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.
Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Cat Talk.
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Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Cat Talk.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Checklist For What to Look For in Your Club's Next Show Venue
Show Manager To Ring One, Please
Tonkinese
When You're Well and Truly Tonked
AVOIDING The Kitten Fear Period
Young kittens seem fearless.4 As soon as those eyes open and they can get their legs under them, they are off to see the world if their mama and humans let them.
No Milk For You!
Milk Issues and Kittens
Fostering Kittens
When asked if I would be interested in fostering a queen and her eight newborn kittens, I volunteered without question.
Do You present ? Polish! OR DO YOU
IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS!
No Kitten! Cats Are Part of the Military!
Felines have graced the decks of boats and ships back nearly to the beginning of time, roaming freely on passenger ships, war vessels, and merchant schooners, keeping vermin at bay.
Feline Summer Movie Fun!
School is almost OUT! Huzzah! But raindrops are plunking against the window, the amusement and water parks haven’t opened yet, camping is out, and roasted hot dogs and S’mores are another month away.
Kittens Are Special...
...and so are some of the show rules for them:
Genetic Pleiotropy and the Risks in Breeding Recessive Mutations
Nearly everyone loves what’s rare and unique. A slight defect in the minting process of a coin can create a demand and a value well beyond the face value of the coin. The coin is functionally no different than its perfectly minted counterpart, but its scarcity and uniqueness alone make it more desirable than the rest.