Chemotherapy & Blastic Mediastinal Lymphoma - Update on Sen

[Rafiki]

So sorry to hear about this Erin. This is a lousy decision to have to make. I thinks that if I were in your place, I would try a couple rounds of chemo and see how she reacts. I would also ask the vet about how to tell if she is feeling much discomfort from the cancer itself. So very sorry!

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

My girl Zari had four chemo treatments before the second oncologist agreed with me that she did not have cancer and we stopped them (long story, she has some unknown autoimmune thing that they know what it isn't but not what it IS)... so I know how SHE handled chemo. Zari did great with it, she didn't need to be sedated, she was okay in the smaller cages they have at the vet. Zari is quite handleable though, she was a show cat before she got ill, but she's wriggly like a Savannah is if you try to hold her still...if that gives you some idea of what she is like. When she was ill she was easier of course, when she was having the chemo she had next to no blood cells nor bone marrow cells. She was a very sick cat. Now she is phobic about the vet, she hates being there and it is a tussle to get her regular blood tests done. I am grateful they don't insist on sedating her for them though!

My opinion is that it will greatly depend on quality of life...how easily she is treated and how your girl does on the chemo drugs as they are not all the same. Zari had 8 hour Cytarabine IV infusions, and we gave twice daily oral Cyclosporine as well. She also got prednisone which is what she ended up taking for a year for whatever was wrong with her. Zari did not seem to have any ill effects from the chemo, she was so ill before though so the fact that she was slowly recovering might well have masked that? I don't know. With her treatments she started eating, and being more social (she was hiding away) and generally seemed better for it.

With your girl Sen, I would likely just see how one or two treatments go for her, how this impacts her having to spend that time at the vet and how it affects her body. If overall she seems better with it, then it is worth doing to have those days/weeks/months with your precious girl. If it basically is torturous for her, then the kindest most loving thing you can do is to help her not suffer anymore.

I am so sorry for the diagnosis, my heart goes out to you.

 

[admin]

Just wondering how Sen is doing?

 

[Lesley]

Erin,

I am very sorry to hear this. You have to do what you think is best and what appears to make Sen comfortable. Thoughts are with you. Our baby girl Mala was diagnosed with FIP last week. I know how devastating this is. Hugs to you and your baby.

Lesley

 

[admin]

Erin,

I am very sorry to hear this. You have to do what you think is best and what appears to make Sen comfortable. Thoughts are with you. Our baby girl Mala was diagnosed with FIP last week. I know how devastating this is. Hugs to you and your baby.

Lesley

Lesley, I am sorry to hear this...how was the diagnosis made?

 

[Lesley]

Lesley, I am sorry to hear this...how was the diagnosis made?

We have done every infectious panel out there with board certified internist with MedVet in Cincy. FIP was the final thing to rule out, everything, including batonella 4-8 week culture was negative. She is a carrier of toxo, positive for igg portion, but not igm, which is the active disease causing agent. They are still treating her for toxo, just in case. She is on pred for the FIP. Her corona titers were done last Weds. Came back greater then or equal too 1:12,800. Super high is considered 1:6400. Her breeder and my friend, Mellenee, has all her medical reports and she agrees, reluctantly, that it looks like FIP. She has no effusions, or other symptoms, except for lethargy. She is eating and has not lost weight. The anemia was diagnosed in mid June. She started treatment for blood parasite then. This is where we are now. I wish there was a possibility it was the toxo causing this, but I don't think so. Thanks for asking. It sbeen a rough year over all, and now this.

 

[admin]

We have done every infectious panel out there with board certified internist with MedVet in Cincy. FIP was the final thing to rule out, everything, including batonella 4-8 week culture was negative. She is a carrier of toxo, positive for igg portion, but not igm, which is the active disease causing agent. They are still treating her for toxo, just in case. She is on pred for the FIP. Her corona titers were done last Weds. Came back greater then or equal too 1:12,800. Super high is considered 1:6400. Her breeder and my friend, Mellenee, has all her medical reports and she agrees, reluctantly, that it looks like FIP. She has no effusions, or other symptoms, except for lethargy. She is eating and has not lost weight. The anemia was diagnosed in mid June. She started treatment for blood parasite then. This is where we are now. I wish there was a possibility it was the toxo causing this, but I don't think so. Thanks for asking. It sbeen a rough year over all, and now this.

I know Mellenee well...the reason I was asking is because we have had several kittens/cats recently diagnosed with FIP and it was not...so I am hoping it is not.

 

[Lesley]

I know Mellenee well...the reason I was asking is because we have had several kittens/cats recently diagnosed with FIP and it was not...so I am hoping it is not.

I am hoping it is not as well, but that titer looks really bad to me.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Lesley, there is a great flowchart on www.dr-addie.com to help diagnose FIP. I just wouldn't give up with only a high titer and lethargy. I have had a cat with dry FIP (and I am guessing if you aren't finding any effusions then non-effusive (dry) FIP is what you are looking at. The AGP levels for example... that was something that lead us to accepting the diagnosis with my angel Aziza.

As Paige mentions, there have been a number of cases of false FIP... so we just want you to be sure!

 

[admin]

I am hoping it is not as well, but that titer looks really bad to me.

I think the A/G ratio is the most important...high titers only mean exposure, as far as I know, although can mutate...can you try to boost the immune system and see if that helps? B12 shots work well...high quality food, etc...