Feline Leukemia please help

[ashley34]

Hi My cat is a month shy away from 3 years old and when he was 8 months old he was diagnosed with Feline Leukemia. He has had 3 major infections as a result of being immuno suppresed but recovered fine. He now has an infection that is making his body attack his red blood cells causing hime to become very anemic (His blood is down to 10%) The vet put him on a very high dose of prednisone and sent us home. The vet said he wants to try this medicine but is not sure if the cat is going to make it or not. He has now had 3 full days of both medicines and there is no sign of improvement. My cat is so weak he can barely move if he does he falls down. He is not drinking and barely eating (Wet cat food so he will get some water) Now he hides all day long does not want to be touched or talked to and is vomitting. I love my cat but fear he is getting worse and suffering. I feel putting him down would be the sensible solution but my veterinarian thinks we should wait a couple more days because he feels it is too soon to tell if the medicine is working or not. How much more should I let my cat suffer. I want him to die peacfully and with some dignity, not in pain and coverd in feces and vomit. It is very hard for my family and myself to watch our beloved pet go through something so rough. I have never lost a pet before so I want to make sure I am not jumping the gun on having him euthanised but I also do not want him to suffer anymore

Please any advice would be greatly appreciated

[hazelrunpack]

I'm so sorry you're going through this with your cat, Ashley. This is always such a tough decision to make. Did the vet offer any timeline--how long does he want you to wait for results? Did he think there was a good chance that the meds would work?

If there was a good probability that the treatment would work, I'd be more inclined to wait a bit if it were me. If the probability of success is slim and my cat were suffering, I'd be less willing to wait.

You and your family know best if your cat is suffering and has had enough. Make your decision with love and your cat's best interest at heart and you can't go wrong.

[14+kitties]

My heart is breaking all over again reading this as I just went through this on Monday. Not FeLuk. It was some other nasty disease that got my boy. But he was getting weaker, not breathing well, losing weight, not eating much. He was also not even three. I made the decision to let him go before he got to the point where he could not get up on his own. It was one of the hardest decisions to make but the only fair one for my boy. Man, this hurts..........

I think you said it yourself. You want your kitty to go with some dignity and peacefully. You also feel it's the sensible solution. Please go with your heart. If you feel it is time then let him go. It is not the vet's decision. It is yours and your kitty's. It sounds like kitty has made his decision. Now it's time for you to make yours. Just know kitty would thank you if he could. I will be thinking of you as you go through this difficult time. Your little one can find my Brownie and be free of pain once more.

[catlover2]

Here's a link on Feline Leukemia http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/felv.html

Here's a link discussing the pro & cons as to when and if you should let your cat go. It's a bit of a long read.

http://www.petpeoplesplace.com/resou...owing-when.htm

Only you can decide if the cat has passed that point of no return and is suffering and no longer enjoying life. To have a beloved pet euthanized is one of the hardest decisions you'll make. In my experience, I felt it better to let a cat go rather than let it suffer needlessly, especially when there is no hope of recovery. I found there was more "guilt" later if I prolonged its suffering because I wasn't ready to let it go.

Hope some of this information helps in your decision.

[kathryn]

From personal experiences I always recommend euthanasia for symptomatic leukemia cats. It's not a very pleasant disease.. I know of people through my shelter that have adopted or otherwise cared for leukemia cats and none of them have ever lived very long. At this point, in a shelter environment especially, we usually just have to euthanize them at the point they test positive (and once it is properly confirmed) because many people cannot face the prospect that the cat will get very sick sooner or later and not live terribly long.


Sorry about your kitty. There are new and experimental treatments to help FeLV+ cats BEFORE they become symptomatic, but sadly once they are already getting very sick there is not much that can be done. Atleast he had a great life with you!

[LavenderRott]

Honestly - this really isn't something that we can tell you to do or not to do. But we can offer advice and words of comfort as most of us have been exactly where you are at one point or another.

My best advice - cuddle up with your kitty, some place comfy, and have a nice long talk with him. Tell him what your feeling, what you are thinking and what you are considering. Listen to him. I am not insane - he isn't going to answer you in English. He may not even make a sound. But you will know.

[ashley34]

Thank you all for your words of advice. I made the decision to put Harold down friday afternoon. It was the hardest decision I have had to make so far and I hope one day I can be at a point where I can feel good about it. I know he is not suffering anymore and the last few weeks his quality of life was not good but this still really hurts. I had never lost a pet before and could never understand how people got so grief stricken over a pet, but now I do. He was a very big part of our family and was loved so much. It has been 3 days and when I wake up I look for him, I look for him all day long, I had to put the cat food back when I went grocery shopping today... I hope as time passes this will get easier and I won't feel so empty and my heart won't ache so much.

[hazelrunpack]

I'm so sorry to hear about Harold, Ashley I know it's hard to believe with your grief so new and so strong, but eventually, that grief does fade some. After a while, the memories make you smile instead of cry.

He was well-loved and that creates a bond that even death can't break. You carry a piece of him in your heart.

Harold

[14+kitties]

I am so sorry for your loss. It is a very painful thing. Everyone deals with it differently.
sweet Harold

If you would like we have a forum for our angels who have left us. I will include the link below. You can do a memorial thread for Harold there. We share your pain.

http://www.pets.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=34

[growler~GateKeeper]

sweet Harold He is playing at the Rainbow Bridge with those who've gone before

[catlover2]

So sorry for you loss, with time it will get better. I'm sure you did the right thing by not letting him suffer; it sounded like he was ready to go but it is never ever easy. I don't think a love is ever lost, .

"No heaven will not ever Heaven be; uless my pets are there to welcome me." ~Unknown.

[diandpat]

So sad so young I'm so sorry for you.

He is whole and healthy again running at the Bridge waiting for you