? Likely Lymphoma Diagnosis

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Michaellh33

Michaellh33

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I just found out today that Brody likely has lymphoma. His stomach is slightly swollen and it has been difficult to get him to eat lately. The vet has referred for an oncologist and I have a consultation appointment next Thursday. Initially googling doesn't paint a good picture but have any of you managed to or know anyone who has managed to get their cat through it? If anyone has any general advice I would appreciate it too. It's been very difficult to get his insulin dose right lately do to his inconsistent eating so not sure the best approach.
 
I’m so sorry to see this. Lymphoma can’t be diagnosed without a biopsy. I’ve had a cat with intermediate cell which is my as common as small cell or large cell. If small cell it’s treated with prednisolone and a chemo pill. Large cell is treated with stronger chemo injections done by the oncologist. One is called CHOP and I forget at the moment the other. If any massses were see. In an ultrasound it’s likely large cell. The issue also could be IBD which has symptoms much the same as scl. If it is a novel protein diet and prednisolone plus a good probiotic would work. See if your vet will give you ondansetron for nausea which is a pill that you dose every 6-8 hours as you don’t want him not eating enough for that amount of time. Cats can develop fatty liver in just a few days. Ask for mirataz ointment that you put on the inner ear. It’s an appetite stimulant but make sure to get the nausea under control or mirataz might not work.

Let us know how it goes. Sending prayers. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
The vet said they could see it on an ultrasound and they did a collection that they checked under a microscope. I don't know if that is a guarantee but she seems pretty confident it was cancerous. It was apparently a lymph node towards the rear of his abdomen.
I don't know if he has any nausea, he isn't vomiting or having any diarrhea. He will approach food, smell it for a very long time, maybe lick some of the water off if there is any but typically doesn't eat. I am considering trying to feed him with a syringe, he is so thin it is actually difficult to pinch skin for his injection. I will ask about the mirataz and see if I can get some. Any other thoughts or other advice would be appreciated.
 
There are different types of lymphoma — some more treatable than others. I’d ask what type of lymphoma they’re thinking it is so that you can research a bit more on that particular type.

We see quite a bit of GI lymphoma here. That’s often treatable and can go into remission. There’s also mediastinal, multicentric, renal (kidney) lymphomas, to name a few. The CHOP protocol mentioned above is a cocktail of different chemotherapy drugs that are used for certain forms of lymphoma, but there are other options as well, again, depending on the type of lymphoma. Did the vet mention free fluid in the abdomen as a cause for the “stomach” (abdominal?) swelling? Hopefully the oncologist can give you answers and a realistic prognosis. Cancer of any type can be a stressful diagnosis; please post again and let us know what you find out. :bighug:
 
Has anyone had any particular luck with a specific brand/type of cat food that is lower in carbs being very enticing/palatable? I have been cycling through every Friskies Pate at the moment and that is what I'm going to try syringe feeding. Brody used to really like the food I made following this https://catinfo.org/making-cat-food/ but every now and then he would get very constipated and I doubt the bones in it would go through a feeding syringe very well.
 
Finding out the kind of lymphoma is key. Small cell lymphoma can be very treatable though rough in the beginning. My current SCL kitty has been in remission for 6 years.

You need to treat his nausea to make food more palatable. Try to get a script for ondansetron from the vet.

Don't syringe feed good that you want him to eat later. Syringing can cause lead to food aversion of that particular food. I fostered a hepatic lipidosis kitty to health through syringing, but he wouldn't eat anything with chicken in it for the longest time.

For making cat food, you can get replacements for bone, such as bone powder. Or egg shell calcium. Or try a product like FoodFurLife's EZComplete premix that has a bone substitute in it.

I've heard some kitties like the TikiCat Mousse products, or you can on a short term basis use all meat babyfood. Or drizzle Churu on top. Neko actually like the Royal Canin Recovery food - it was very easy to syringe as well. Unlike foster kitty, she would eat some on her own once she had some syringed in.
 
Proplan fortiflora probiotic has an “appetite stimulant” in it. I know the probiotic part isn’t very robust but the “appetite stimulant” has worked for me when nothing else has. I think the stimulant is liver flavoring. So you could also prob try liver Flavored foods, or powdered liver flavoring or maybe even a little cooked liver (idk if that’s good for cats but sick cats gotta eat)

Fish flavors have worked for me also (they usually don’t get fish). They normally eat Tiki cat chicken but my non diabetic cat getting over (I hope) pancreatitis has shown the most enjoyment in tiki tuna broth, tiki tuna and chicken mousse, and chicken digestion mousse. Ymmv.

I’ve been told if they’re not eating give cerenia bc not eating is usually nausea. Once nausea treated can add mirataz (both are prescription) but do cerenia first because stimulating nauseated cat to eat may increase odds of food aversion. Fwiw. Cerenia and mirataz are prescription. Fortiflora is not.

my vet uses Cerenia tablets off label for cats; it’s also injectable and Tammuz got an injection when he stopped eating because I wasn’t sure he’d keep a tablet down. You can also get Cerenia compounded as a topical ointment for the ear (pricey) but that was going to take a day and I didn’t want to wait so got the shot then the ointment.
 
SmallestSparrow said:
You can also get Cerenia compounded as a topical ointment for the ear (pricey) but that was going to take a day and I didn’t want to wait so got the shot then the ointment.
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My vet keeps some in stock, and the price is actually pretty reasonable. The compounded uses generic maropitant, not the brand Cerenia. It is so much easier to give to a cat that doesn't want to eat. But I still prefer ondansetron for nausea. You can actually give both - they target different nausea receptors.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
My vet keeps some in stock, and the price is actually pretty reasonable. The compounded uses generic maropitant, not the brand Cerenia. It is so much easier to give to a cat that doesn't want to eat. But I still prefer ondansetron for nausea. You can actually give both - they target different nausea receptors.
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My town is too tiny for my vet to stock, the human compounding pharmacy one town north will make it at about the same price the pet ER sold it to me when he was hospitalized (it’s a 50 min drive south). Chewy has it at much less but not the correct concentration for a cat ear —if the weather cools enough for shipping I may see if chewy pharmacy will make a cat-strength one. I’ve used both Zofran and Cerenia, I think Cerenia is supposed to have some analgesic properties so at least I feel better. And it’s topical which is soooo useful when cat won’t eat
 
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Thanks for the replies. I have been able to get him eating pretty regularly seem like with some ground rabbit + organs I bought from online. I also had the appetite stimulant already from one of the last vet visits and I have been giving anti-nausea from vet. So at least he seems to be doing better now.
 
I had the visit today with the oncologist and she did not paint a good picture of what the most aggressive option was. It would have been chemo + steroids + some hospital stay and weekly trips. The closest veterinarian oncologist is 2 hours away from me. She didn't seem too confident in how likely he would do well given he is 15 now, diabetes, and some low level kidney disease according to my vet. The second options given steroids + b12 + iron and just try to get his as comfortable as possible and maybe even see some improvements. I am going with the second option as the first isn't viable for me and she didn't give much hope that it would even be work. I found a few studies that references potential anti-cancer interactions with fenbendazaole so I may look into trying that. I will also try to get the liver shake going to see if he likes it. He is very constipated today, very dry and crumbly when he pooped, and I think that is affecting his appetite as he has slowed down on eating again.
 
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