Discussion
My boy cat, Felix, has been wheezing for a few days now, and looked like he was struggling to breath Sunday night, so have taken him to vets yesterday morning, The vet took him in for a X=ray so I left him with the vets.
Called vet yesterday afternoon to find out the progress. He has a swelling by his larynx which is restricting the flow through his windpipe.
The vet only realised when putting the pipe down his throat whilst sedated.
So as he is over 12 years old, there is slim chance of successful surgery so its now the beginning of the end. The vet gave him a steroid injection to see if that will make the swelling go down. Unfortunately he has declined over the last 24 hours.
I can see the pain in every breath that he takes. Each breath is more and more difficult.
So I am now stuck. I don't want to lose him but I don't want him to be in pain. I now need to make the decision of when to put him to sleep at the vets.
Crappy phone picture from last night.
2012-12-10 23.06.56 by Tim2100, on Flickr
Called vet yesterday afternoon to find out the progress. He has a swelling by his larynx which is restricting the flow through his windpipe.
The vet only realised when putting the pipe down his throat whilst sedated.
So as he is over 12 years old, there is slim chance of successful surgery so its now the beginning of the end. The vet gave him a steroid injection to see if that will make the swelling go down. Unfortunately he has declined over the last 24 hours.
I can see the pain in every breath that he takes. Each breath is more and more difficult.
So I am now stuck. I don't want to lose him but I don't want him to be in pain. I now need to make the decision of when to put him to sleep at the vets.
Crappy phone picture from last night.
2012-12-10 23.06.56 by Tim2100, on Flickr
DKL said:
tim2100 said:
I'm going to take him for a 2nd opinion. Hopefully they can do something for him.
Definitely. I'd be surprised if they won't operate just because of his age and hopefully the area is fairly accessible. Best of luckThey will have a look down his throat tomorrow to work out if it is cancerous or operable. So more news tomorrow. If it is the Laryngeal muscles that have collapsed he will try and suture it which should be a permanent fix.
It was heart retching seeing him on the table today. Normally he is very alert and will try to escape in the vets and hide in a corner. He just lay there
.12 isnt really too old to operate on a cat, an 12 isnt that old really.
my cat had a few teeth out at about 14, and she was fine.
but that might be different with your cat, but I dont think that they will die just being 12 y/o.
21, now thats too old to operate on a cat.
but at the end of the day, personally, I would operate, as then you are giving a chance of life, rather than just certain death.
my cat had a few teeth out at about 14, and she was fine.
but that might be different with your cat, but I dont think that they will die just being 12 y/o.
21, now thats too old to operate on a cat.
but at the end of the day, personally, I would operate, as then you are giving a chance of life, rather than just certain death.
tim2100 said:
Been to another vet. He thinks it is the Laryngeal paralysis, the laryngeal muscles have given up. So they have taken him in overnight, put him in an oxygen chamber and sedated him. He looked a bit more settled when we left.
They will have a look down his throat tomorrow to work out if it is cancerous or operable. So more news tomorrow. If it is the Laryngeal muscles that have collapsed he will try and suture it which should be a permanent fix.
It was heart retching seeing him on the table today. Normally he is very alert and will try to escape in the vets and hide in a corner. He just lay there.
A bit more encouraging. We'll keep our fingers crossed for you both.They will have a look down his throat tomorrow to work out if it is cancerous or operable. So more news tomorrow. If it is the Laryngeal muscles that have collapsed he will try and suture it which should be a permanent fix.
It was heart retching seeing him on the table today. Normally he is very alert and will try to escape in the vets and hide in a corner. He just lay there
.Sorry to hear you are in this situation. Really hope the 2nd vet can offer a solution, disappointing that vet number 1 didn't investigate further. Felix isn't really old for a cat, I regularly see cats who are well into their late teens and even 20/21, so here's to hoping they can do something for your boy.
Bad news.
The Vet had a close look and the growth is behind is larynx. When he put the pipe down his throat his breathing drastically improved. They can just see the growth with an endoscopic camera.
The only way to resolve is to remove his larynx which makes him at risk of water and food going into his lungs, of fit a Tracheotomy. Unfortunately as Felix is an active cat who loves being outdoors this could hold a massive risk. This is not a risk free operation and then will stop him being himself.
Before he went under GA, he was struggling in the oxygen chamber.
The vet called me whilst Felix was under anesthetic. went through all the options. I don't want him to suffer any more than he needs to, so we made the decision to not let Felix wake up.
His sister knows something is amiss and hasn't left my side since we got back yesterday. Over 12 years and they have never been apart.
Her and the other two may be getting a large bowl of Tuna tonight.
The Vet had a close look and the growth is behind is larynx. When he put the pipe down his throat his breathing drastically improved. They can just see the growth with an endoscopic camera.
The only way to resolve is to remove his larynx which makes him at risk of water and food going into his lungs, of fit a Tracheotomy. Unfortunately as Felix is an active cat who loves being outdoors this could hold a massive risk. This is not a risk free operation and then will stop him being himself.
Before he went under GA, he was struggling in the oxygen chamber.
The vet called me whilst Felix was under anesthetic. went through all the options. I don't want him to suffer any more than he needs to, so we made the decision to not let Felix wake up.
His sister knows something is amiss and hasn't left my side since we got back yesterday. Over 12 years and they have never been apart.
Her and the other two may be getting a large bowl of Tuna tonight.
Very sad. I remember many years ago a vet calling us when our elderly cat was under GA asking what we wanted to do and like yourself we decided not to let him wake up. It is an awful feeling but struggling under the oxygen chamber was not a good sign and I am sure you made the right decision. RIP Felix
Oh I am so sorry to hear the sad news. He was a very handsome little tux! Our cat Peg could have gone on, could have had more treatment and she was "only" 13 but the loss of condition, the loss of that spark in her eyes just brought it back to us what we had to do Its a hard decision but ultimately the right one.
Its a hard decision but ultimately the right one.Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff