How do you know when it's time?
Discussion
I'll keep this short as I am a bit teary.
Our 14 year old cat Jasper has just got back from the vets.
He developed cystitus a month ago and antibiotics cleared it pretty quickly.
Yesterday morning we noticed his rear righ leg had a large lump, basically the top of his thigh has swollen, a slight limp and swelling down to his paw.
Eating fine, drinking fine, toilet fine.
Purring, as affectionate as usual. No pain visible even after a poke or prod.
The vet was worried straight away and suggested x-ray to see if that showed anything conclusive.
Went home with tears in my eyes
Got the call an hour later...
No cancer showing in the bones but vet suspects a large tumour in the muscle.
Hard lump and doesn't feel like a cyst.
Given anti inflammitories and pain killers and told to monitor over the weekend and go back on Monday.
Basically saying the next step, should we take it is a biopsy.
Possible leg removal or... Let him go.
I feel actually sick, I've had him since he was 4 weeks old, he is such a character, I can't think that this could well be the last weekend we have.
He is 14 so getting on a bit, although I see him as just a big kitten.
I can't put him through an amputation as I think he is to old to adjust and his quality of life will deminish.
I can't think of putting him to sleep as I shake just thinking about it, especially when there doesn't seem to be any pain.
I just don't know what to do.
Sorry to blub.
Our 14 year old cat Jasper has just got back from the vets.
He developed cystitus a month ago and antibiotics cleared it pretty quickly.
Yesterday morning we noticed his rear righ leg had a large lump, basically the top of his thigh has swollen, a slight limp and swelling down to his paw.
Eating fine, drinking fine, toilet fine.
Purring, as affectionate as usual. No pain visible even after a poke or prod.
The vet was worried straight away and suggested x-ray to see if that showed anything conclusive.
Went home with tears in my eyes
Got the call an hour later...
No cancer showing in the bones but vet suspects a large tumour in the muscle.
Hard lump and doesn't feel like a cyst.
Given anti inflammitories and pain killers and told to monitor over the weekend and go back on Monday.
Basically saying the next step, should we take it is a biopsy.
Possible leg removal or... Let him go.
I feel actually sick, I've had him since he was 4 weeks old, he is such a character, I can't think that this could well be the last weekend we have.
He is 14 so getting on a bit, although I see him as just a big kitten.
I can't put him through an amputation as I think he is to old to adjust and his quality of life will deminish.
I can't think of putting him to sleep as I shake just thinking about it, especially when there doesn't seem to be any pain.
I just don't know what to do.
Sorry to blub.
Edited by clarkmagpie on Saturday 6th June 16:24
My place has just amputated an elderly cats leg (due to trauma) he has done really well and adapted fine.
If jasper is otherwise well don't rule out the surgery completely however don't feel forced into it, biopsy is small procedure so I would do this so you know what you are dealing with and go from there.
Ensuring he is pain free (if no lameness etc then suggests little discomfort) is utmost, if this is achievable with palliative (non invasive) care it may be the better approach.
It is so distressing trying to know what to do I hope.we can help you. Keeping my fingers crossed for Jasper.
If jasper is otherwise well don't rule out the surgery completely however don't feel forced into it, biopsy is small procedure so I would do this so you know what you are dealing with and go from there.
Ensuring he is pain free (if no lameness etc then suggests little discomfort) is utmost, if this is achievable with palliative (non invasive) care it may be the better approach.
It is so distressing trying to know what to do I hope.we can help you. Keeping my fingers crossed for Jasper.
lump in muscle = biopsy simple FNA or fine needle aspirate can give lots of info esp re malignant or benign. Glad i did this on one of our old labs as it said lump was simple scar tissue and not the mast cell/histiocytoma I suspected. It is a minimally invasive procedure and should be easily tolerated with sedation rather than GA. Hope it works out ok, seems like there re more and more oldies in our house with more and more oldie probs, so you're not alone
But that's good you know him better than any one, our 15 year old chihuahua tia had glaucoma in one eye, had a heart murmur and we did not want to take her eye out, Nov 2013 finally lost sight in other eye so now totally blind, we were devastated but with some adjustments she was amazing, even finding her way back into the kitchen to scratch at the treat cupboard, may 2014 had slight infection in eye which get sorted until next day when it looked worse, went to the get expecting more antibiotics but the eye was more serious than that, did not want her to spend maybe her last hours in a vet cage before removing the eye, an op that she maybe would not have survived so i had to make the decision, looking back that last 48 hours she was tired but peaceful, as if she knew she had enough, and although terrible for us, was the right decision, you keep going as you know your pet family best, we had 6 more months than we thought we could have
When Humphrey; Our Pug, was diagnosed with his degenerative spinal problem, I can't remember the name, we were advised by the vet that he would fail rapidly and wouldn't have a great quality of life so we had to think about having him put to sleep and soon and he would definately not see his 10th birthday.
He wasn't in any pain but he didn't have feeling in his lower back so couldn't walk properly as he didn't know what his back legs were doing, he also became incontinent.
He could walk a little bit but this deteriorated rapidly and he just ended up pulling himself round the garden using his front legs and dragging his back legs behind him, a bit like a seal, it got to the point where he had no quality of life, he looked depressed and both myself and the wife discussed taking him to the vets for that final time.
Anyway the wife did a bit of research and decided to buy him a pair of wheel for his back legs, to see really if it would make his life better; well it was a revelation, he was a new dog, he loved the wheels, people we knew commented on how he looked far better.
Ultimately things got to him and one morning we knew that this was the time, looking back at his behaviour we could tell that he wasn't right for a few days or so prior. So we did what was best; we knew it was his time.
Humphrey hated the vets, he would shake and wee himself when he went, the morning we took him for his final trip, he was calm, didn't make a sound or shake, (I have tears in my eyes), almost as if he knew and he wanted it.
He saw his 11th birthday and went on for another few months, not bad when the vet said he wouldn't see 10.
So really if your cat has a decent quality of life at the moment, isn't in pain, is eating and going to the toilet fine then it probably isn't time yet; you will know when it is though.
He wasn't in any pain but he didn't have feeling in his lower back so couldn't walk properly as he didn't know what his back legs were doing, he also became incontinent.
He could walk a little bit but this deteriorated rapidly and he just ended up pulling himself round the garden using his front legs and dragging his back legs behind him, a bit like a seal, it got to the point where he had no quality of life, he looked depressed and both myself and the wife discussed taking him to the vets for that final time.
Anyway the wife did a bit of research and decided to buy him a pair of wheel for his back legs, to see really if it would make his life better; well it was a revelation, he was a new dog, he loved the wheels, people we knew commented on how he looked far better.
Ultimately things got to him and one morning we knew that this was the time, looking back at his behaviour we could tell that he wasn't right for a few days or so prior. So we did what was best; we knew it was his time.
Humphrey hated the vets, he would shake and wee himself when he went, the morning we took him for his final trip, he was calm, didn't make a sound or shake, (I have tears in my eyes), almost as if he knew and he wanted it.
He saw his 11th birthday and went on for another few months, not bad when the vet said he wouldn't see 10.
So really if your cat has a decent quality of life at the moment, isn't in pain, is eating and going to the toilet fine then it probably isn't time yet; you will know when it is though.
Never easy God love them and miss them💔 our lovely boy going in for nasal flush and lung fill up terrified but after steroids, mucas powder and antihistamine don't know what else to do
He's 6 so better go OK, sounds like he has a cold 50% of the time, don't know what else to do🙇
He's 6 so better go OK, sounds like he has a cold 50% of the time, don't know what else to do🙇
Thread update and as you can probably imagine, it's not good news.
For the past 2 months, he has been a bit hobbly but apart from that fine, eating, drinking, toilet, active.
This weekend we were away and came back to find, less mobile and not eating unless pretty much hand fed.
Quality of life has gone.
Decision made.
Vet is coming 10am to put my little boy to sleep.
I know it's the right thing to do but it's so difficult.
Will be getting him cremated, can't bare the thought of handing him over and that's it
Wife is on holiday so have this in my own.
Even at 36, my mum said she would come round and comfort me.
Think that would make it worse!
For the past 2 months, he has been a bit hobbly but apart from that fine, eating, drinking, toilet, active.
This weekend we were away and came back to find, less mobile and not eating unless pretty much hand fed.
Quality of life has gone.
Decision made.
Vet is coming 10am to put my little boy to sleep.
I know it's the right thing to do but it's so difficult.
Will be getting him cremated, can't bare the thought of handing him over and that's it
Wife is on holiday so have this in my own.
Even at 36, my mum said she would come round and comfort me.
Think that would make it worse!
bexVN said:
I am so sorry to read this . In your head you know it is the kindest and right thing to do, your heart won't agree though.
And nothing wrong with having your Mum.with you, always find it hard when people are on their own at times like these.
I am really sorry too. I would also agree about having your mum there; no shame in that at all. Mine has been with me several times when I've had dogs PTS.. In your head you know it is the kindest and right thing to do, your heart won't agree though.And nothing wrong with having your Mum.with you, always find it hard when people are on their own at times like these.
Well the deed has been done.
Vet came to the house and Jasper was put to sleep in the garden in the sunshine.
The vet was lovely, not sure Jasper took to her and a few hisses were out her way!
Went out fighting, just like he entered our world.
House feels strange, almost a chill as I've come up the stairs to bed.
I feel a sense of relief that its over.
But, god, it was difficult.
Tears streaming down my cheeks as soon as I saw the vet walking down the path.
Strangely calm as it was carried out, but soon as they covered him and took him away I was sobbing away.
Find it difficult writing this to be honest.
Just remembering the cuddles this morning, like nothing was been wrong.
Glass of whiskey now and toasting my best buddy.
Gone but never forgotten.
Such a bundle of mischief has turned my life upside down.
To Jasper
Vet came to the house and Jasper was put to sleep in the garden in the sunshine.
The vet was lovely, not sure Jasper took to her and a few hisses were out her way!
Went out fighting, just like he entered our world.
House feels strange, almost a chill as I've come up the stairs to bed.
I feel a sense of relief that its over.
But, god, it was difficult.
Tears streaming down my cheeks as soon as I saw the vet walking down the path.
Strangely calm as it was carried out, but soon as they covered him and took him away I was sobbing away.
Find it difficult writing this to be honest.
Just remembering the cuddles this morning, like nothing was been wrong.
Glass of whiskey now and toasting my best buddy.
Gone but never forgotten.
Such a bundle of mischief has turned my life upside down.
To Jasper
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