Amy,
It does sound like your vet is very nice and compassionate. And any
vet that is willing to learn and research is a keeper. When a cat is
anemic whether they are positive or not, there is a reason for it.
Anemia in itself is not a disease, it is a symptom if something else
going on and that something needs to be found and treated.
When Bailey was anemic, blood work didn't give us any answers, it only
told us he was anemic but not why so we did a bone marrow aspirate, this
gave us a little more to go on. His anemia was non regenerative and
there was evidence of neoplastic cells, pre-cancerous cells. We did
every imaginable test to try and find cancer if there was any, it wasn't
a definite for sure he had cancer but there was a chance he might have
cancer. None of the test, ultrasound, xrays, blood work, nothing showed
us any cancer anywhere.
We reversed the anemia with epogen, prednisolone and he was on the doxy
just in case and he tested negative 5 times for hemo but I still wanted
him on doxy. So I don't know which drug or combination of drugs fixed
the anemia but he was on the epogen for the 5 months longer that he lived.
He died 5 days after he turned 11 years old and an autopsy showed he had
pancreatic cancer. I had questioned my vet about pancreatitis because
Bailey had a feeding tube (even after we fixed the anemia he wouldn't
eat a bite on his own), and he would act uncomfortable sometimes when I
fed him so I wondered if he had pancreatitis, my vet said she didn't
think so because his blood work didn't show it, his glucose and amylease
were normal, but that doesn't mean anything they may or may not be
elevated with pancreatitis. He also had chronic diarrhea for the 5
months. I wish I had told my vet to do the specific test for
pancreatitis but I didn't ... something I will regret forever too.
Pancreatic cancer from what I understand is not one that responds well
to chemo but I never even got the chance to try so I know exactly what
you mean about feeling guilty. But I have learned from that and
whenever I hear someone say epogen will *not* help a cat that has non
regenerative anemia, I KNOW that is not true and I will say it until I
am blue in the face.
I've lost 5 positives over 14 years, my youngest was 5 so I was pretty
lucky I didn't lose any real young ones, Bailey was my oldest and yes it
happens so quickly, one day he was a very happy little chubby boy and
then all of a sudden it seemed he was losing weight and very sick.
I don't have any positives now, but all my guys are getting older, Fred,
18 has kidney disease for the last 3 years and is getting weaker, but he
is still happy and gets waited in hand and foot, he only leaves his bed
to go potty, his food, water, everything is right there for him. He
gets up and comes over to sit on me several times a day and smooch,
other than that he sleeps. Some would say he doesn't have much of a
life but he is happy and does what he wants, as little or as much.
Joey, 14 has kidney issues and heart issues, he loses a little more
weight every year and has slowed down some. He sleeps more and hates
getting his fluids every other day. He is my heart baby and I can't
even bring myself to think of him not being here. Shelbee 15, just had
surgery for a huge mass taking up almost all of the room in her body, it
is a benign biliary adenoma and her whole liver is involved so there was
nothing they could do, yet her blood work for her liver and kidneys is
perfect (she also has a mass on her kidney, not cancerous, probably had
that all her life). She came through the surgery with flying colors and
my animal communicator said she feels strong and good. Hopefully the
tumor will grow very slowly and she will be with me many, many more
years. My other two are as far as I know are only overweight, one a
little, one a lot.
No bet knows everything including mine, whom I also love, she isn't
there anymore and I have not found anyone that I like even half as much
as her.
I know you did your best by Maverick and so does he, one thing about
animals they love us unconditionally and all they want in return is out
love, with that they are happy. We can only do our best and you did and
that is all we can do.
--
Belinda
happiness is being owned by cats ...
http://bemikitties.com
http://BelindaSauro.com
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