linda and guinness
Member Since 2009
Well, I had a nice, long discussion with the Dr. Burke, the Veterinarian Oncologist at Veterinary Specialty Hospital here in San Diego. He had some answers to my questions and couldn't answer others. Basically, my options are radioactive therapy (not true SRT, but just a regular 16 time course of radiation to shrink the tumor) or Radiation Therapy that involves using a "radioactive knife". He explained that this is something that is done at a human facility and would be a 3 time course. That "knife" therapy costs upwards of $5,800 and he was just guessing at the cost since he would have to find out from the facility where it would be done and the other 16 course treatment would be double that cost. I did ask if he would like to use Guinness for a research paper or study, but he just kind of laughed me off 
He has treated exactly 4 cats with acro...I think all have done the 16 course Radiation treatment and it sounded like none had lived 2 years after the procedure, but that they died of some other endocrinological disease. No answer as to why he may have gone OTJ in the first place and no answers on how to manage his diabetes if I don't (which I won't be) use the radiation courses of therapy. He did refer me to an internal medicine intern who is familiar with diabetes, but didn't know if they were experienced with the diabetes/acro combo cat. So, I'm emailing the internist to find out if he has any experience in this area and will go from there. Lastly, he didn't think that Guinness' enlarged heart was acro related since it didn't have a murmur. Just a big-hearted kitty.
So that's where we are at. Wait. Treat as usual and wait.
PMPS 273, still trying to come down slowly after our skipped shot bonanza.
He has treated exactly 4 cats with acro...I think all have done the 16 course Radiation treatment and it sounded like none had lived 2 years after the procedure, but that they died of some other endocrinological disease. No answer as to why he may have gone OTJ in the first place and no answers on how to manage his diabetes if I don't (which I won't be) use the radiation courses of therapy. He did refer me to an internal medicine intern who is familiar with diabetes, but didn't know if they were experienced with the diabetes/acro combo cat. So, I'm emailing the internist to find out if he has any experience in this area and will go from there. Lastly, he didn't think that Guinness' enlarged heart was acro related since it didn't have a murmur. Just a big-hearted kitty.
So that's where we are at. Wait. Treat as usual and wait.
PMPS 273, still trying to come down slowly after our skipped shot bonanza.
