Vet says cancer for Tucker... ringworm issue

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tuckers mom

tuckers mom

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Back in December I fostered some ringworm kittens. Everything worked out okay, they were adopted in March.

Some time in June, during some terrible thunderstorms civvie Sam made his way up to the foster room and I believe hid somewhere that I didn't spray well enough with bleach to kill the fungus.

Later that week Lilly Grace and Tucker broke out in ringworm. Since then all the cats got it, Lilly Grace, Bean and Angel have already healed. Gett has one spot on his chin one on his back, Sam has the same and Mr. Darcy's one spot is going away.

Tucker however is getting worse and worse. His tail is balding, his back was covered, now his ears, paws, belly. It's everywhere. I thought maybe the worsening coincided with me starting an immunity support supplement for Tucker. He's on prednisone for a brain tumor, pred can cause a cat's immunity to tank, so I started the supplement.

My vet did research today on VIN because of Tucker's advanced age and other issues and she said the responses she got was that the immunity supplements I gave him, it was simply a coincidence that he got worse, but a cat with underlying cancer does not have the ability to fight off ringworm.

She feels that we already know he has a brain tumor due to the circling he was doing and that the pred is helping that, add to that the fact that Tucker can't handle a dose of more than 1U of Levemir BID, even on a steroid, she says makes her believe that Tucker really does have cancer.

Some of you may recall that on past think tank threads over the years, or at least one of them, there was a discussion about the fact that cancer eats sugar. My vet feels that is true and that's why we are having a difficult time with regulation. The ringworm problem, now that she's discussed this with other vets, makes her feel confident that Tucker does have cancer.

He's somewhere between 16-18 yrs of age, he's compromised due to IBD, CP, FD, allergies and the brain tumor, there's really not much he can handle in the way of other meds or testing. I have a supply of buprenex for pain management for him and will do my best to keep him comfortable and happy for however long we have.
 
((Jenn)) I don't know what to say except that I am so sorry to see this. But I know Tucker has rallied so many times before and I will pray that he does so again.
I know you will keep him comfortable for as long as you can and he will feel your love.
When my Remi had cancer I remember being part of a discussion on cancer eating sugar. It can be so hard to balance everything going on but if anyone can do it, it is you!
 
I am sorry about the ringworm Jennifer. Poor Tucker. I hope you can somehow get it under control. With all his other ailments and the cancer dx it is not fair that he has to deal with this too. But I know he is in good hands and you will do all that you can for him to make him comfortable. I hope he is able to be with you for a long time yet. (((Jennifer)))
 
(((((((((((((((((((((JENNIFER and TUCKER))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Sending ringworm begone vibes. I am sorry he has to deal with that especially now.

Wrapping you both in cyber hugs.
 
Thank you everyone.

Tucker is okay, he's tired, but he's okay. Since his potassium crash he lost some of his regalness, but his quality of life is still good and in an odd way, maybe better.

He's not upset by things anymore. Maybe there was oxygen loss to his brain, maybe I'm just imagining this, but none of the cats bother him any more at all. Bean can run circles around him and he doesn't care. In the past when Angel first moved in and would run by, he would be agitated. But now it's like he just lets things roll right off of him.

So, we will continue to work on his insulin dose, give him his meds and lots of love.

The only thing that really upset me today was when I told my husband and his first reaction was that we should put him down. I'm not even going to answer him right now, but I'm not putting down my sweetness just because of the ringworm. When/if the cancer causes his quality of life to diminish I will discuss that, but right now ringworm has not affected him. He doesn't scratch at it and it certainly has not raised his BGs. Besides, my vet did research and this is what she learned from VIN, maybe it's not bad, maybe the pred he takes is keeping things at bay right now or the big maybe, maybe it's just the case with the cats these vets have experience with and not the case with Tucker.

Tomorrow I will take him to the vet for a shave so that I can better help the affected areas, hopefully we can get this under control. He can't take any oral meds because of how compromised he is, so we'll work on other ways, some shampoos here and there and some spot treatments.
 
jennifer, is he seeing an oncologist or just a regular vet? i'd want to take him in just for a 2nd opinion if you haven't had one.
not all cancers eat glucose. some do, tho.
hoping you still have a lot of quality time left. (((HUGS))) hell, cleo's had cancer for over a year now that we know about and she's still doing all 5 Ps. none of us knows how much time we have or what the future might bring.
 
Angels & prayers and tons of green healing light for Tucker ringworm be gone Tucker be strong....Lots of help coming your way Kath
 
I'm sorry to hear this.

Did you have imaging done to visualize the tumour, or has diagnosis been made on symptoms? Bear has circling, and worsening partial seizures, and is weak, and has so many issues. I wonder if I should pursue a neurology consult or if, really, I don't want to know. In any case, I have great sympathy for what you are going through, and hope that you and Tucker have good days together to come.
 
((Jen)) ((Tucker))

I am so sorry to read this. Tucker is in great hands and I know you will do all that
you can for him.
Hugs to your sweet boy and all of your wonderful kitties who are
so lucky to call you mom.

((hugs))
 
((((((( Jen and Tucker ))))))))))

sorry Tucker is dealing w/ all this Jen.
Hoping he somehow fights this off. He is one tough cookie. and he loves you .
 
I am terribly sorry that you guys have yet another challenge to deal with but trust your instincts and enjoy the time you have left

Hugs

Jen
 
I'm sorry to read this, but it sounds like you're being strong and doing the best for him. And it sounds like Tucker is a very brave cat.
 
Poor Tucker! I don't know what will embarrass him the most - ringworm or being shaved :-D . And I'm happy to hear he's seems to have a positive mental attitude. Enjoy your lovely boy.
 
(( Jennifer ))

Hugs to you both. Poor guy. I hope he can fight this off. ECID, and he is certainly a fighter.
 
I fought RW in my cattery for a time UGHH it can be hard to get rid of I am so sorry to hear about Tucker's cancer is there anyway he would let you sulfur dip him it would make such a difference in RW and it may even cure it on him I love sulfur its awful to use but its amazing what all it does to help skin issues
 
Jennifer, I'm so sorry to hear this - he has been through so much in the last year or so. I hope you can continue to keep him comfortable and I'm sure there is some good quality time ahead for him.
 
Jennifer - I'm just seeing this post and am so sorry to see it. Sending lots of hope and healing vibes for your sweet boy - healing vibes for his body to fight the r/worm and that he will heal a bit - and hope that you have much more quality time together. Glad he's still doing okay and - hey - as we get older, more things do have a tendency to roll off our backs - so that probably is what's going on with him. And that's a good thing.

Hugs,

Emmy & Dude (& Mittsi too)
 
Thank you everyone.

Tucker got all his fur shaved on Weds, except for a patch on his head, even his tail is completely shaved. He forbids me to take pictures :oops:

It's easier now to see the ringworm spots and treat each one. Thankfully he loves being a nekkid kitty, especially with this heat wave in Connecticut. His blood sugar was good for a bit, but he's got a belly ache today, so were a little higher, other than that, he's doing well.

His circling is almost gone, still circles to eat, but his appetite is great, and really, he's doing well considering everything. IBD seems to be controlled now that he's on the Pred for the circling.

For now, I know my vet did her research and I thank her for that, but he's an old cat and maybe he does have underlying cancer, maybe he doesn't. Now that he's nekkid, I can see that he's got lots and lots of cysts all over, I knew about the ones on his tail, but he's got several on his shoulders and other areas. He had the mast cell tumor removed last year, none of these look like that, so that's a good thing.

He's still my super sweet little man, and he will continue to be a very spoiled kitty, nekkid or with fur :)
 
I'm so sorry to hear that Tucker and his family have so much to bear right now. How did you treat the ringworm? Wish you could find something to help Tucker so he'd be comfortable and non-contagious. Barbara
 
I've been having a hard time treating the ringworm because many of my cats are special needs. We've been using liquid Program, off label, it's a flea treatment. They've been getting that every two weeks. Miconozate, I think is the name of the clear liquid that I put on the spots.

Most of my cats have healed, but Tucker just kept getting worse. In turn the ones that have healed, a few have a spot or two that came back. They'll be going back on the Program for a little bit.

We wash the bedding and spray the rest with a 1:10 bleach water solution.

We got this through some foster kittens back that came here with it. I'd hoped that it wasn't going to leave the foster room, but things didn't work out that way.

Going forward Tucker will be getting shampoo treatments with his spot treatments.
 
Jen.. sorry I haven't been on here much to see this, but I use Lamisil on my kitties with ringworm spots, and it goes away pretty quickly! Lamisil actually helps kill the fungus, instead of most meds, that just prohibit it's growth. I use it on myself too, if I get a spot here & there. After this last litter that had it, I got paranoid, and also did some investigating, and found out that there's a Head & Shoulders Intensive Treatment that kills ringworm too. Has a different active ingredient than their other ones. I use it on myself, and see WAY less hair coming out when shampooing & conditioning! :razz: So I didn't have any spots or anything, but do think it gets everywhere. Maybe see if you can use that on his body when washing? As well as the Lamisil treatment on the worst areas. I do notice the Lamisil is what really kicks the ringworm's @$$ though!

The shelter does actually give the ringworm foster homes an ointment to use on the spots of ringworm on the kittens.. so the creams & spot treatments shouldn't be TOO bad to use, if they're using it on kittens!
 
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