Monday, March 28, 2016

Bad news in Paradise...

Bad news in Paradise...  Our vet phoned this evening to tell us the lab results on the tissue she removed from Koa last Thursday: they got a definitive diagnosis -- it's an osteosarcoma.  That's an aggressive bone cancer, malignant and usually metastatic.  When it's not in a limb or digit (as with Koa), there is no treatment with even a reasonable chance at a good outcome.  This is a fairly rare cancer in cats, rare enough that our vet has never seen it before.  She's going to do some research on it, but ... we're not expecting good news.  It seems likely we'll be doing palliative care for him, treating his pain and any secondary issues as long as we can.  We'll buy him what time we can, but we won't let him suffer.

He's actually looking pretty good at the moment, better than he has for a few weeks now.  We've isolated hom, and he's getting lots of attention, a heated bed, and all the kitty junk food he wants...

2 comments:

  1. Hey Tom, A couple months ago, one of my pups (Jax) was diagnosed with an osteosarcoma. We’ve avoided amputation, so far, and have dealt with the day-to-day pain with tramadol.. but once he’s in a lot of pain, that’s the next step. Two rounds of IV chemotherapy have been completed, and he’s doing quite well. But it’s still the same agressive bone cancer we’re dealing with. He may have a few weeks, or a few years… just have to play it all by ear. SO.. Sorry to hear about your issue.. and I can feel your pain!

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  2. Hi, Aaron... So sorry to hear about Jax, but we both appreciate the sympathy. I just got back from talking with our vet, and she was a bit more hopeful than she was yesterday, because she'd done some research. It turns out that in cats, it's pretty common for the cancer to not metastasize. That means there's a reasonable chance (though a long way from a certainty) that Koa might die of old age and not of the osteosarcoma. We've got him on immuno-suppressive steroids now to help all we can in suppressing a metastasization. There's not much more we can do, except (like you) to make sure our little friend doesn't suffer needlessly...

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