Topic: Harry has nasal tumour/polyp - RIP my boy (Read 22831 times)

Peggy C · « **Reply #50 on:** April 12, 2012, 17:22:47 PM »

I am so sorry Monty and Marmalade went downhill so fast and were both very old that the decision though so hard was obvious And I am fortunate to have such a caring vet to help me through it

to you and a gentle cuddle for Harry
Peggy

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #49 on:** April 12, 2012, 16:41:01 PM »

Such a terrible thing to decide and I agree with Helen.

Just am so sorry that he has gone down hill so fast to reach this point of decision making.

Sending loads of cuddles to Harry and you

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #48 on:** April 12, 2012, 16:21:54 PM »

Very sorry to hear this Gillian

You know Harry best and the decision can be yours alone but I don't think I would go for the chemo if I were in your shoes

It's devastating when we realise their time has come, I clutched at straws and would have tried anything to keep Tiggy with me but it got to the stage where I realised she wasn't happy any more and I had to be brave for her

In hindsight I realise that I left it too late, not to the point where she was suffering but if I had my time again I would have let her go sooner.

Sending you massive hugs and gentle headkisses for Harry

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #47 on:** April 12, 2012, 16:10:49 PM »

Thanks

Do I try the chemo?, but risk him feeling terrible on it (I understand that a lot of cats feell rough for a few days and go off their food) and he can't afford to lose any more weight, plus it seems it may only buy a little more time (a matter of weeks perhaps) - if he's only got a little more time anyway, I don't want him to feel worse, but not all cats feel bad on it. He's only on half a 5mg pred twice a day, I'll ask the vet about increasing to one twice a day - which is what the vet initially said, but changed her mind to half, because of his low weight.

Liz · « **Reply #46 on:** April 12, 2012, 15:14:06 PM »

Thinking of you and the darling Harry at this time

Dawn F · « **Reply #45 on:** April 12, 2012, 14:53:53 PM »

so sorry to hear this

bunglycat · « **Reply #44 on:** April 12, 2012, 14:53:38 PM »

So sorry to hear this Gillian, it's awful when it goes to the eye, it did that to Smartie and he didn't quite get to his 15 th , poor old Sophie was only 2 months short of her 18th.
The steroids help for a while , but have you tried upping the dose yourself? I ask the vet and he said to try it and it gave him a little longer, but only a couple of weeks.
I always thought Smartie would live longer as he was on Fortekur as well, and I used to think that covers his heart and his kidneys , he will go on for a long time , but no he got cancer!

Sending loads of hugs to you all ( the hug icon has vanished !?)

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #43 on:** April 12, 2012, 14:47:58 PM »

Am so very very sorry Gillian

You have decided against the chemo treatment then? Always such a terrible decision to have to make but probably the right one for all concerned when trying to ensure quality of life wins out over quantity. My heart goes out to you...

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #42 on:** April 12, 2012, 14:34:43 PM »

Think its time to let my boy go

He's still eating, but is spending all day asleep on a heatpad, sometimes not asleep - and not looking as comfortable as he has been. The steroids have been helping somewhat, there is no bleeding now when he sneezes, but he sounds croaky when he miaows and I think it is affecting his eye on that side now

I can't believe it, I thought he'd go on to be a cranky old boy into his 20s

he has always been 'Mr Attitude'

- he's 15, I just looked on the form from Cats Protection (League, as it was then) - I got him on 15th June 1996 at 6 wks old, sadly he's not going to reach his 16th birthday

maryas · « **Reply #41 on:** March 28, 2012, 00:07:24 AM »

Glad Misa is back to normal Gill.

How's Harry doing Gillian?

Mary

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #40 on:** March 26, 2012, 18:41:09 PM »

They cant see right at back of throat for a piece of grass without this Mary and also for removal if one is there.

He didnt have one but its very hard to open his mouth and he was scared of the shaver so he has two legs shaved, he just doesnt do people at all and has never been ill and 7.6 kgs is a lot of frightened cat.

He is much better now and his chattering is back

maryas · « **Reply #39 on:** March 23, 2012, 21:42:37 PM »

OMG Gill, was Misa that that wild the vet had to do that? Hope he's got meds and will be ok.

Mary

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #38 on:** March 22, 2012, 23:46:25 PM »

Even dafter, Misa has bad tonsilitus at present and had examnination under anesthetic yeasreday and his tonsils are very swollen

maryas · « **Reply #37 on:** March 22, 2012, 22:10:40 PM »

Gillian I wonder if his throat is hurting cos of the vet messsing with him? May sound daft but how about putting some ice in his water to help soothe his throat?

Lots fo love and hugs to you both.

Mary

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #36 on:** March 22, 2012, 17:53:04 PM »

Hope the Leukeran helps him and that you can enjoy lots of quality time together

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #35 on:** March 22, 2012, 15:49:23 PM »

So very sorry and it sounds like maybe its growing quickly. Very sad when he is an otherwise healthy cat. I hope what ever is planned for him helps

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #34 on:** March 22, 2012, 13:00:50 PM »

Thanks

His kidney and liver function are fine apparently which is good, although he's a little bit anaemic. Vet could see something towards the front of his nose this morning, which I hadnt noticed before, she's still thinking about possibly having a look properly with a probe - but she said sometimes you go through the procedure and find nothing, but sometimes if there is a tumour (which she believes is most likely) the procedure itself can cause more bleeding and create more problems. Or we just try the Leukeran and steroids protocol and go from there.

He's actually been worse since the vet visit yesterday evening - its like its affecting his throat too now - his meow sounds different, kind of croaky

so something clearly has got to be done - vet is getting the leukeran in tomorrow and he's had another steroid jab today.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #33 on:** March 22, 2012, 00:52:57 AM »

Sending lots of good wishes for Harry

bunglycat · « **Reply #32 on:** March 21, 2012, 23:43:15 PM »

Hope the meds all work for Harry, poor boy .
Sending lots of cuddles for him and hugs for you allm

CarolM (Wendolene) · « **Reply #31 on:** March 21, 2012, 23:26:28 PM »

Hope soemthing can be done for Harry.

mad_lilli · « **Reply #30 on:** March 21, 2012, 23:18:36 PM »

for you both. Poor Harry. Xxx

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #29 on:** March 21, 2012, 23:16:11 PM »

Thanks

Well, he was 3.1 kg the first time she weighed him, last week he was 3.2 kg and today he was down in weight a bit again

maryas · « **Reply #28 on:** March 21, 2012, 22:50:04 PM »

Poor darling Harry - has he put any weight on yet?

It must be really upsetting for you Gillian, I am so sorry.

Mary

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #27 on:** March 21, 2012, 22:45:39 PM »

Went back to vets with Harry last Fri as he was sneezing blood again, vet gave him convenia and steroid jabs, but it didnt seem to be having much effect this time and he starting sneezing explosively and lots of blood. He's going back in the morning to have bloods done with a view to maybe starting him on Leukeran (chemo) along with preds.

maryas · « **Reply #26 on:** March 11, 2012, 23:44:46 PM »

Sounds promising Gillian, I really hope so

Mary

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #25 on:** March 11, 2012, 19:07:05 PM »

He's ok thanks

I have to take him back to vets this week, I'm hoping he might have put on a bit of weight, with his extra meal he's having at lunchtimes now

So I'm going to discuss options then. He's sleeping a lot, but he is eating fine, and he's been enjoying the sunshine over the weekend out in the garden

He's still sneezing a lot, but theres no blood at the moment.

cazzer · « **Reply #24 on:** March 11, 2012, 10:49:53 AM »

hows Harry doing????

heather sullivan · « **Reply #23 on:** March 09, 2012, 23:12:59 PM »

One of my cats Bill had a squamous cell cancer on the end of his nose, I ended up taking him to Cambridge Vet Hospital, was fun on the train with a cat in a basket, they could either cryotherapy it (freezing it to kill the cells), or surgery. The vet saw him and he ended up having a "nosectomy" where they actually removed his nose, which left a hole in his face, but they rebuilt 2 little nostrils for him. he had to learn to breathe thru it, but he was about 11 or 12 at the time and did really well. But sadly less than a year later he got stomach cancer, totally unrelated and had to be pts

. Hope Harry is ok and none too serious

bunglycat · « **Reply #22 on:** March 09, 2012, 22:28:32 PM »

The steroids should make him want to eat more too.
Smartie was on them for years and it didn't do him any harm ,that was for his asthma . He came off them fr a couple of years as he was fine then , but I still wander if he had stayed on them , maybe he wouldn't have got the cancer !?

maryas · « **Reply #21 on:** March 09, 2012, 21:10:52 PM »

Cheese, salami, ice cream............... oh sorry I thought you said you were trying to put weight on

works for me every time

How about Dreamies?

Mary

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #20 on:** March 09, 2012, 21:04:50 PM »

Thanks all, perhaps I do need to find out exactly whats going on - tumour or polyp - although sounds as though steroids and/or antibitiotics is going to be the way forward for either? I have to go back with him next week, so will chat to vet about it then. In the meantime I'm tryiing to get a bit more weight on him, and he's enjoying his extra lunchtime meal

plus a saucer of Liquivite in between times

den22 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 08, 2012, 01:29:53 AM »

So sorry to hear about Harry

sending you both some much needed

Denise
Xxx

bunglycat · « **Reply #18 on:** March 08, 2012, 00:35:01 AM »

Hope Harry gets better with the steroids and it gets rid of them .
I also (amongst everything else!) get Polyps up my nose -but never bothered going to the doctor as its the first time i have had them recently (and still got them )it is supposed to be stress related- but not had them for years till now ?!

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #17 on:** March 08, 2012, 00:06:18 AM »

Quote from: Tiggy's Mum on March 06, 2012, 00:12:57 AM

Really sorry to hear this Gillian From a human perspective, I have had nasal polyps in the past and there is no pain associated with them and steroids do a fantastic job of shrinking them back so hope the same can be done for Harry... who I have to confess is my favourite from your gang

Quote from: Gillian (Ambercat) on March 07, 2012, 23:52:30 PM

Thanks - Helen, you say you HAD nasal polyps - do you mean that the steroids shrunk them completely?

They do shrink them completley - they work every time and very quickly too - but unfortunately six weeks or so after I stop taking them they gradually come back, I can't have too many courses of oral steroids over the year due to their side effects. That said as Harry is a senior cat I think you would be looking at quality over quantity in any case and if the oral steroids do the trick then I wouldn't be worrying about long term side effects (in humans that's bone thinning and weight gain but don't know about cats).

In humans another option is a long course of antibiotics (two months) which works for me too, I think oral steroids are more suited to larger/more agressive polyps and can shrink them back quickly whereas antibiotics reduce swelling/infection when the polyps are smaller/less aggresive.

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #16 on:** March 07, 2012, 23:52:30 PM »

Thanks

- Helen, you say you HAD nasal polyps - do you mean that the steroids shrunk them completely?

Tigerlily (Allison) · « **Reply #15 on:** March 06, 2012, 07:58:38 AM »

Gillian, so sorry to hear this news about Harry. Sending lots of

to you both.

CarolM (Wendolene) · « **Reply #14 on:** March 06, 2012, 00:15:53 AM »

Sending lots of positive vibes for handsome Harry

to you Gillian.

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #13 on:** March 06, 2012, 00:12:57 AM »

Really sorry to hear this Gillian

From a human perspective, I have had nasal polyps in the past and there is no pain associated with them and steroids do a fantastic job of shrinking them back so hope the same can be done for Harry... who I have to confess is my favourite from your gang

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #12 on:** March 05, 2012, 23:10:03 PM »

Thanks

alisonandarchie · « **Reply #11 on:** March 05, 2012, 21:16:50 PM »

Very sorry Gillian and do hope something can be done for Harry

Author Topic: Harry has nasal tumour/polyp - RIP my boy (Read 22831 times)