![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sara_tanaquilI haven't been posting about this until now because it's upsetting and I was kind of in denial, but... Ptolemy is not doing well. At all.
He's seventeen years old, which is pretty darn good for a cat, let alone a cat with FIV+ status (he was diagnosed with that almost seven years ago). In the last couple of years, he's been getting pickier with his food (which mostly resulted in lots of mental gymnastics to figure out what he would and wouldn't eat), but blood tests turned up nothing wrong, and after losing a noticeable amount of weight, he was doing better over the last year or so.
But when I came back from the beach, I noticed he'd really lost weight. I thought he didn't like the food he was eating at my parents' house, and tried to coax him to eat all his favorite foods once I got back to CT, but he just kept eating less and less. In every other way, though, he was his usual perky, affectionate self -- but he's been getting thinner and weaker all the time. (My once portly 17-pound kitty weighed 13 pounds last summer; recently he weighed in at the vet at barely nine pounds. T_T)
Last Friday, I took him in to the vet, and she detected what she thought was a mass in his abdomen. Today, an ultrasound confirmed that he has what looks like a large tumor attached to his small intestine. They did a needle biopsy and I'll get the results by Wednesday, but it's almost certainly cancer.
Once we figure out what the nature of the mass is, there are various treatment options. Surgery is a possibility, but at his advanced age and weakened state of health (not to mention FIV status), surgery could easily be fatal. (And if it's malignant cancer, the cancer will just grow back.) Another possibility might be steroids; the vet said that steroids help some cats live a relatively normal life for a few extra months. Or, he may just quietly pass away. If he doesn't start eating and drinking more, that will probably happen very soon.
For now, I'm cuddling him and spoiling him as much as I can. He seems perkier when he comes home from the vet and eats a little more (mainly because they give him fluids to stabilize his electrolytes, and I think that helps him feel less like crap). He's still affectionate and comes out for pets, often, but he hides away in his favorite dark corner under the desk quite a bit.
Right now, I can't say what impact this might have on my upcoming trip to Japan. I'm really hoping not to have to cancel, but I have to consider the possibility. Considering how much weight he's lost, and how little he eats, though, I think there's a better-than-even chance that he won't make it to the end of the month. Alternately, treatment might temporarily improve his condition to the point where I would feel comfortable leaving him with a medically trained catsitter for two weeks. At this point, I guess those are the best-case scenarios. Mostly, I just don't want to have to watch him suffer any longer than necessary.
You guys can help cheer me up by talking about Japan, shopping lists, anime, fandom, and/or other normal subjects as much as possible. ^_^ Going through this is painful, but it's easier when I can hang out on the couch with Ptolemy and distract myself with happier things.
ETA: My god, you guys, he is licking at the cheese bits from the cheese and crackers I brought out for dinner. Like mom, like cat?? (Have I ever mentioned that he likes McDonald's french fries, too? Maybe I should go to McD's soon.)
He's seventeen years old, which is pretty darn good for a cat, let alone a cat with FIV+ status (he was diagnosed with that almost seven years ago). In the last couple of years, he's been getting pickier with his food (which mostly resulted in lots of mental gymnastics to figure out what he would and wouldn't eat), but blood tests turned up nothing wrong, and after losing a noticeable amount of weight, he was doing better over the last year or so.
But when I came back from the beach, I noticed he'd really lost weight. I thought he didn't like the food he was eating at my parents' house, and tried to coax him to eat all his favorite foods once I got back to CT, but he just kept eating less and less. In every other way, though, he was his usual perky, affectionate self -- but he's been getting thinner and weaker all the time. (My once portly 17-pound kitty weighed 13 pounds last summer; recently he weighed in at the vet at barely nine pounds. T_T)
Last Friday, I took him in to the vet, and she detected what she thought was a mass in his abdomen. Today, an ultrasound confirmed that he has what looks like a large tumor attached to his small intestine. They did a needle biopsy and I'll get the results by Wednesday, but it's almost certainly cancer.
Once we figure out what the nature of the mass is, there are various treatment options. Surgery is a possibility, but at his advanced age and weakened state of health (not to mention FIV status), surgery could easily be fatal. (And if it's malignant cancer, the cancer will just grow back.) Another possibility might be steroids; the vet said that steroids help some cats live a relatively normal life for a few extra months. Or, he may just quietly pass away. If he doesn't start eating and drinking more, that will probably happen very soon.
For now, I'm cuddling him and spoiling him as much as I can. He seems perkier when he comes home from the vet and eats a little more (mainly because they give him fluids to stabilize his electrolytes, and I think that helps him feel less like crap). He's still affectionate and comes out for pets, often, but he hides away in his favorite dark corner under the desk quite a bit.
Right now, I can't say what impact this might have on my upcoming trip to Japan. I'm really hoping not to have to cancel, but I have to consider the possibility. Considering how much weight he's lost, and how little he eats, though, I think there's a better-than-even chance that he won't make it to the end of the month. Alternately, treatment might temporarily improve his condition to the point where I would feel comfortable leaving him with a medically trained catsitter for two weeks. At this point, I guess those are the best-case scenarios. Mostly, I just don't want to have to watch him suffer any longer than necessary.
You guys can help cheer me up by talking about Japan, shopping lists, anime, fandom, and/or other normal subjects as much as possible. ^_^ Going through this is painful, but it's easier when I can hang out on the couch with Ptolemy and distract myself with happier things.
ETA: My god, you guys, he is licking at the cheese bits from the cheese and crackers I brought out for dinner. Like mom, like cat?? (Have I ever mentioned that he likes McDonald's french fries, too? Maybe I should go to McD's soon.)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-07-18 11:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-18 11:58 pm (UTC)I sometimes bring the water and/or the food bowl to the room where he's hiding out, and that occasionally encourages him to drink/eat a bit more, but not so much. (So ironic, considering how many years I worried about him eating too much -- because it would make him fat -- and drinking too much -- because it might be a sign of diabetes. I was actually hoping for a diagnosis of diabetes when I took him to the vet.)
no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 12:20 am (UTC)But...um...happy thoughts of all the manga you'll soon be able to buy. Not to mention all the various One Piece swag that'll be available! There's always lots at animate! ^_^
no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 12:28 am (UTC)Also, I love that icon SO MUCH.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 02:50 am (UTC)I had fun doing that pic...oh the nakama, they are all just too adorable together! ^_^
no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 12:33 am (UTC)I wish I knew what else to say. Kitties should never get sick. :(
no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 12:39 am (UTC)Ptolemy is snuggling on the couch with me right now. He's such a sweet cat.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 12:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 12:48 am (UTC)If you want/need to postpone our rendezvous on Sunday, just say the word.
Hugs and headrubs to the wee furball. ♥
no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 12:51 am (UTC)I hope we'll be able to get together as planned, but I will certainly let you know if things don't look good. (Honestly, he sleeps so much right now, I don't think he misses me if I'm only gone for the day...)
I hope your little Phoebe is well as always!
no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 01:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 03:24 am (UTC)hopefully he'll enjoy the rest of his time <3
no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 03:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 04:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 04:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 11:13 am (UTC)