Rachel & Gus
Member Since 2010
Gus has been losing weight for the past 10 months and just not himself. I dreaded that it might be cancer. His white blood cells have continued to drop since last spring. At one time they were in the 5000 range and he is now at 1800. His creatinine levels went from 2.7 to the mid 4 range and his bun is now 75 when it used to be 40.
He is in the 13 pound range when he had always been 14-16 pounds.
Additionally - he has needed less and less insulin.
Xrays didn't show any bone marrow loss or changes.
My vet said we can do an ultrasound to see if he has kidney or intestinal cancer. She said they can often tell by the thickening of the walls of the intestine if they have cancer.
On top of all this: Gus is going to be 16 this spring. He also has IBD (inflammatory bowel), flareups of pancreatitis, a mild heart condition that doesn't require medication, some sort of weird focal ticks/seizures which seem effected by certain foods, but they are never cured by changing food, and arthritis - which he is on supplements for (he couldn't tolerate adequan).
My vet said our treatment options are limited because of all his problems - mainly that he is diabetic. He is on 1/3 of the normal dose of budesonide because it causes his blood sugar to spike. He has been on predisone in the past and he blood sugar soared into the 400s and he didn't look good. My doctor doesn't like the prospect of putting him on predisone.
At this point my vet said we can order a special saline solution with less salt and do fluids twice a week to help his kidneys. She did say his hydration right now is really good considering his numbers.
Her other recommendation was an ultrasound to try and figure out what type of cancer, if any. My concern is that even if we figure it out, he doesn't seem to be a candidate for predisone, chemo or surgery.
Gus is the best soulmate I've ever had and I want him to have the best quality of life for as long as possible, but I don't want to prolong or cause him any pain.
Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
He is in the 13 pound range when he had always been 14-16 pounds.
Additionally - he has needed less and less insulin.
Xrays didn't show any bone marrow loss or changes.
My vet said we can do an ultrasound to see if he has kidney or intestinal cancer. She said they can often tell by the thickening of the walls of the intestine if they have cancer.
On top of all this: Gus is going to be 16 this spring. He also has IBD (inflammatory bowel), flareups of pancreatitis, a mild heart condition that doesn't require medication, some sort of weird focal ticks/seizures which seem effected by certain foods, but they are never cured by changing food, and arthritis - which he is on supplements for (he couldn't tolerate adequan).
My vet said our treatment options are limited because of all his problems - mainly that he is diabetic. He is on 1/3 of the normal dose of budesonide because it causes his blood sugar to spike. He has been on predisone in the past and he blood sugar soared into the 400s and he didn't look good. My doctor doesn't like the prospect of putting him on predisone.
At this point my vet said we can order a special saline solution with less salt and do fluids twice a week to help his kidneys. She did say his hydration right now is really good considering his numbers.
Her other recommendation was an ultrasound to try and figure out what type of cancer, if any. My concern is that even if we figure it out, he doesn't seem to be a candidate for predisone, chemo or surgery.
Gus is the best soulmate I've ever had and I want him to have the best quality of life for as long as possible, but I don't want to prolong or cause him any pain.
Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
