Topic: Difficult Decisions (Read 4739 times)

Millys Mum · « **Reply #20 on:** August 17, 2007, 16:25:57 PM »

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Oh, and she's been lounging around [happily and available for fusses] this evening, so I can already see that she's happier and a lot more relaxed

You have definatley made the best decision for her

Beccles · « **Reply #19 on:** August 17, 2007, 11:14:16 AM »

I am currently Foster Mum to Ollie, who has a brain tumour and is receiving palliative care, which basically means that the aim is to minimise any distressing symptoms or discomfort, no attempt is being made to treat the tumour itself. We started palliating Ollie in October with the belief that he'd die in a few weeks - well 9 months later he is coming to the end of his life but it's been a good 9 months.

Ollie won't take pills at all and gets extremely distressed (and aggressive

) if you try to force it... but tolerates subcutaneous jabs very well so I have learned to do those at home and give any meds that way.

When I am no longer confident that he is comfortable, he will be euthanased. The thought of it breaks my heart but the only objective here is to give him a little more good quality time. When that goes, that's the end of the road.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #18 on:** August 17, 2007, 07:57:03 AM »

Am glad she is seeming happier

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #17 on:** August 16, 2007, 22:24:20 PM »

So pleased she is happier with life

lilycat · « **Reply #16 on:** August 16, 2007, 22:21:11 PM »

Thanks so much for all of your advice, I know I've made the right decision but it's good to kind of have it confirmed.

I've tried everything with regard to the tablets and she was having them regularly until a few days ago when she just wouldn't let me anywhere near her without running away and hiding. I did think the fortekor helped her appetite for a while but then the stress of it all meant that all she was eating was a couple of mouthfuls and that was only if I put her dish behind the sofa for her.

Oh, and she's been lounging around [happily and available for fusses] this evening, so I can already see that she's happier and a lot more relaxed

Once again

thanks

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #15 on:** August 16, 2007, 14:12:01 PM »

A friend of mine is in the same position, Tilly hated having a tablet and it got to the stage where she wouldnt come in the house so they and have given up giving Tilly the tablets.

So i think quailty of life is deff better than longevity

Liz · « **Reply #14 on:** August 16, 2007, 13:33:09 PM »

I have to say that quality of life is more important than having a scared cat for longer

Having been through it with 2 of my oldies - Moose with Kidney and Liver issues vet gave him 3 weeks with tablets - he lived a glorious 9 months after that with no tablets he was a bit thin but happy right to his last day. Also with Bert who was 21.5 had issues and was supposed to take tablets in the end we stopped the tablets they got their lives back and we made the best decision for them

We also make this decision for the unhandlable ferals as they tolerate us but can't always get the pills so so long as they are happy in themselves and love you then go for quality of life we will mourn the loss of them at whatever stage it happens just the same but we will remember them happy

CurlyCatz · « **Reply #13 on:** August 16, 2007, 13:02:20 PM »

No question for me on this..stop the tablets !!

Personally i'd feel more guilty keeping her on this world scared to death everytime you approached her than i would shortening her life but allowing her to be abit more relaxed for however long she has left.

Ela · « **Reply #12 on:** August 16, 2007, 13:00:14 PM »

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but it was a quarter of a tiny tablet

You were lucky my Jessica has to have 1/8 of a tablet not much bigger than a pin head.

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I think a happy cat for a shorter time is better

I agree howeve, I would always discuss it with my vet first

Bazsmum · « **Reply #11 on:** August 16, 2007, 12:58:09 PM »

Do you always give her pills in the same room? Maybe doing it more randomly will make her less agitated.....

Thinking of you at this heart-rendering time...defo agree on quality of life personally

Hippykitty · « **Reply #10 on:** August 16, 2007, 11:39:50 AM »

Some cats adapt to a changed life quality, but it sounds as though your cat is made miserable by the whole palaver of being given pills. This could be the result of her history.

If you are sure that she won't get used to the regime of pill taking, then it may be best to consult your vet about taking her off medication. Are you sure that she wouldn't have a much longer, healthier life with the pills?

It's a difficult decision to make. If she were my cat, it would depend on

her life expectancy on medication
the degree of misery taking pills causes
would she adapt?
the efficacy of the pills

If you have a good vet, have a long chat with him/her.

Angiew · « **Reply #9 on:** August 16, 2007, 09:56:56 AM »

Its a very hard decision but my opinion is it's got to be quality of life. Animals are more about living in the now and it's unfair to force them to live with a reduced quality.

It makes the guilt worse for you so it's a decision YOU must be comfortable with.

As said before in this thread, have you tried dosing in food. I had an old cat who would wolf the tablet down with a bit of raw lamb mince - still got some it the freezer. For some primula spread works.

Mark · « **Reply #8 on:** August 16, 2007, 08:30:23 AM »

I found with fortekor that unless they take them religiously, it makes them quite poorly. He has only really stabilised since he gets his pill every day without fail. After about a week he was OK. He does sleep a lot (most of the day) but is fairly active in the evening. You know your cat bette than anyone else and yes I agree, quality before quantity.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #7 on:** August 16, 2007, 08:13:17 AM »

Quality of life has to be better than longevity, it is a very hard decision to make, I have had to do it with most of my cats. My neighbours however are the opposite, and it is hard to watch animals suffer because their owners can't bare to let them go. Good luck, and remember the decision is being done for her wellbeing.

blackcat · « **Reply #6 on:** August 16, 2007, 06:10:57 AM »

I am with Tiggy's mum. Having worked at a vet for five years and watched animals kept alive simply because their owners couldn't bear to part with them, despite the fact that the animal was obviously suffering and getting no pleasure from life. I think there is a line beyond which you do not go in terms of subjecting an animal to treatment. We have to swallow our own vanity, love, god-sense, call it what you will and be responsible for the sake of the animals in our care.

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #5 on:** August 15, 2007, 23:36:25 PM »

I think for me quality of life is the most important thing, like you I would rather give 6 months of happiness than a year of her being terrified. If you have exhausted all the possible tricks and treats of giving her the meds then I would go with your instinct and make the rest of her time with you happy and stress free, the title of this thread sums it up though - it really is a difficult decision to have to make

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #4 on:** August 15, 2007, 23:34:34 PM »

Will she not take the tablets hidden in something? or does she suss them out? I've been using de-furrum treats to give Jasper his fortekor, he will either eat them from my hand, or eat them off his plate with his other food. It helps that he loves those treats!

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #3 on:** August 15, 2007, 23:29:34 PM »

Yes Lily I have been there.

Kocka had kidney probs but no tablet could be got into her and the vet started giving her 6 weekly injections but she hates vets anyway and was so scared.

The injections were also causing her other problems and the when I said to the vet I wanted to stop them he agreed and said that if it was his cat, he would let her eat what she wanted and to keep her away from his door unless absolutely needed.

She eventually needed medicine for high blood pressure but it was a quarter of a tiny tablet and was able to feed it to her crushed in her ad diet.

I think the stress of medicating an unwilling cat is likely to shorten their lives anyway and its no point having an unhappy cat and human who have to fight everyday, I think a happy cat for a shorter time is better.

Kocka lived until 20 yrs old, by which time it was sadly to hard for her.

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #2 on:** August 15, 2007, 23:21:09 PM »

Hi, is it the fortekor making her very nervous and agitated or is it her illness do you think? You could take her off them for a bit and see what happens? Or perhaps adjust the dose down a bit to see if there's any kind of 'happy medium'? Otherwise I think you are right and that the quality of life is the most important thing. Being so anxious all the time must be awful for her so if it's the Fortekor I don't see how you can be doing the 'wrong' thing.
How about any other treatments for her condition as well? Fortekor seems to work like magic on quite a lot of cats but I took mine off it as they just slept and became quite depressed on it - no quality of life at all. good luck with Imogen....has she got in a nice stash of catnip to help calm her (once she's finished the mad phase it's supposed to be a calming agent!).

lilycat · « **Reply #1 on:** August 15, 2007, 23:06:10 PM »

I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about longevity vs quality of life?

At March time, Imogen was diagnosed with HCM and put on Fortekor. She's always been very nervous [she was a victim of abuse as a kitten] but she's been happy enough here, I think; we've tried to make her life a happy one anyway...

I've been giving her her tablets but she's been getting progressively more afraid, not even letting either of us near her and forever hiding herself away. So, I suggested [and OH agreed] that we'd rather stop her tablets - she's not in any discomfort and the only clinical sign of HCM she's exhibiting is lethargy - we know it'll shorten her life expectancy but I'd rather she was happy for 6 months than terrified for a year.

I feel it's the best thing to do for her but even so, I feel terrible.

This, by the way, isn't just a case of a cat who doesn't like having tablets - it really is heartbreaking to see her so afraid. If she continued with the Fortekor we'd have to basically chase and trap her to give them.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Any thoughts? I'm going to let the vet know and, of course, if she began to show any discomfort I'd be straight round to see him.

Oddly enough, when I made the decision not to carry on with her meds, OH was having a walk down the garden [Imogen was down there] and I asked him to tell her that she didn't have to have her tablets any more - which he did from across the garden. About a minute later she goes wandering up to him, tail in the air wanting a fuss, for the first time in weeks and that night she insisted on coming in the bedroom for a fuss from us both! I'm sure she understood and approved or am I being silly?

Author Topic: Difficult Decisions (Read 4739 times)