Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Dear Dr Tobin,

Please forgive me if you receive two e mails from me, but I submitted one but I don’t see it.

I have a 16 year old plus Cat who was diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer on Friday. She has a very large lymph in the left side of her neck. Her vet says he cannot feel any other enlarged nodes.
When the lump was first found,2 weeks before, they had carried out a blood test to check her thyroid, this was showing within normal.
A few days later she underwent a fine needle aspiration biopsy, and a heart x-ray. The
X-ray showed she had an enlargement. And on a 1—10 scale the vet has given her a 7.
And she has been prescribed FORTEKOR, one daily, which we have started on our vets advice. But she doesn’t seem to be herself at all today, and I am wondering if the Fortekor could be giving her side nasty side effects. I would hate to think they are making her feel more poorly?
We waited 9 days for the biopsy result, and they said it showed cancerous cells.

We have Pandora pencilled in for surgery Wednesday morning. But I am wondering if this is the right way to go? I would not put her forward for chemo/radiation, as it is far too aggressive and the vet has already stated that.

But I am wondering if under the circumstances of her age, her heart and the risk of the anaesthetic that we should even entertain the idea of Surgery?

I have tried to research this condition, but as my vet had warned me, it’s a minefield, and I have managed to confuse myself more. As we don’t know what type she has, eg Hodgkin’s or T-cell, and all the others. I just feel totally out of my depth and I am still admidst a deep grief, I only lost my old Dog just under 6 weeks ago, so I am totally over-whelmed by this.

I would be very grateful for any advice or suggestions, Thankyou.

Regards,
Gabby

If your cat is doing poorly on Fortikor, and seemed to be doing better before starting it, she shouldn't be on it. Putting the cat on Coenzyme Q10 and Jiao gu lan will greatly help the heart. For the lymphoma itself, stop all dry food and put the cat on a diet of canned food, or better yet, a diet of meat with some bone, along with cod liver oil. Supplement with argenine, 500mg twice a day. There is a lot more that can be done, but without more information I won't try to make any suggestions. As for surgery, blood borne cancers generally have a poor response to surgery, but you should discuss this with your vet and not rush into anything.