I won't be able to afford long term chemotherapy for Sammie if she has bladder cancer (a possibility but not certainty after last week's UA, red blood cells still present after a month's antibiotic treatment for bladder infection). I'm waiting to get a call back from the vet who saw her at her first two visits so I can ask the questions I was too stunned to ask the other vet last week. Meanwhile I am pondering the value of spending the $400-500 out of savings to diagnose an illness I can't afford to treat versus simply watching and waiting with a view on quality of life and easing Sammie's end.
Schröedinger's cancer? Knowing for sure but being able to do fuck-all about it, or peace of mind through expensive diagnostics?
First question for the vet is just how dramatic are the results of that UA? Is this a "could be nothing/could be something" situation, or is this a "red blood cells in that concentration mean
something
serious"?
Sorry to hear that, WindSparrow. I wouldn't (and have not) spend the money on a diagnosis you can't do anything about. For me, knowing the dx wouldn't give any more peace of mind than just keeping an eye on whatever you can tell about her quality of life.
My ankle's much better, but everything else that got bruised or got sore because I was walking funny now hurts more.
Thanks, Jesse. Sammie has always been so healthy. Fourteen years, and in all this time, aside from the routine annual stuff, occassional dental cleanings, and kitten stuff like earmites, deworming, and spay, this was only her second time needing to go to the vet. About eight years ago she had another urinary tract infection. And since being treated with the antibiotic this time, her energy level bounced right back.
Well that's no fun, Dana.
Poor Sammie. I'm kind of with Jesse on how to proceed.
WindSparrow - another question for the vet would be how traumatic would the treatment be for Sammie. Even when I had the money there have been times when I just wouldn't put a frail cat through a rough regimen. Good luck to both you and Sammie.
WindSparrow, if I couldn't afford curative treatment, I'd only spend the money if the diagnosis affected the efficacy of the palliative treatment. If either way it's pain pills and hydration, then there it is. I'm sorry you and Sammy have to go through this.
I just had to go on the hunt for Miss Kitty. She normally is downstairs while I work, competing with Jack for attention. When she is missing, it usually means she slipped out the back door when Jack goes outside but she wasn't out there. I did find her on my bed upstairs.
She has arthritis in her hips, legs, and possibly lower spine. She still struggles to keep her food down but now it is only once or twice a week I find that she threw up. I've tried giving her wet food - different types - and she turns up her nose. Same with some human food that is ok for cats. Though, she would eat her weight in cheese given the chance.
But I worry about her. Every day I worry that it will be THE DAY I need to make the decision to say goodbye.
Every day I worry that it will be THE DAY I need to make the decision to say goodbye.
Kato has seemed a lot more...elderly since we got back from vacation. He does okay -- he eats all his food almost every day, and he walks around fine, but he's very slow, and he does struggle to get up from lying down, and he seems to be having some cognitive decline. After losing Toke unexpectedly, I can't bear the thought of losing either Kato or Slinky, but I think at least one of them won't make it to 2017. Maybe both.
