Experiences with IBD/GI Lymphoma & Diagnosis

[Anna & Leela]

Hi everyone! My cat Leela was diagnosed with diabetes after several months of taking prednisolone for IBD. Fortunately, she has been OTJ for almost a month now and it’s going well. She switched to budesonide following diabetes diagnosis and while it’s not impacting her BG, it’s not preventing vomiting or helping appetite like prednisolone did.

What I didn’t know at the time she was diagnosed with IBD is technically they only confirmed small bowel disease via ultrasound and then recommended IBD treatment. I didn’t it could actually be small cell lymphoma. We started prednisolone and tried prescription diet foods but these failed (hydrolyzed caused severe diarrhea and she rejected the novel protein option).

As I learned more about IBD here during her time on insulin, and from the IBD cat’s website often linked here, this is when I figured out we didn’t know if it was IBD vs small cell lymphoma. I went back to my vet and got a referral to an internist to discuss options for a definitive diagnosis.

I’d love to hear others experiences with seeking a definitive diagnosis on this. I’ve seen a number of people here with IBD/GI lymphoma cats. We are looking at doing a biopsy through endoscopy. This is the internist’s preference as opposed to surgical biopsy which makes sense given the risk, but I’m concerned at the higher likelihood of it being inconclusive.

I’d love to hear from people who have gone through this, if they felt it was worthwhile given the similar (but still different) treatments, and what their experience was, was it conclusive, etc.

In the mean time I’m trying other diet trials, starting with Rawz rabbit pate. She’s had low appetite and it’s been difficult to find the right food when she won’t eat in the first place.

Thank you!

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

The only way to get a definitive diagnosis is through a biopsy. That's how Gizmo was diagnosed. I honestly hated the idea but given that the treatments of IBD vs lymphoma differ and my vet, who I trust, was advising the biopsy, that was the route I took. Gizmo did fine and was diagnosed with IBD.

He was switched to a novel protein diet. He had previously been eating an all poultry diet because I assumed that would be a good diet for a cat. I didn't realize that poultry, along with beef and seafood, are common sensitivities. He now eats a largely raw diet of pork, venison, and rabbit. His meds include a very small dose of prednisolone (0.5mg every other day) and calcitriol. His IBD has been under very good control.

 

[Anna & Leela]

The only way to get a definitive diagnosis is through a biopsy. That's how Gizmo was diagnosed. I honestly hated the idea but given that the treatments of IBD vs lymphoma differ and my vet, who I trust, was advising the biopsy, that was the route I took. Gizmo did fine and was diagnosed with IBD.

He was switched to a novel protein diet. He had previously been eating an all poultry diet because I assumed that would be a good diet for a cat. I didn't realize that poultry, along with beef and seafood, are common sensitivities. He now eats a largely raw diet of pork, venison, and rabbit. His meds include a very small dose of prednisolone (0.5mg every other day) and calcitriol. His IBD has been under very good control.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

The internist also offered that we could just start chlorambucil alongside the budesonide rather than confirming with a diagnosis. We’d need to get the diet sorted since this would be attempting to treat both conditions as it would be unknown which it is.

I am usually someone who wants the answers to everything, but the anesthesia concerns me. She became diabetic immediately following anesthesia from a dental cleaning. I think it was coincidence and she was diabetic before, but the stress from the anesthesia just made it bad enough for it to be obvious and I took her in for testing. I have actually experienced long term side effects from anesthesia myself that didn’t become apparent until weeks later. Now I’m still recovering from it years later. I recognize I may be a bit biased here. But I’m concerned the anesthesia would take her out of diabetic remission and the procedure may not even be conclusive or useful.

Did you do surgical biopsy or an endoscopic biopsy? Was your cat diabetic when you had the biopsy?

 

[CORKY]

Hi everyone! My cat Leela was diagnosed with diabetes after several months of taking prednisolone for IBD. Fortunately, she has been OTJ for almost a month now and it’s going well. She switched to budesonide following diabetes diagnosis and while it’s not impacting her BG, it’s not preventing vomiting or helping appetite like prednisolone did.

What I didn’t know at the time she was diagnosed with IBD is technically they only confirmed small bowel disease via ultrasound and then recommended IBD treatment. I didn’t it could actually be small cell lymphoma. We started prednisolone and tried prescription diet foods but these failed (hydrolyzed caused severe diarrhea and she rejected the novel protein option).

As I learned more about IBD here during her time on insulin, and from the IBD cat’s website often linked here, this is when I figured out we didn’t know if it was IBD vs small cell lymphoma. I went back to my vet and got a referral to an internist to discuss options for a definitive diagnosis.

I’d love to hear others experiences with seeking a definitive diagnosis on this. I’ve seen a number of people here with IBD/GI lymphoma cats. We are looking at doing a biopsy through endoscopy. This is the internist’s preference as opposed to surgical biopsy which makes sense given the risk, but I’m concerned at the higher likelihood of it being inconclusive.

I’d love to hear from people who have gone through this, if they felt it was worthwhile given the similar (but still different) treatments, and what their experience was, was it conclusive, etc.

In the mean time I’m trying other diet trials, starting with Rawz rabbit pate. She’s had low appetite and it’s been difficult to find the right food when she won’t eat in the first place.

Thank you!

I am so happy for the OTJ news, I would give anything to see Corky on Remission, but unfortunately it looks like he will be a lifetime diabetic, although tightly regulated, Congratulations! in regards to other health issues, I will tag a member that has amazing knowledge on Feline medical issues and answers and she can probably answer your concerns. Again I am happy for you and Leela
@Sienne and Gabby (GA)

 

[squeem3]

Two good web sites:

IBDKitties – Helping Save Lives…One Paw at a Time
Feline IBD - Healing can happen!

Leroy had an endoscope biopsy done. He initially took pred for the IBD but that resulted in diabetes so he's on budesonide now which still affects his bgs He's always eaten a commercial raw diet so it was just matter of finding the right protein that agreed with his tummy. Rabbit is the only one that works. I mainly feed a freeze dried raw food. For his snacks he gets Koha LID rabbit.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

I think it was a surgical biopsy. Gizmo was never diabetic so that was one factor that didn't complicate matters.

I honestly don't know that you can easily separate the stress of just being at the vet's office vs any side effects from anesthesia. My cats are a mess when I take them to the vet.

@Wendy&Neko

 

[CORKY]

I am a mess, Corky is getting a Dental cleaning on April 8h with general anesthesia and I am freaking out, he also gets a lot of anxiety and stress at the vets office, not looking forward to that, what are the side effects of anesthesia?

 

[Wendy&Neko]

The decision on surgical biopsy vs endoscopy is based on where in the bowels the inflammation is on the ultrasound. The endoscopy can reach the upper bowel and the lower (like a colonoscopy) but also can only reach the first layer in the bowels. If the thickness is lower down, or the inflammation is only in the middle of the bowels, you need to get a surgical biopsy done. Cats need anesthesia for both procedures, though it is less for endoscopy. There are vet surgeons who can do lariscopic surgeries (I think it’s called), which is less invasive and just a small hole for the biopsy. Note, kitty has to be off of prednisolone or budesonide for a few weeks before doing the surgery (either one) as those drugs can mask the condition.

Neko did not have a proper diagnosis, her heart condition at the time did not allow anesthesia. She had had several anesthesia’s done before her heart condition, for dentals and radiation therapy, with no problems.

Note, you really don’t want to give a chemo drug (chlorambucil) unless it’s cancer and necessary. Chlorambucil works really well with small cell lymphoma, but it is a carcinogen and can cause other types of cancers down the road. My current kitty (non diabetic) had an endoscopy done - she has IBD and did have SCL as well, which is currently in remission and she no longer takes chlorambucil.

Cats with just small cell lymphoma do not need a special diet.