her have a last treat, she licked it and then put her head down). But when the meds started to take hold she relaxed and nestled against my sister. She hadn't looked so peaceful in weeks. It was horrible but clearly the best thing for her. As the saying goes, "Better a week too early than a day too late," and I fear we were a couple of days too late because we couldn't face it.

Good luck and I hope you have plenty of time yet to love and cuddle her.

Original poster
FlamingoFloss · 22/10/2023 00:14

@CesareBorgia thank you and I’m sorry about your baby ❤️

OP posts:
Original poster
FlamingoFloss · 22/10/2023 00:23

Thank you to you all for your replies. I’m sorry to all of you who have lost your babies. I’m laying in bed crying. We have had long cuddles this evening.
she is 12 years old. She’s been with me since she was & weeks old and is the most gentlest loving girl. I’m going to miss her so much and my heart is breaking already at the thought of her not being with me.
I know I have to do the right thing for her and I will and she will let me know when it’s time. At the moment she is eating - in fact she is eating well but I can see she is unwell
in her eyes and it’s making me so sad. I can’t bear it.
why do we do this to ourselves. We know our furbabies will be with us for only a fraction of our lives and we will endure utter heartbreak when the time comes for them to leave us. I thought I had longer with her. My best friends cat is 22 and like him, I thought she would just go on. I know 12 isn’t young but it’s certainly not old either.
thank you for your love. Sending it back and thank you for reading xx

OP posts:
Original poster
FlamingoFloss · 22/10/2023 00:26

@DaftQuestionForToday the vet said they could operate but chances it had already spread and if it hadn’t, by trying to remove it it could spread and there wasn’t much hope of a positive outcome.
I just can’t put her through the trauma. I can’t explain to her what’s happening and i feel it would be for my benefit rather than hers

OP posts:
Theforeverhome · 22/10/2023 00:35

It’s such a hard decision to make, but it’s probably the best one for your girl. I’m very sorry, I know it is heartbreaking Flowers

Pudmyboy · 22/10/2023 14:59

They are in our lives for relatively few years but for all of theirs, she has had your heart and love for all of her life.
So sorry for what has happened, as the old Queen said, grief is the price we pay for love 💐

DaftQuestionForToday · 22/10/2023 22:44

@FlamingoFloss

i don't know why we do it to ourselves after the first time.

they do only live a small percentage of our lifetime, but it's the best way really. Can you imagine the state of things if they lived longer then humans? Or even half our lives, there would be SO many elderly pets without living homes 😭. as much as it hurts, this is the best way.

I agree 12 isn't young, nor is it old.

what you have to remember is that she soent her WHOLE life with you, never knowing anything but live & comfort & that's a huge gift. She won't know anything other than falling asleep in your arms.

she will be ok, it's your heart that's breaking, not hers. Much love xx

Original poster
FlamingoFloss · 24/10/2023 23:11

Thank you to all of you. Our babies mean so much to us x

OP posts:
StrawberryFizz27 · 24/10/2023 23:18

I'm so sorry. Enjoy every minute you've got left xx

I lost 2 of my boys in RTA's in within 4 months apart and had to make the decision to have them put to sleep over the phone. It's awful in any circumstances.

I'm sending you such sympathy.

Original poster
FlamingoFloss · 28/12/2023 01:22

My baby over the rainbow bridge today. It was peaceful. The vet came to the house and I cuddled her as I told her how much I loved her and how she was the best girl. I’m missing her so much already but know this was the kindest thing to do. She only had days left, that much was obvious, but I couldn’t leave her as she was starting to suffer. I’m beyond sad but knowing she is no longer in pain and us in peace helps ti bring me some comfort. RIP my baby girl

OP posts:
LaurieStrode · 28/12/2023 01:28

So sorry. It leaves a big void, but you did the right thing. 💐💐💐

DramaAlpaca · 28/12/2023 01:31

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Please know that you've been very brave in doing the last, best and kindest thing for your lovely girl.

Flowers
DaftQuestionForToday · 28/12/2023 01:39

@FlamingoFloss you did the right thing. It's heartbreaking, but she's no longer in pain, you did the last thing you could do for her.
lots of love
xx

Original poster
FlamingoFloss · 28/12/2023 01:44

Thank you all. I know it was the right thing to do and the one thing I could do for her. Her ashes are coming back tomorrow. Here is my girl

Just back from the vets and it’s not good news
OP posts:
LaurieStrode · 28/12/2023 02:05

She is very beautiful.

ghostyslovesheets · 28/12/2023 02:08

She was a beautiful cat x I’m so sorry for your loss