Thanks, Michelle! Yep, Ewok is on daily pred...I actually took him to the oncologist this morning (his next appointment wasn't until next week) because he wasn't feeling well and (I believe) vomited last night... :( The tumor in his belly is crazy aggressive...the oncologist gave him a round of elspar as he responded well to that one before X-mas...but now that I think about it (as he wants to see Ewok in 2 weeks), the only reason Ewok was able to go two weeks between visits was because I gave him a dex shot when he started feeling bad about a week after the elspar shot...good thing I didn't cancel his appointment for next week! ;)
So I asked the oncologist what I should expect as it would seem (to me, anyway) that the abdominal tumor will eventually win out as Ewok can barely make it a week between treatments. He surprised me by saying he isn't any more pessimistic than he was a few months ago (although I would have felt better if he had said "less optimistic"... ;) )...The oncologist still has a few tricks up his sleeve, so as long as Ewok is game, I'll continue to tote his skinny little butt back and forth between appointments. Ewok is just so cute, he's so used to the car by now...he sits shot-gun and watches the tree-tops go by...man, I'm going to miss this little boy!! :( Warm thoughts to Lucy and Patches!! Good luck with the raw! Several of my guys really enjoy it and I do think it's better for them...I always try to repay the favor that the chicken or turkey did for my guys by rescuing any critters (except for palmetto bugs...can't bring myself to rescue them just yet) that the cats may corner (mostly lizards and snakes)...Maggie got her paws on a lizard last week and I had to remind her that the turkey she just ate gave its life so that that little lizard could lead a long, fruitful life! :) Take care, Jen **************************************************** "But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world; You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed..." --Antoine de Saint-Exupéry "If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys." --Chief Dan George ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, January 5, 2006 12:25 pm Subject: Re: Jen-- How is Ewok? > > Jen, > > SO glad to hear Ewok is still doing well!! Simon responded very > well to > the CCNU also. After that he got Adriamycin, which he did not > respond well to, > and I wished I had asked the oncologist to give him more CCNU > instead. I > think the oncologist was afraid that without switching the drugs > each time he > would become resistant. But I think they take longer to become > resistant to > CCNU. > > As for the steroids, is he still getting pred pills? The Depo > shot is > instead of the pred pills, or should be I think. The oncologist > should know > when the right time is to give another Depo shot if Ewok keeps > looking good and > does not seem to need it badly. > > Patches is feeling better from antibiotics and prednisone and > is > scheduled to have her two canines and possibly (but hopefully not) > other teeth > pulled next Wednesday morning. So please say a prayer or thought > or whatever > strikes you best for her! Lucy is tapering off the pred herself > and seems to be > doing ok-- fairly solid stool, though still not entirely normal. > > As for feeding raw meat, I am actually about to start feeding > mine, or > at least Lucy and maybe Patches, a raw diet. It is recommended for > cats with > chronic loose stools, on the feline IBD list serve. I ordered a > supplement mix > to put in with ground raw meat and organs. Being a vegan this is > all very > difficult for me (I had a nightmare last night that I had to have > Lucy killed > to be fed to an animal who needed to eat her to be healthy, which > I think is > my guild and discomfort at buying a dead turkey to help Lucy). > But I think > raw is ok, and maybe better, for them. The liver shake uses raw > liver in it, > and most people on this list feed that to cats when they are sick. > All that > said, I am totally nervous about starting the raw diet because I > have read in > some places that it is not good for immune-compromised cats. But I > figure > neither is inflamed intestines or struvite crystals, which raw is > supposed to fix > in many cats. > > Thanks for the update, and may he keep going strong! > > Michelle > > In a message dated 1/5/2006 1:17:50 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > Hi Michelle! > > So far, so good...the CCNU seems to be working! His appetite is up > (although he's still not eating as much as I'd like to see him > eat...he's put on a little weight, but he's still probably only > around 9 > lbs--he weighed around 14 before this all started) and his energy > levelor "old-self-self" is back...he even felt good enough to > wrestle a > little with his buddy (Hermes--who has been waiting patiently for > Ewokto feel up to playing) yesterday for the first time in about a > month! > I'm still watching him like a hawk as the oncologist won't be able to > give him another treatment until next Friday. Ewok didn't eat much > this > morning (although he eagerly scarfed down some raw turkey--I know > raw is > probably a no-no, but I'm just thrilled to see him eat anything on > hisown). He's out and about, though...not hiding in the closet > like he > usually does when he's not feeling well. > > I haven't used dex or the combo shot since Christmas...but I know my > regular vet is just around the corner in case I need anything...I'm > hoping the steroid shots will be an option if Ewok starts feeling bad > again before his oncologist's appointment! Fingers crossed that he > remains happy and active for awhile! :) > > How are Patches and Lucy? Sorry, I'm still trying to catch up! :) > > Jen > > > >
