Anyone got any experience of Lymphoma in cats?

Wellie has just been diagnosed. We have an appoinment with the vet tomorrow night to discuss, but have had a bit of a read up and it seems chemo could give 4-6 months of comfortable life. I’m just wondering if anyone has had a cat go through this, and if it really was a comfortable life? We don’t want him to suffer just to give us some extra time with him, so don’t know if its worth putting him through it.

We nearly didn’t take him to the vets, at first we put his odd behaviour down to stress because of the boy’s arrival.

Sorry, don’t know anything about lymphoma. Just writing to offer some support at this horrible time.

xx

Hmm, only in humans really, caught early enough prognosis is good, doesn’t sound like it here, if it was my cat I’d not want to risk the chance of suffering and I’d end it now, sorry if that sounds blunt

I think my mums cat had lymphoma after also being diagnosed with cat flu and the outcome wasn’t good I’m afraid. Sorry to hear about this.

I lost a cat to this over 10 years ago, I don’t know if treatment has moved on since then but I very sorry to hear about it, many blessings

thanks everyone.

Sorry to hear that. I’ve had Lymphoma and was successfully treated with Chemo and radiotherapy because it was diagnosed at an early stage. Hard to say how the cat would suffer because it depends on the stage of the cancer and which organs are affected. If it was my cat I probably wouldn’t put it through chemo just to buy a few months.

HTH

Your vet should be able to answer all the specifics for your cat. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to and consider referral to a specialist oncologist if time/money/commitment are available.

The aim is to get clinical remission without causing the cat significant distress.

I would say most times this is achieved but not always, sometimes it can be difficult particularly if your cat does not react well to being pilled/handled. Those factors have to be taken into account when choosing your options.

Good luck.

I’ve just asked my vet mate and he said – he has treated lymphoma in cats a few times but the chemo is a very delicate balance between treating it and killing it as each one is so different. His view was that you should leave it until its obviously starting to be a bit more troubled by it then say goodbye without having to stress it with treatment. His parting shot was that he never saw it work to any great degree.

Sorry to report that but he has done a few and therefore speaks from experience 😐

Thanks everyone, appointment tonight so we’ll see what our vet says. He’s certainly perkier now he’s being spoiled with pouch food rather than the normal tinned 🙂

JonM glad you are doing ok now.

mrsflash – what’s happening with Wellie?

Thanks for asking, we discussed chemo with the vet, but we would have to go to Knaresborough for it, which is a half hour drive each way, and he hates the car at the best of times, so we don’t think it’s a good option. We have some steroids for him, which hopefully should make him feel better for a couple of months. The vet said if they don’t work in a week, they won’t work, so we are just keeping our fingers crossed at the moment that we get a bit more time with him.
We are just so sad, we have never had to make a decision like this before.

We took him to the vets last night. It was very peaceful.

Thank you for 10 years of fantastic friendship Wellington.

Always sad to lose a pet.

Gutted for you 😥

The last 24 hours were absolute gut-wrenching agony for us, but thankfully not for him.

Putting him in his carrier for the last time was just awful, every step towards the car hurt.

The end was easy, peaceful and dignified. He just looked like Wellie always did, he could have been half-asleep on the sofa.

great cat piccy up there ^^^ (the first one)

Sorry for your loss mrsflash (edit: and gingerflash), I’ve just got back from the vets this morning myself after a five week long ‘battle’, it doesn’t really make it any easier but it’s the kindest thing you can do for them. RIP Wellington and Hammond.

RIP Hammond too 🙁

RIP Hammond

Just picked this thread up. Sorry for your loss but it certainly sounds like you did the right thing by him – better that than watch him waste away.

Lymphoma often has an underlying cause (viral mainly) that tends to dictate the effectiveness of treatment and, even with the most suitable cases, treatment is often frustratingly ineffective.

Rest assured in the knowledge you did him a favour in the end.