Pending a biopsy, one of my cats is looking at an oral SCC.
She’s basically ten, asyptomatic at present, beloved, damn it.
What I’ve read so far suggests that the surgical, radiologic and chemotherapeutic options are basically expensive ways to torture my cat.
If it helps, we don’t have the biopsy results in, but the mass is in the lower palate region below the tongue.
I suggested, and my DVM administered a steroid shot to see how much of the mass is inflammatory crap, and we’ll be ready to maintain a steady dose of oral prednisolone.
My intent is to palliate with tuna, scritches and prednisolone.
Cat People, DVMs and the usual suspects, please advise.
I’ve spent a lot of money on vet bills for cats. One of the things that I’ve learned is that if you think that the cat will just suffer from the treatments and then die…do the right thing and hold your baby while you have him put down.
I’m sorry if this sounds cold hearted. I’ve kept a couple of cats too long and I regret it. You need to have happy memories of your time with your kitteh, not the painful thought that you made her suffer just because you wanted more time.
One of mine worked through intestinal lymphoma, another through urinary tract blockage induced renal failure. In both cases active therapy added survival time and quality of life.
This oral SCC appears to be untreatable. Surgery involves major loss of QOL without gains.
One of my cats was thought to have this but it turned out to be a mass caused by eosinophilia, so I hope it turns out the same for you. Her mass was on the very back of her tongue, which you could only see when she yawned.
But if this turns out to be cancer, you already have the right attitude. Do your best by her and love her. I’m sorry you’re having to deal with this.
Oh, man, I’m so sorry. I’ve seen a few kitties with sublingual carcinomas and it sucks.
Since you’ve already researched the subject, and it sounds like you’ve come to the same conclusion as what I would do, yeah, give her the bestest treats she can stand, pred never hurts to try, and keep her as happy and comfortable as you can.
I’ve seen people try the whole caboodle and go as far as using feeding tubes in order to extend attempts at treatment, always unsuccessful and IMO unfair to the kitty. With all the end-of-life scenarios I’ve witnessed, and I’ve witnessed a lot of them, my personal thought on that final decision is it’s better to go a day early than a day too late.
I had two girl kitties of my own get intestinal cancers, two years apart, one was a former diabetic for whom pred was not an option. I lost her 30 days from initial symptoms - so fast! From some diarrhea and maybe thinking IBD, to a palpable golf ball tumor in one month. Scary fast. I let her go three days after the tumor was palpated, as I tried pred with her and her blood glucose shot through the roof on the second day. The second kitty had possible lymphoma, but she was a scared ex-street kitty who chose me, for whatever reason, to be the one person who could handle her. Trips to the vet for the necessary regular chemo bloodwork was not an option with her, but she took her pred “treat” tablets (GourMeds chicken flavored from Wedgewood) like a champ. About 6 months later she missed her first meal and that was it, we helped her over the rainbow bridge the next day.
Here’s hoping maybe the biopsy comes back benign - I’ve also seen some crazy/scary looking inflammatory responses to eosinophilic granuloma complex (ECG - or rodent ulcers) and even stomatitis caused by Feline Bartonella. If it comes back benign and your kitty has ever had fleas in her life, see about testing her for Bartonella.
Fingers crossed for the best, and I’m sorry you’re going through this. Scritches for kitty!
Oh yes! I also recall your ordeal with your lymphoma kitty, she took treatment really well and you gave her more than a year with great quality of life. Well, I didn’t need to write all that I did - you’re head is already well set on your shoulders about stuff like this. Sorry you’re going through it again hardly more than a year later. Fingers still crossed it’s maybe just a scare and it’s something treatable after all. Can’t hurt to hope a little, right?
My best friend just lost her cat to this in December. They chose to give her only palliative care because, as you noted, the treatments tend to destroy the cat’s QOL without prolonging life for very long. About a month after diagnosis, the cat was in such bad shape that they chose to put her down. Very sad for them–acquiring a cat was the first big thing they did together as a committed couple–but ultimately it was the best choice for the cat. I’m so sorry if you have to go through this.
More sad kitty news…I’m sorry to read it, and you have my sympathies.
The only thing I can offer is baby food - like, chicken or beef puree-style baby food. My friend’s cat Addie was failing with a sublingual carcinoma. Towards the end, the only thing Addie could muster interest in was the baby food. By the time she was turning that down, we knew it was time to let her go. Just something to put in the treat basket for the final days.
We’ll check to see it resolve. Not above a second check or biopsy, but from the look of the mass, the biopsy was straightforward. The statistician in me is wary of false negatives.
I suppose there is a timeline for a hematoma to resolve.