Understanding Feline Lymphoma - part 1 of 2

It is Monday at 8 AM on a frigid January morning, as I frantically call my veterinary office to beg for an appointment

- Elizabeth Jennings

My treasured six-year-old Siamese pet/show cat is suddenly losing weight at an alarming rate. We are given a Friday appointment, which could not come soon enough.

Unfortunately, Friday brings with it a massive blizzard, and as a result, my veterinarian will not be in until the following Monday. Meanwhile, just four days from the initial phone call, my beloved Polar has gone from somewhat thin to alarmingly thin.

So, first thing the next morning, once the driveway has been plowed, Polar and I head to Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital emergency at the University of Pennsylvania from Long Island, a hefty 6-hour trek in traffic. I do not have a good feeling about this.

Upon arrival, Polar is admitted through emergency, and eventually a senior resident meets me in an exam room. After a very brief exam, the senior resident who, ironically, would go on to specialize in renal issues, announces that he believes Polar has a tumor on his kidney. He is fairly certain it is lymphoma. I ask if there is another possibility, and he replies “No.”

Later, after an ultrasound and biopsy, the dreaded renal lymphoma diagnosis is confirmed.

Without treatment, his prognosis is maybe two weeks. The oncologists at Penn felt that the tumor developed within the last two weeks, progressed quickly and there was no time to waste in treating him. So begins a 15-month protocol of injectable chemotherapy treatment.

Dealing with the Diagnosis

Many cat owners, faced with this situation, are understandably panicked and confused about how or if to proceed with treatment. The more you understand about the condition, the better armed you will be to make the right decision for your cat.