Orion's Diagnosis

Sherry <sriddles DeleteThis @aol.com> wrote:

> You guys may remember Orion, my daughter's Maine Coon. He was just
> diagnosed with a vaccination-related cancerous sarcoma.

I'm sorry to hear about this! Please keep us posted with updates,
once he starts treatment.

Purrs he will recover and be healthy!

Joyce

So sad to read this, Sherry, please know you and your daughter have our
purrs, purrayers, and lots of love,
Christine
"Sherry" <sriddles RemoveThis @aol.com> wrote in message
news:1193494209.954167.66340@57g2000hsv.googlegroups.com...
> You guys may remember Orion, my daughter's Maine Coon. He was just
> diagnosed
> with a vaccination-related cancerous sarcoma.
>
> The curious thing about this, is that he has not had a vaccination
> since probably 2001 or so.
> I wasn't aware that they can form from old vacc. sites, but apparently
> they can.
>
> It started as a lump on his shoulder. The regular vet did a
> lumpectomy, and the tumor
> is about as big as a 1" section of a cigar. But it had "fingers" going
> down his back, so
> she was unable to remove all of it. She sent them to a feline
> internist.
>
> The internist doesn't think further, radical surgery is the answer.
> Apparantly sarcomas
> send out little "sattelites", and these cancerous cells will skip over
> healthy tissue, and
> won't even be attached to the tumor. She says it has not mestacized
> to other
> organs.
>
> So they're doing IV chemotherapy, twice a week for 16 weeks. Orion
> doesn't mind
> going to the vet. There is not a feline oncology facility in this
> state, and traveling
> out-of-state twice a week with him is not an option.
>
> Orion is 10 years old, and she isn't going to put him through too
> much, I don't think.
> She said they're going to finish the 16 week treatment and hope for
> the best. But
> if he gets sick, or starts freaking out at going to the vet, she is
> going to stop
> treatment and hope for the best. What I've read so far indicates the
> recurrance
> rate is very high.
>
> I am just sick about this. This cat has never been outdoors, is
> pampered beyond
> belief. The part I'm most sick about is that the vet encouraged her so
> much back
> then to vaccinate him. I already know the sarcoma risk is low, but his
> chances
> of contracting disease were practically nil. I won't ever encourage
> anyone,
> *or* vaccinate my indoor cats anymore. Yoda nearly died from
> vaccinations.
> I think we all ought to weigh the risk-benefit deal really carefully
> about vaccs.
>
> Prayers, purrs, appreciated.
>
> Sherry
>