Aa
fibrosarcoma
My cat was diagnosed with a fibrosarcoma tumor last spring (the kind of tumor that is believed to be from vaccine injections). We decided not to do surgery becuase it was very invasive and did not have a high sucess rate. The tumor's size is now bigger than a plum, but smaller than a baseball. It is on her back, below her shoulderblade. In the last 2 days, I've noticed that it has begun to open slightly - as if she has been itching it or it is beginning to "pop" through (I haven't seen her itch it, but I am at work during the day). It is not an open would yet - is there anything that you know I can do to prevent it from becoming one? Is there any type of ointment I could but on it? I'm kind of lost on this. I know the vet said that if the tumor opens and becomes infected, she will need to be put asleep, but I want to put that off as long as possible since she still really enjoys life. Thanks for your help.
The only thing that helps with scabbing is Vaseline or a similar safe substance. Otherwise...you can ask the vet if antibiotics is safe to prevent infection, but it would only be a matter of putting off for a few weeks what's going to happen eventually if it's opening.
I'm sorry to hear your kitty is going through this, these types of tumours are frustrating to deal with, coming from a well meant shot.
I'm sorry to hear your kitty is going through this, these types of tumours are frustrating to deal with, coming from a well meant shot.
Why isn't there a class action suit against the pharmaceutical companies for the FLV?
thank you for your post...I am sorry to read of your kitty and all the others suffering from these sarcomas. unfortunately most Vets refuse to believe they are caused by the Vacs.....only time and evidence will change their minds on this.
I hope your kitty continues to do well for as long as possible, keep in mind quality of life over quantity tho please, your kitty will need medications to help with the pain...to help her thru this journey
Bless you for being a wonderful caring kitty parent....I hope you get to spend some a few pain free quality months together before having to say that final goodbye....♥
I hope your kitty continues to do well for as long as possible, keep in mind quality of life over quantity tho please, your kitty will need medications to help with the pain...to help her thru this journey
Bless you for being a wonderful caring kitty parent....I hope you get to spend some a few pain free quality months together before having to say that final goodbye....♥
Also wanted to add that my Lily is doing fairly well even though I have decided no more surgery. She is eating and seems very affectionate, most of the time.
Also, if you do have a surgery for your cat, get a large soft crate so they are not free to roam after surgery. My vet did not tell me to contain my cat and she feel and strained her leg for a while. The meds were too strong and made her slip off the bed. My vet always seems to over medicate. Try half the dose for your cat and it will still probably be too strong.
Last of all, the vet at the VSC in Maryland charges 7500. for the surgery and the radiation. They are out of their minds. Robbing people when in need. One month of vet visits in the middle of the day when you need to work to earn the money to have the procedure done, and the vet is one hour from my house. You leave your cat with them in the morning and pick up at the end of the day. Is the vet out of his mind?????? Yes!. Rotten VSC. My vet charged me only three hundred dollars for each surgery, which has help give my cat and I some time together for over a year. Thank God for her. She is a mobile vet and did the surgeries here at my home in her mobile unit. Then my cat came home with me so I could watch over her. No fear of her dying at the vet as no one was looking out for her. So good to be with her when she was hurting and in need.
Also, if you do have a surgery for your cat, get a large soft crate so they are not free to roam after surgery. My vet did not tell me to contain my cat and she feel and strained her leg for a while. The meds were too strong and made her slip off the bed. My vet always seems to over medicate. Try half the dose for your cat and it will still probably be too strong.
Last of all, the vet at the VSC in Maryland charges 7500. for the surgery and the radiation. They are out of their minds. Robbing people when in need. One month of vet visits in the middle of the day when you need to work to earn the money to have the procedure done, and the vet is one hour from my house. You leave your cat with them in the morning and pick up at the end of the day. Is the vet out of his mind?????? Yes!. Rotten VSC. My vet charged me only three hundred dollars for each surgery, which has help give my cat and I some time together for over a year. Thank God for her. She is a mobile vet and did the surgeries here at my home in her mobile unit. Then my cat came home with me so I could watch over her. No fear of her dying at the vet as no one was looking out for her. So good to be with her when she was hurting and in need.
Yes, only a rotten vet would use a vaccine that would harm a cat. I am so sorry and experiencing the same anguish over my cats sarcoma. Three surgeries four months apart each and finally do not want to put her through that any longer.
Just a note, if your cat has a sarcoma that is opening up in the skin, the area can easily be removed to stop the weeping. Deeper sarcomas are more complicated and grow into vital tissue that a vet can not cut.
Be patient with your cat and don't jump to putting them to sleep unless they have stopped eating. Sometimes these growth have a difficult time growing and grow more slowly. Only you know your pet but try to be patient with your cat and see how they do. Good wet food nutrition (no from a foreign country) is good for you cat to hydrate them. Always give fresh spring water to drink.
Just a note, if your cat has a sarcoma that is opening up in the skin, the area can easily be removed to stop the weeping. Deeper sarcomas are more complicated and grow into vital tissue that a vet can not cut.
Be patient with your cat and don't jump to putting them to sleep unless they have stopped eating. Sometimes these growth have a difficult time growing and grow more slowly. Only you know your pet but try to be patient with your cat and see how they do. Good wet food nutrition (no from a foreign country) is good for you cat to hydrate them. Always give fresh spring water to drink.
Yes, only a rotten vet would use a vaccine that would harm a cat. I am so sorry and experiencing the same anguish over my cats sarcoma. Three surgeries four months apart each and finally do not want to put her through that any longer.
Just a note, if your cat has a sarcoma that is opening up in the skin, the area can easily be removed to stop the weeping. Deeper sarcomas are more complicated and grow into vital tissue that a vet can not cut.
Be patient with your cat and don't jump to putting them to sleep unless they have stopped eating. Sometimes these growth have a difficult time growing and grow more slowly. Only you know your pet but try to be patient with your cat and see how they do. Good wet food nutrition (no from a foreign country) is good for you cat to hydrate them. Always give fresh spring water to drink.
Just a note, if your cat has a sarcoma that is opening up in the skin, the area can easily be removed to stop the weeping. Deeper sarcomas are more complicated and grow into vital tissue that a vet can not cut.
Be patient with your cat and don't jump to putting them to sleep unless they have stopped eating. Sometimes these growth have a difficult time growing and grow more slowly. Only you know your pet but try to be patient with your cat and see how they do. Good wet food nutrition (no from a foreign country) is good for you cat to hydrate them. Always give fresh spring water to drink.
Not sure what you decided to do...but hope that your kitty is doing better and that you consulted with an oncologist which is what I did with my 15 yr old cat...who had been diagnosed with fibrosarcoma. My kitty had the surgery at the Animal Medical Center in NYC, and fortunately they were able to get clear margins. I decided against follow-up treatment of any kind (chemo/radiation) and here we are 16 months post-op and she is still doing well, with no reoccurrence (paws crossed, prayers said every day)!!!
Biopsies are usually necessary to determine the nature and extent of the disease.
From the Mayo Clinic website:
Myth: A needle biopsy can disturb cancer cells, causing them to travel to other parts of the body
Truth: For most types of cancer, there's no conclusive evidence that needle biopsy — a procedure used to diagnose many types of cancer — causes cancer cells to spread.
She is still playful, happy, sweet as ever....
I wish you well!
Biopsies are usually necessary to determine the nature and extent of the disease.
From the Mayo Clinic website:
Myth: A needle biopsy can disturb cancer cells, causing them to travel to other parts of the body
Truth: For most types of cancer, there's no conclusive evidence that needle biopsy — a procedure used to diagnose many types of cancer — causes cancer cells to spread.
She is still playful, happy, sweet as ever....
I wish you well!
I recently found this thread and thought I'd throw my story into the mix.
I first noticed a lump on Piper's chest around October 2014. I thought, mistakenly, that it as a cyst and let it go. It got gradually bigger, then appeared smaller, then bigger. I got concerned last month that it had grown so much and took her in to see the vet, coincidentally on her 7th birthday. He did a FNA, thinking that it was a mast cell tumor. He couldn't get a definite diagnosis so sent it off to a pathologist. A few days later, I got the call that it was not a mast cell tumor but fibrosarcoma. The vet said in order to get a better picture of how far advanced the cancer was, he would need to do a biopsy and then he could remove the tumor was large margins. He did tell me that there was a chance of occurrence but didn't go into specifics.
After doing my own research about both biopsies and the tumor excision surgery, I decided against both. Beyond being far beyond my financial means (both the biopsy and excision would be close to $2000, just the excision was $1400), I didn't want to put Piper through such a grueling surgery only for the cancer to likely come back weeks or months later. Had it been a situation where one surgery would have cured her completely, I would have been much more open to pursuing that route.
So I decided to keep her comfortable as long as I could. This week, less than a month after diagnosis, the tumor ulcerated. I called the vet and they said it was either truly ulcerated OR the FNA had introduced bacteria and was now infected. I cleaned the tumor site for a few days after the FNA to avoid this and it was fine for weeks so I'm not sure if it's infection or ulceration. For now, she is getting antibiotic ointment. The tumor continues to get bigger and is almost completely hairless now. It still is not super huge, maybe the size of a large grape but even in the past 3 weeks, it has grown.
Piper doesn't seem to know that she has anything wrong with her. She is just as energetic and vocal as ever (she's a tortie with Siamese somewhere in there--she is LOUD). Her appetite has decreased only slightly and that could be due to switching her immediately to grain free food. She has started hanging out under the couch, which is unusual as she is usually a 'tree dweller'. But to anyone besides me, she would seem to be acting completely normal.
I know that I won't hang on to her for too long. I'm a full time pet care provider and have seen many of my clients hang on to their animals beyond the point of it being humane. I don't judge them at all--I realize how incredibly hard it is to say goodbye. Rather, I'm afraid that I will let her go too soon. Even now it's hard to reconcile the fact that she is terminally ill with the fact that she is still bright eyed and busy tailed for the most part. I'm afraid that I will say good bye too early when she might have had another good week or month in her. On one hand, I will save her from any suffering but on the other hand, I'm robbing her of that extra week/month. I'll be out of the country for two weeks in October and if she's still with us, I'll be terrified that something will happen while I'm gone and she'll die without me by her side. Although from reading everyone's stories and the way things have progressed in the past 3 weeks since diagnosis, I don't even know if she'll be here come end of summer.
I've emailed my vet to get more information about a home visit for when it's her time to go. If I can avoid it at all, I'd like her to not be at the vet's office. I want her to die at home, in familiar environment. I hope that it will also help my 3 other cats understand that she isn't coming back if they are able to be there, rather than just whisk her away in a carrier never to be seen again.
Because of the tumor site and the fact that Piper hasn't had any vaccinations since she was two years old, I don't believe it is vaccine related. She was a failed foster who I took in when she and her siblings were 12 weeks old so I emailed the woman who has her sisters and told her what was happening. I hope that Piper's sisters don't meet the same fate. I have 3 other cats and am keeping any eye out for any strange lumps or bumps. I'm not sure if the outcome would have been different had I taken Piper in when I first noticed the lump but I feel terrible that I dismissed it as a cyst.
I got a lot of great information out of this thread, thank you to everyone who shared their story. It's so unfortunate that we have to make the hardest decision for our pet, but please remember to cherish the time you have with them and keep their best interests at the forefront.
I first noticed a lump on Piper's chest around October 2014. I thought, mistakenly, that it as a cyst and let it go. It got gradually bigger, then appeared smaller, then bigger. I got concerned last month that it had grown so much and took her in to see the vet, coincidentally on her 7th birthday. He did a FNA, thinking that it was a mast cell tumor. He couldn't get a definite diagnosis so sent it off to a pathologist. A few days later, I got the call that it was not a mast cell tumor but fibrosarcoma. The vet said in order to get a better picture of how far advanced the cancer was, he would need to do a biopsy and then he could remove the tumor was large margins. He did tell me that there was a chance of occurrence but didn't go into specifics.
After doing my own research about both biopsies and the tumor excision surgery, I decided against both. Beyond being far beyond my financial means (both the biopsy and excision would be close to $2000, just the excision was $1400), I didn't want to put Piper through such a grueling surgery only for the cancer to likely come back weeks or months later. Had it been a situation where one surgery would have cured her completely, I would have been much more open to pursuing that route.
So I decided to keep her comfortable as long as I could. This week, less than a month after diagnosis, the tumor ulcerated. I called the vet and they said it was either truly ulcerated OR the FNA had introduced bacteria and was now infected. I cleaned the tumor site for a few days after the FNA to avoid this and it was fine for weeks so I'm not sure if it's infection or ulceration. For now, she is getting antibiotic ointment. The tumor continues to get bigger and is almost completely hairless now. It still is not super huge, maybe the size of a large grape but even in the past 3 weeks, it has grown.
Piper doesn't seem to know that she has anything wrong with her. She is just as energetic and vocal as ever (she's a tortie with Siamese somewhere in there--she is LOUD). Her appetite has decreased only slightly and that could be due to switching her immediately to grain free food. She has started hanging out under the couch, which is unusual as she is usually a 'tree dweller'. But to anyone besides me, she would seem to be acting completely normal.
I know that I won't hang on to her for too long. I'm a full time pet care provider and have seen many of my clients hang on to their animals beyond the point of it being humane. I don't judge them at all--I realize how incredibly hard it is to say goodbye. Rather, I'm afraid that I will let her go too soon. Even now it's hard to reconcile the fact that she is terminally ill with the fact that she is still bright eyed and busy tailed for the most part. I'm afraid that I will say good bye too early when she might have had another good week or month in her. On one hand, I will save her from any suffering but on the other hand, I'm robbing her of that extra week/month. I'll be out of the country for two weeks in October and if she's still with us, I'll be terrified that something will happen while I'm gone and she'll die without me by her side. Although from reading everyone's stories and the way things have progressed in the past 3 weeks since diagnosis, I don't even know if she'll be here come end of summer.
I've emailed my vet to get more information about a home visit for when it's her time to go. If I can avoid it at all, I'd like her to not be at the vet's office. I want her to die at home, in familiar environment. I hope that it will also help my 3 other cats understand that she isn't coming back if they are able to be there, rather than just whisk her away in a carrier never to be seen again.
Because of the tumor site and the fact that Piper hasn't had any vaccinations since she was two years old, I don't believe it is vaccine related. She was a failed foster who I took in when she and her siblings were 12 weeks old so I emailed the woman who has her sisters and told her what was happening. I hope that Piper's sisters don't meet the same fate. I have 3 other cats and am keeping any eye out for any strange lumps or bumps. I'm not sure if the outcome would have been different had I taken Piper in when I first noticed the lump but I feel terrible that I dismissed it as a cyst.
I got a lot of great information out of this thread, thank you to everyone who shared their story. It's so unfortunate that we have to make the hardest decision for our pet, but please remember to cherish the time you have with them and keep their best interests at the forefront.
Thank you so much for your prayers and feedback, I wish I had seen your reply sooner! I had no idea biopsies caused spreading, but I really trust my vet so I let him go through with it on my baby. The pathologist report came back as a fibrosarcoma as he had feared. The report said the kind of fibrosarcoma is associated with vaccines, although the vet said that is not necessarily what caused it. Kitty hasn't been vaccinated in years but apparently the tumors can show up years later. His thoughts about treatment seemed to be aligned with yours, he says treatment can be hard on the cat and said if I did surgery it would have to be done wide and deep. I'm not sure if I would be able to live with myself if Kitty didn't make it through surgery. Anyway, Vet advised I see a cancer specialist.The Veterinary Cancer Group in Los Angeles seems like the best option. It got some rave reviews on yelp but also some scary ones! I am also not prepared financially to spend the thousands of dollars that seems to be necessary for treatment, but I would sell my car to save my cat if it was possible! I have an appointment on Friday so hopefully I will get a lot more answers and some type of hope. My vet did say it's possible it could be slow growing tumor, in which case it may not necessarily be what she loses her life to. Thank you so much and if you happen to know any renowned places besides The Veterinary Cancer Group in the Los Angeles/Southern California area, or any other tips I'd really appreciate it!
hi fibrosarcomas can be NON vaccine related....they are tumors which can develop anywhere, not necessarily cancerous.
You have to go with what your gut tells you, but good for you for looking for answers...everywhere!!!
We are not Vets here only pet parents. I will give you my opinion only...IF it is cancer by doing a biopsy this will cause it to 'seed' out/spread. And if you find out it is cancer are you prepared to put her through surgery to remove this tumor?
Since your kitty is 17 years old, thats a very advanced age to go though the trauma of surgery and possible chemo. it would be like an 80+ year old human having this treatment.
Some cats do very well with all that, but if it is malignant and she does have the surgery to remove it, that likely still only gives her a prognosis of another year to 18 months.
She can be kept comfortable and still do relatively well for abt the same length of time even without drastic measures...but again that is just my own opinion.
good luck and please keep us informed....sending some prayers for her.♥
You have to go with what your gut tells you, but good for you for looking for answers...everywhere!!!
We are not Vets here only pet parents. I will give you my opinion only...IF it is cancer by doing a biopsy this will cause it to 'seed' out/spread. And if you find out it is cancer are you prepared to put her through surgery to remove this tumor?
Since your kitty is 17 years old, thats a very advanced age to go though the trauma of surgery and possible chemo. it would be like an 80+ year old human having this treatment.
Some cats do very well with all that, but if it is malignant and she does have the surgery to remove it, that likely still only gives her a prognosis of another year to 18 months.
She can be kept comfortable and still do relatively well for abt the same length of time even without drastic measures...but again that is just my own opinion.
good luck and please keep us informed....sending some prayers for her.♥
Hi,
I'm so confused, my nearly 17 year old cat has a lump. The Vet was not able to determine if it was cancer looking at a sample he took so he sent it to a pathologist who could not tell if it was reactive cells (could be from another cat or getting punctured by some type of animal) or fibrosarcoma which looks similar. The Vet says he thinks it's fibrosarcoma since she doesn't go outside. He says I will need to get a biopsy to find out for sure. Did anyone get this diagnosis not due to a vaccine? Also did anyone do treatment on a cat around 17 years old or older?
I'm so confused, my nearly 17 year old cat has a lump. The Vet was not able to determine if it was cancer looking at a sample he took so he sent it to a pathologist who could not tell if it was reactive cells (could be from another cat or getting punctured by some type of animal) or fibrosarcoma which looks similar. The Vet says he thinks it's fibrosarcoma since she doesn't go outside. He says I will need to get a biopsy to find out for sure. Did anyone get this diagnosis not due to a vaccine? Also did anyone do treatment on a cat around 17 years old or older?
2 Comments
My cats (13 years old) fibrosarcoma was caused from the leukemia vaccine. We found it when it was the size of a pea and had it removed. It has since come back and have decided to just let it be and let him enjoy the rest of his life. It's now the size of a walnut and not bugging him yet. On the other hand, my sisters cat (6 years old, and my cats son) had the same thing but she found it much later. She had it removed and it came back with a vengeance, we tried treating him with radiation but unfortunately it was too late and be had to euthanize him :(
I should add that my cats tumor didn't reappear after its removal until about a year later. And when it was first removed, the surgeon said he had 3mm of clear margins around it, but it still came back :(
sorry I'm so late commenting on your post, its been a busy week. I am so sorry to read about dear little Milo and just before Christmas, that must have been a sad Christmas for you without him
its so hard to say goodbyes, never be ashamed of the tears...these babies have been our little loving companions by our sides for along time and its only natural to grieve their passing
I'm happy you still have Simon to love and keep you company, yes he is missing Milo too:( you both can grieve together still. you are right, you are fortunate to have one another at this time.
Milo had a long wonderful happy life with a loving mommy, yes he was your baby!!! he'll always be with you in spirit and in your heart forever.
RIP little Milo♥ and (((hugs))) to your sad mommy
its so hard to say goodbyes, never be ashamed of the tears...these babies have been our little loving companions by our sides for along time and its only natural to grieve their passing
I'm happy you still have Simon to love and keep you company, yes he is missing Milo too:( you both can grieve together still. you are right, you are fortunate to have one another at this time.
Milo had a long wonderful happy life with a loving mommy, yes he was your baby!!! he'll always be with you in spirit and in your heart forever.
RIP little Milo♥ and (((hugs))) to your sad mommy
Hi Opus88,
I haven't been on here since I posted back in October about my baby Milo, who unfortunately I had to let go just 2 days before Christmas.
Thank you for your kind words back then, and I just wanted to give you the update. (which of course with fibrosarcoma is never good in the end).
We went to the vet within a few days of my finding his new tumours and they did X-rays and felt the tumours were outside the abdominal cavity and very easily removed.
1 week later he was in surgery, but unfortunately they found a new intra-abdominal lump the size of an egg (that wasn't there the previous week), and they closed him up without removing the tumours.
Toughest day of my life, prior to the day I had to say good-bye.
The guilt I had for putting him through a surgery that essentially was just a waste and something extra he had to go through when he was already terminal was something I had a hard time getting over.
But we had almost 2 months together after that and he was spoiled beyond belief in that time frame :) (He was always spoiled....but it was all wet food all the time, and hours spent playing in the backyard and doing anything he wanted).
He was 15, he had a very good, very long life and I know he loved me so much and he was my baby. We were both so lucky to have each other and now his brother and I must go on without him and it's very tough for both of us. His brother Simon has become a huge sweetheart, whereas before he was never much of a cuddly cat. But he misses his brother and is lonely now, so it's nice to have Simon's companionship. It's been healing for both of us to be together and grieving together.
It's been 3.5 months since I said good-bye, but as I'm writing this I'm bawling my eyes out. I haven't cried over him in a while.
Thanks again for your kind words, and thanks to this community for the support and the stories and knowing I wasn't going through this alone.
I haven't been on here since I posted back in October about my baby Milo, who unfortunately I had to let go just 2 days before Christmas.
Thank you for your kind words back then, and I just wanted to give you the update. (which of course with fibrosarcoma is never good in the end).
We went to the vet within a few days of my finding his new tumours and they did X-rays and felt the tumours were outside the abdominal cavity and very easily removed.
1 week later he was in surgery, but unfortunately they found a new intra-abdominal lump the size of an egg (that wasn't there the previous week), and they closed him up without removing the tumours.
Toughest day of my life, prior to the day I had to say good-bye.
The guilt I had for putting him through a surgery that essentially was just a waste and something extra he had to go through when he was already terminal was something I had a hard time getting over.
But we had almost 2 months together after that and he was spoiled beyond belief in that time frame :) (He was always spoiled....but it was all wet food all the time, and hours spent playing in the backyard and doing anything he wanted).
He was 15, he had a very good, very long life and I know he loved me so much and he was my baby. We were both so lucky to have each other and now his brother and I must go on without him and it's very tough for both of us. His brother Simon has become a huge sweetheart, whereas before he was never much of a cuddly cat. But he misses his brother and is lonely now, so it's nice to have Simon's companionship. It's been healing for both of us to be together and grieving together.
It's been 3.5 months since I said good-bye, but as I'm writing this I'm bawling my eyes out. I haven't cried over him in a while.
Thanks again for your kind words, and thanks to this community for the support and the stories and knowing I wasn't going through this alone.
Fergie is absolutely adorable......what a sweet little face and that tshirt just makes her look like a little baby doll doesn't it.
Strange you couldn't see any of mine, accept my friend invite that may work. Go to my profile page and they should show up:)
Thx for sharing Fergie with us
Strange you couldn't see any of mine, accept my friend invite that may work. Go to my profile page and they should show up:)
Thx for sharing Fergie with us
Hi Opus,
I added a photo of Fergie in a baby shirt. I made it as my profile photo.
I tried seeing your photo by going to your profile, but I was not able to see any photos of our kitty. : (
I added a photo of Fergie in a baby shirt. I made it as my profile photo.
I tried seeing your photo by going to your profile, but I was not able to see any photos of our kitty. : (
AWESOME news!!!! Good girl Tani, I'm so happy for her and for you too....not often we get good news under this thread, im just thrilled
You are so right, it takes a good oncology surgeon also a lot depends on location of tumor and of course how much it has seeded out before the surgery, means a thorough investigation and honest talk with surgeon before any decisions are made.
PLZ keep us all updated occasionally, it's such a help to many who come to this forum searching for help in their decision.....PLUS we want to know how little Tani is as well
Sending her our love and hugs....keep it up baby girl<3
You are so right, it takes a good oncology surgeon also a lot depends on location of tumor and of course how much it has seeded out before the surgery, means a thorough investigation and honest talk with surgeon before any decisions are made.
PLZ keep us all updated occasionally, it's such a help to many who come to this forum searching for help in their decision.....PLUS we want to know how little Tani is as well
Sending her our love and hugs....keep it up baby girl<3
Hi and thank your for reaching out. I have been wanting give an update on my Sweet Tani, and today is the perfect day. We are nearing one year since her surgery for removal of the fibro sarcoma on her back and just today we went for a check-up, with the oncologist at AMC....and got good
news. My fur-baby is doing well with no reoccurrence and we don't have to come back for 6 months. She's now 15 1/2 but still like a young cat, with lots of energy and spunk, still a good appetite, affectionate and playful. I am so happy that I listened to my heart and decided to go for a surgical removal of the tumor, and then no further treatment. Radiation was suggested at the time, but it would have meant a solid month of treatment 5 days a week and sedation each time. It was not an option. Perhaps it was excellent vet care combined with luck, but whatever it was, I urge anyone who is faced with the decision of what to do, to go to the best vet hospital and doctors you can find. Our local vets are really not prepared to deal with this and so if they offer to do the surgery, just say "thank you" and run as fast as you can to a certified oncologist and surgeon for your next step. If your child had a cancerous tumor would you want your family doctor to operate?
news. My fur-baby is doing well with no reoccurrence and we don't have to come back for 6 months. She's now 15 1/2 but still like a young cat, with lots of energy and spunk, still a good appetite, affectionate and playful. I am so happy that I listened to my heart and decided to go for a surgical removal of the tumor, and then no further treatment. Radiation was suggested at the time, but it would have meant a solid month of treatment 5 days a week and sedation each time. It was not an option. Perhaps it was excellent vet care combined with luck, but whatever it was, I urge anyone who is faced with the decision of what to do, to go to the best vet hospital and doctors you can find. Our local vets are really not prepared to deal with this and so if they offer to do the surgery, just say "thank you" and run as fast as you can to a certified oncologist and surgeon for your next step. If your child had a cancerous tumor would you want your family doctor to operate?
Oh thank you so very much for all your kind words, today they were especially welcome:)
Yes it's amazing how attached we can get, these kitties are so like our children, so dependant on us for love and care, I can imagine you certainly would feel even closer, more protective of one with a disability like Fergie had. She sounds like she was a sweet little darling.
We love them all but some we just connect/ bond with even more so. I too had that special kitty, his name was Opus, he was a Himalayan..you can see some photos if you go to my profile page. He's been gone nearly 10 years now though the pain is less he never is far from my mind. We struggled through many life changing events together.
I hope you will post some photos of little Fergie, I'd love to see some of her with her cute little t-shirts on
Sending you some (>^.^<) kitty hugs
Yes it's amazing how attached we can get, these kitties are so like our children, so dependant on us for love and care, I can imagine you certainly would feel even closer, more protective of one with a disability like Fergie had. She sounds like she was a sweet little darling.
We love them all but some we just connect/ bond with even more so. I too had that special kitty, his name was Opus, he was a Himalayan..you can see some photos if you go to my profile page. He's been gone nearly 10 years now though the pain is less he never is far from my mind. We struggled through many life changing events together.
I hope you will post some photos of little Fergie, I'd love to see some of her with her cute little t-shirts on
Sending you some (>^.^<) kitty hugs
Thank you, Opus. Your words are so comforting and healing.
It is amazing how much we get attached to our pets... Because of her disability, to me Fergie was like a little child I needed to protect. She was the love of my life and a source of my happiness. Now it feels like there is a huge hole in my heart, but I know, like you said, this will heal... I will hang in there and try to keep positive thoughts always.
I really appreciate for all the support you give to people on this forum. There are many websites which talk about fibrosarcoma, but this is the only place where you get the real stories and genuine support. It is very kind of you to offer so many comforting words and helpful advice to people who desperately need. During our cancer battle, I came here many many times and read your comments and other people's stories. Because of this forum, I think I was able to make the right decision for me and Fergie. Thank you.
"that t-shirt and liner pad idea was terrific, thx for sharing that with us."
Sure thing! I bought a whole bunch of baby shirts at Walmart with cute designs. They are only a few dollars a piece. I made some adjustment and put them on my girl. She looked so cute in those shirts!
Hugs to you and everyone who has or once had a special kitty in your life
It is amazing how much we get attached to our pets... Because of her disability, to me Fergie was like a little child I needed to protect. She was the love of my life and a source of my happiness. Now it feels like there is a huge hole in my heart, but I know, like you said, this will heal... I will hang in there and try to keep positive thoughts always.
I really appreciate for all the support you give to people on this forum. There are many websites which talk about fibrosarcoma, but this is the only place where you get the real stories and genuine support. It is very kind of you to offer so many comforting words and helpful advice to people who desperately need. During our cancer battle, I came here many many times and read your comments and other people's stories. Because of this forum, I think I was able to make the right decision for me and Fergie. Thank you.
"that t-shirt and liner pad idea was terrific, thx for sharing that with us."
Sure thing! I bought a whole bunch of baby shirts at Walmart with cute designs. They are only a few dollars a piece. I made some adjustment and put them on my girl. She looked so cute in those shirts!
Hugs to you and everyone who has or once had a special kitty in your life
well I'm glad this forum was a good support for you, I am just so saddened to read little Fergie has lost her battle.
all the love and care you gave her during her struggles and throughout her life is just awesome, she was a well loved kitty and I'm sure she knew it too.
saying our goodbyes and picking that 'just right' time for them isn't easy, we hate to let go too soon and in many cases perhaps hold on just a little too long. "Grief is the price we pay for love" heard that so many times and its so very true.
that t-shirt and liner pad idea was terrific, thx for sharing that with us.
time will heal, it doesn't feel like you'll ever feel better but you will....slowly. and yes her memory will always be strong in your heart no matter how much time has passed
RIP little Fergie♥
all the love and care you gave her during her struggles and throughout her life is just awesome, she was a well loved kitty and I'm sure she knew it too.
saying our goodbyes and picking that 'just right' time for them isn't easy, we hate to let go too soon and in many cases perhaps hold on just a little too long. "Grief is the price we pay for love" heard that so many times and its so very true.
that t-shirt and liner pad idea was terrific, thx for sharing that with us.
time will heal, it doesn't feel like you'll ever feel better but you will....slowly. and yes her memory will always be strong in your heart no matter how much time has passed
RIP little Fergie♥
Hi everyone. I first would like to say that this forum has been a huge support to me for the past nine months. THANK YOU all for sharing your personal stories and experiences. Now, I would like to share my story with everyone.
Little over a week ago, I lost my precious kitty, Fergie, to fibrosarcoma. I found a small lump on her back in April 2014, and my vet told me that it was fibrosarcoma. After researching about this cancer, reading many of your stories and a lot of crying (I cried for days), I decided against surgery. I did not want to put my kitty through so much pain from surgery just to have the tumor back in several months. Plus she was a very small cat (6lbs) with no sight (she was completely blind...) I decided that we would spend whatever time left by doing what she loved to do and simply enjoying being together at home as long as we could.
She did really well for the first six months or so. After her diagnosis, I immediately changed her food to grain-free + raw food diet based on my friend’s recommendation who also lost his dog to a cancer. I also started giving her anti-oxidant, cancer support supplement I found online. Although her tumor progressively got larger over time, she seemed to be in very good spirit with lots of appetite and energy. Since I work from home, we were able to spend lots of time together; I spoiled her so much by giving her favorite treats, playing outside together (yes, although she was blind, she liked going outside!), sleeping together, doing so many things together…!!
Around October 2014, her tumor started to bleed a bit. I freaked out since I read many stories on this forum about tumor opening and oozing out. I took her to the vet and got her anti-inflammatory medicine and pain killer. I also decided to put a little shirt on her which I made from baby clothes and put a thin feminine pad inside the shirt. This helped soak up the blood and mess from the tumor and keep her from licking or scratching. I made her more than 5 shirts with different designs so that she could feel clean and look cute during this tough time. It did help me feel better instead of looking at the ugly tumor. Plus she had no problem moving around in a shirt as it only covered her back. I changed the pad and shirt all the time. At this time, she was still very active and happy despite of the larger tumor.
Toward the end of the year 2014, she started to slow down little by little. She did not want to eat as much (she always had an amazing appetite for a 6lbs cat!) I had to hand feed her often, but when I did so, she did eat. She also started to hide in a remote spot like behind TV or corner of a room. But I told myself I would keep her around as long as she can eat and wants to go outside to play. This went on for a few months. Although she was not as active as she used to be and her tumor became very large, in my eyes she was still happy and had a quality of life.
In the middle of January 2015, she threw up all the food she ate. She never did this before. From that point, I could tell that she was going downhill quickly. She did not want to be pet, hardly moved (she was always in the same spot, just sitting still for hours) and lost so much appetite. Her tumor grew to three huge lumps that covered half of her back. They were getting so large that I was so scared for her. But she was still purring and showing me some degree of affection, which really confused me. I thought she wanted to live still and be with us… But at the same time, I could tell that she was in pain and feeling very sick. Her quality of life was diminishing so fast in front of my eyes. I talked to my vet about her condition, and she told me that these were signs of pain (not moving, doesn’t want to be pet). Although we tried another pain medication, Fergie was no longer happy and living like a lifeless sad animal. I did not want her to go through any more misery and stop the pain before it got too worse so I decided to let her go. It was the one of the hardest decisions I ever made in my life.
On January 24, Fergie was put to sleep peacefully at her own home, on her favorite sofa. I held her until the last moment. I told her that I loved her so much and she would always be my little princess. It was so hard (still is…) but I am relieved to know that she is no longer in pain. Although I greatly struggled to make a decision about non-surgery and euthanasia, I do not regret about my decisions at all. I am really glad that I was able to spend the wonderful last 9 months with Fergie by doing what she truly loved. I know that she knew she was truly being loved by her mommy and felt that every day. She is now in heaven free from pain. I miss her terribly and have been crying every day since she passed, but I know that I will meet her again in heaven. Until that day comes, I will always cherish our fun memory and keep smiling for her.
Little over a week ago, I lost my precious kitty, Fergie, to fibrosarcoma. I found a small lump on her back in April 2014, and my vet told me that it was fibrosarcoma. After researching about this cancer, reading many of your stories and a lot of crying (I cried for days), I decided against surgery. I did not want to put my kitty through so much pain from surgery just to have the tumor back in several months. Plus she was a very small cat (6lbs) with no sight (she was completely blind...) I decided that we would spend whatever time left by doing what she loved to do and simply enjoying being together at home as long as we could.
She did really well for the first six months or so. After her diagnosis, I immediately changed her food to grain-free + raw food diet based on my friend’s recommendation who also lost his dog to a cancer. I also started giving her anti-oxidant, cancer support supplement I found online. Although her tumor progressively got larger over time, she seemed to be in very good spirit with lots of appetite and energy. Since I work from home, we were able to spend lots of time together; I spoiled her so much by giving her favorite treats, playing outside together (yes, although she was blind, she liked going outside!), sleeping together, doing so many things together…!!
Around October 2014, her tumor started to bleed a bit. I freaked out since I read many stories on this forum about tumor opening and oozing out. I took her to the vet and got her anti-inflammatory medicine and pain killer. I also decided to put a little shirt on her which I made from baby clothes and put a thin feminine pad inside the shirt. This helped soak up the blood and mess from the tumor and keep her from licking or scratching. I made her more than 5 shirts with different designs so that she could feel clean and look cute during this tough time. It did help me feel better instead of looking at the ugly tumor. Plus she had no problem moving around in a shirt as it only covered her back. I changed the pad and shirt all the time. At this time, she was still very active and happy despite of the larger tumor.
Toward the end of the year 2014, she started to slow down little by little. She did not want to eat as much (she always had an amazing appetite for a 6lbs cat!) I had to hand feed her often, but when I did so, she did eat. She also started to hide in a remote spot like behind TV or corner of a room. But I told myself I would keep her around as long as she can eat and wants to go outside to play. This went on for a few months. Although she was not as active as she used to be and her tumor became very large, in my eyes she was still happy and had a quality of life.
In the middle of January 2015, she threw up all the food she ate. She never did this before. From that point, I could tell that she was going downhill quickly. She did not want to be pet, hardly moved (she was always in the same spot, just sitting still for hours) and lost so much appetite. Her tumor grew to three huge lumps that covered half of her back. They were getting so large that I was so scared for her. But she was still purring and showing me some degree of affection, which really confused me. I thought she wanted to live still and be with us… But at the same time, I could tell that she was in pain and feeling very sick. Her quality of life was diminishing so fast in front of my eyes. I talked to my vet about her condition, and she told me that these were signs of pain (not moving, doesn’t want to be pet). Although we tried another pain medication, Fergie was no longer happy and living like a lifeless sad animal. I did not want her to go through any more misery and stop the pain before it got too worse so I decided to let her go. It was the one of the hardest decisions I ever made in my life.
On January 24, Fergie was put to sleep peacefully at her own home, on her favorite sofa. I held her until the last moment. I told her that I loved her so much and she would always be my little princess. It was so hard (still is…) but I am relieved to know that she is no longer in pain. Although I greatly struggled to make a decision about non-surgery and euthanasia, I do not regret about my decisions at all. I am really glad that I was able to spend the wonderful last 9 months with Fergie by doing what she truly loved. I know that she knew she was truly being loved by her mommy and felt that every day. She is now in heaven free from pain. I miss her terribly and have been crying every day since she passed, but I know that I will meet her again in heaven. Until that day comes, I will always cherish our fun memory and keep smiling for her.
I lost my sweet kitty to Fibrosarcoma. He was shot up 4 times with the 3 n/1 rabies shot. He developed a hard pointy lump on his right rear leg when he was 10 years old. We took the lump out with wide margins. The biopsies came back clean only to have it grow back again in 4 months. We took out the second lump, and it grew back, so we amputated, only to lose him 7 weeks later to pneumonia. His body filled up with fluid, and we had to put him down. He lasted 7 months. Now it's 3 years later and my other black cat has a large lump on his right rear leg. X rays were taken and their is a very large lump that grew over night. Biopsy next week. I don't have a good feeling. I wish we could start a class action suit against the pharmaceutical companies that are selling this to the Vets. My Vet knew it caused cancer and never disclosed it. When I showed her the lump she said that's from the shot she gave him, it looks like cancer. I wanted to choke her that is how angry I am..Now a second cat is experiencing the same. I have two other cats that received the same shot am I going to lose them all to this? I am so heart-broken. Heidi
A year ago my cat, Asher was diagnosed with Fibrosarcoma and there isn't much info on the internet for us paw-parents. After the removal of his leg, I decided to make a Facebook page to help other animal lovers decide if surgery or chemo is the way to go. My page tells Asher's story from the day his leg was removed and up to his 1 year anniversary. Please check it out and pass the word of this page. Someone contact me from Australia and she said my page answered all of her questions. If I can help just one person, my goal was accomplished. So sorry for those going through this, but there is hope. www.************/Ashersstory
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