Leo’s Neutered Cancelled!

[skunklionshow]

Leo’s neuter was scheduled for today.  I was all prepared.  We bought his favorite veggies, had critical care on hand, and baby food.  Well we had to take Max, our cat, in for an emergency visit.  He was sneezing blood out of one nostril.  Well after $400 we were told that he may have cancer.  We followed up w/ the regular vet today and he stated that he’s not comfortable w/ diagnosing cancer.  He’d rather get bloodwork & urinalysis completed.  So we ended up spending about another $200 today, that was w/ all Phoebe’s regular blood sugar checks and dental exam.  $600 later, we should get Max’s test results by Weds.  He had to get fluids tonight as well.  I think Leo was secretly pleased that he has avoided the knife again! 

Oddly enough…the last time I scheduled Leo’s neuter, I believe during the summer, Max had declawed a rear claw and required a partial toe-ectomy (I don’t think that’s the real medical term).  B/c I had to deal w/ that unplanned surgery, I didn’t have the money for the neuter and had to put it on the back burner.  Now I was all set and bam another Max emergency.  I’m starting to think that he’s purposely trying to thwart Leo’s neuter.  Maybe he’s still traumatized from his own neuter, nearly 13 years ago!!!!!

[JK]

Sounds like they are definitely in kahutz (sp?) together! Oh I’m sorry about Max. That’s really awful news. Hey I know how those vet bills can get out of control fast! Our dog had to have knee surgery last year at the tune of $3,000! That was a shocker! It was either do the surgery or eventually she wouldn’t be able to walk. I feel your pain. It’s interesting our local humane society just last weekend had a free spay/neuter clinic for rabbits! They will continue to do it for free depending on the response. You might check around your area for low cost neutering. I would not put the neuter off, if at all possible. Good luck with Max.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Oh dear, I do hope Max will be O.K. and I think this is Max’s was of telling Leo, stick we me kid and you’ll keep your berries!   Keep saving up for the neuter, it will happen eventually.

[Beka27]

oh no!  poor Max!  i really hope it’s not cancer, that’d be horrible!

Leo can wait (i’m sure he’s thrilled!), take care of your poor kitty…

[Deleted User]

I hope Max will be ok. I can relate to the delayed neutering. My boyfriend and I got together with multiple pets that were all the same age and getting on in years. So as you can imagine, the past 6 years has been one age related crisis after another and the one that had the most severe crisis got to the vets.

This friday we have scheduled Shadow for neutering and our 6 year old cat Sammy, is just recovering from another bout of chronic urinary track issues and had to be flushed out again which save him from the snip last month.

[KatnipCrzy]

I hope it is not cancer.  I will keep my fingers crossed.

(Sounds like a conspiracy between the bunny and the cat though)

Julie

[BinkyBunny]

Oh my. I sure hope your cat will be okay. Keep us updated. Sending healing vibes!

[Gravehearted]

ooo my how scary! I really hope Max will be ok. Did the vet refer you to an oncologist?
sending lots of love to Max and get well wished

[Lisa_43]

I hope all goes well for your cat, crossing my fingers for him.

[babybunsmum]

poor kitty!  what a noble cat to throw himself in the way of max’s neuter yet again.  hope he’s okay.  (((healing vibes)))

[KatnipCrzy]

My first dog that I lost was diagnosed with a tumor in her nasal passages (mast cell tumor).  One of the things they recommended to try to help the bleeding was to increase the humidity in the house.  Her nose started bleeding after the heat was turned on for the winter- we have forced air heat.  Pets can be like humans and the dry air can be harse and drying on their nasal passages. (They believe that is what started to tumor to bleed.  She had a funny reverse sneeze a couple of weeks before hand).

Maybe this is something that might make your kitty more comfortable. :

[MooBunnay]

I’m sorry to hear your kitty isn’t feeling well With my 7 bunnies – I’m quite nervous about the days coming up when all of my bunnies will have competing health issues! I hope that everything turns out OK with your kitty, and I’m sure Leo is having a mini party in his cage about the neutering, haha.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Vibes for your kitty

a little note: our dog was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, and we were told that they didn’t go chemo/radiation on animals. Well actually that’s not true. And we had our dog sent (after a new vet and second opinion) for radiation, one province over. She wouldn’t have lived another month, it’s been one year and half with no reoccuring symptoms….so if it *is* cancer, you could look into potential treatment

[kimberleyanddarren]

i have called up round here to find where there is a rabbit vet who does neuters and the prices i got were 30 pounds so it wasnt to bad i was thinking more along the lines of 130!

[Scarlet_Rose]

That’s great!

[skunklionshow]

Antech, the biomed analysis company, ruined the Max’s blood sample during delivery to the lab.  I had to go back in for another blood draw.  Max was not a happy cat.  Long & the short….It’s NOT cancer!!!!  My vet did think he’s heart looked a little off in the xray and the blood pressure checked showed a slight anomoly in the right chamber.  So Max gets an Echocardiogram on Tuesday.  In the meantime he’s being treated for allergies & asthma, he’s also on an antibiotic.  Needless to say, Leo was totally ok w/ not having his nongos chopped! 

I should be getting my next student loan check soon.  As soon as I do, I will schedule Leo’s neuter.  Since we have learned our lesson w/ letting the pets know about our plans…this time we’re NOT telling anyone

[KatnipCrzy]

Good news for Max!!  Unfortunately sometimes when the samples are shipped to the lab- depending on how they are sent- the pressurized tubes can break in transit.  But sometimes I am convinced the people that work at Antech are retarded and are only allowed to apply after failing to be able to work in a fast food joint.    We only say that when we are really disgusted with them. 

Julie

[skunklionshow]

Glad you could clarify the antech issue for me…I just didn’t understand how that happened.  How was your dog’s nasal tumor diagnosed?  The vet stated that we could get a rhinoscopy, but its very expensive, and he said may discover nothing at all.  Did you do the rhinoscopy for your dog or did you try a CT, x ray, or something else.  I’m just curious.  We are trying to plan for the long term for him and to get whatever important diagnostics we may need. 

PS I love Hollad MI.  We went there several times for vacation when I was little, back in the ’70’s.  I have very fond memories of the windmills, wooden clogs, and tulips.  I bet its cold now.  Philly just got hit w/ its big snowstorm of the winter.  We got about 3″ and as usual, it crippled the city!  This is a city that doesn’t own a single plow!

[KatnipCrzy]

**warning- sad story—

 

We had a rhinoscopy done on her- they looked up thru the nose- could not see it- so they then used the scope to look at her sinus cavity by going thru her mouth- and they were able to get the the flexible scope to look at her sinus cavity that way- and there is where they saw the tumor- the biopsied a small piece of it and sent it to Antech.  It was pretty horrible trying to get the bleeding to stop- it was bleeding alot before they took a sample- and after we picked her up from surgery was disgusting.  She sneezed a couple of big clots.  We had to sedate her to keep her as calm and quiet as possible to keep her from bleeding.  We tried crating her- but that only stressed her more as she had not been crated at home for over 12 years.  We finally just layed out layers of blankets and towels on the couch and on the bed- where she wanted to be.  We had quite a bit of blood on our painted walls, etc.  And her nose finally DID stop bleeding- in about 24 hours.  We increased the humidity as the referral vet that did the procedure that saw the tumor recommended.

We got the biopsy report from Antech that let us know that it was a Grade 2 mast cell tumor- and radiation +/- chemo could help- but would not cure.  The vet at work that I am friends with told me the news- and helped me to make the next decisions.  Mast cell tumors are not terribly common in the sinus for dogs- but she had seen a dog on her Internship that had radiation to that area- and the radiation burned/irritated the dogs throat and they had a horrible time getting the dog to eat.  The dog was miserable and painful.  I knew our dog would never cope well with that- so we put her on steroids, antihistamines and pills to protect her stomach from the high dose of twice daily steroids.  We also consulted a veterinary oncologist that recommended a bunch of other herbal stuff that she really believed helped- milk thistle to protect liver from steroids, Vitamin E, large doses of fish oil, some mushroom (shootake/mitake?) pills, and some premixed herbal supplement directly from her to put on the food (The main bottle was in Chinese).  There were more pills to that I do not even remember- I had a list to get her food ready morning and night.  She lived for 5 more months.  She slowed down- but still had a good quality of life.  I was even able to get a new puppy- so my new puppy got to know Hershey.  And I really believe in all my heart that Hershey told Skye everything she needed to know and told her to take care of her Mom as she would no longer be able to soon.  Hershey generally disliked puppies- but Skye acted appropriately around her- she knew she was “sick” and Hershey knew too.

Then 5 months after she was diagnosed- I happened to reach down to pet her and felt something in her fur on the back of her neck.  To my sorrow- when I looked further she had 3 angry ulcerated lesions on her neck and shoulders that were bleeding/crusty.  I knew at that moment that they next morning I would be taking her in to the vet and saying good bye.  The next morning my husband and I bought cheeseburgers from Steak and Shake (only place to get at 9am) and took her to a park by where we used to live in the city.  We let her off lead and let her chase a couple of squirrels and fed her cheeseburgers.  We saved one cheeseburger for when we took her to the clinic- and the doctor let us know when to give her the last bites and she died happy eating a cheeseburger (not a common treat for her).

I do not regret for an instance not pursuing radiation- Hershey would not have done will with it at all- even my vet that pet sat for her sometimes agreed.  I am happy that the months we had with her were good months- even though I cried alot. 

If her nose had not started bleeding I never would have know she had a tumor there.  I had mentioned a funny reverse kinda sneeze to my vet.  But the only way to find the tumor was thru anesthesia and rhinoscopy- which I would not have done for an otherwise normal 14 year old dog.  So in a way the bleeding was a blessing- even though it was a trial- it let me know that my time with her was limited.  And that really was a gift.  even though I have not been able to eat at Steak and Shake again and it has been almost 2 years.

Julie

 

[Scarlet_Rose]

Wow that is sad, you had me quite teery eyed reading that.  But thank you for sharing with us, it does help us be aware if it ever happens to us or someone we know, we know what to do and what to expect.

[KatnipCrzy]

Yes, it is freezing cold in Holland and we have tons of snow- so much that the city has to pick up some of the snow from the high snowbanks and truck it out of here to make room for the stuff that has not even fallen yet.

Tulip Time is such a huge deal here in May.  For about a week and a half we have about an extra 100,000 extra people of so in the area.  All of the locals know to avoid the downtown area then.  It was fun when I lived in the city and I would like my bike or rollerblade downtown- but you can only see so many parades, etc.  They have 3 parades every year- different days.  Entertainment- sometimes people at the begining of their fame- Christina Aguilara, and then those towards the end Oakridge Boys, etc…

The main attraction for me now is the carnival food, LOL.  I am a sucker for the fresh lemonade and an elephant ear.

Julie

[skunklionshow]

Thank you so much for sharing Julie.  I’m not sure if we will be doing the rhinoscopy or not.  For the price of the rhinoscopy we could do the echo, head x-ray, and ultrasound.  I’m pleased to report that his nose has stopped bleeding.  He seems much better.  We spent about a thousand bucks, 2 years ago, for radioactive iodine tx for his thyroid.  I feel that that was the best money I ever spent for him.  Just like the several hundred bucks for Jessica’s spay.  Any more input/suggestions that you could provide for Max would be appreciated. 

I honestly love that you gave your dog cheeseburgers right up to the last minute.  What a great way to go….and I’m a vegetarian.

[Gravehearted]

I’m very glad to hear that Max’s nose has stopped bleeding he seems to be doing much better. Sending lots of healing his way…

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

That story was soo sad, thanks for the warning so I was prepared. Thanks for sharing it though!

[skunklionshow]

Max had his echocardiogram yesterday.  It was clear.  My regular vet is confident that Max will live a good healthy number of years!  He believes that the problem is allergies & asthma..Thank God!  I honestly wanted to go give several angry words to the vet that told me he likely had cancer.  I really had to hold back and not go up to her to say…”Well it’s not cancer, so maybe next time you should consult b/f you give such a major diagnosis”.  Though I am confident that my regular vet has already told her this.

PS Katnip…I LOVE Elephant ears!  That is definately a midwest carnival food thing.  You don’t have Elephant ears available out here like the midwest.

[KatnipCrzy]

Glad to hear the good news!

[Scarlet_Rose]

That’s such a relief to hear!

[babybunsmum]

yay for max!!!  what relief!  i hope that vet learned a valuable lesson about diagnosis. 

julie… thanks for sharing that story.  and for the warning first…  i let a few tears go reading it.  such a sweet idea to pickup some cheeseburgers… you’re a super ‘mom’.

[skunklionshow]

Here’s a positive from Julie’s story.  It made the hubby & I discuss how we would prepare for a potential, way in the future, euthansia.  We decided that Phoebe would get bacon or pork roll and Max would get Pastrami.  We weren’t able to plan for Katie or Wolfy.  Our bunnies, well I can’t even imagine how they would want to go.

SSHHHHH….I just got my student loan refund check last night.  I scheduled Leo for a neuter & tooth trim 3/14.  Our cat Phoebe will be joining him for her dental/ teeth removal.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Your secret is safe..

[Gravehearted]

oo let’s hope this time all will go as planned!

[Author]

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