View Full Version : Good vibes needed please
Booktigger
07-02-2006, 02:19 PM
Pebbles has had a scabby nose all the time I have had her, the vet mentioned it when she had her blood tests in August, but just to ask if she had been tested for FIV, and when I said yes, she dropped it. The other week someone posted on another cat forum about their cat with nose cancer, and his had started with a scabby nose, so I got paranoid and booked her in at the vets, so she is up to be checked over tonight. I hope I am just being paranoid, but it did look worse last night, and I have had so many health scares with her, I think she went to the vets more last year than Ginger had in the 3 years I have had him!!
Donna
07-02-2006, 02:26 PM
Wishing you well with Pebbles. I am sure everything will be ok and you are doing the right thing to have her checked out. Let us know how you get on tonight.
Hope all goes well with peddles tonight, please let us know....
Fingers crossed for Pebbles. I hope it's nothing at all to worry about :-)
dinahsmum
07-02-2006, 02:56 PM
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_6_16.gif for Pebbles
Hope all goes well with Pebbles tonight......
samwise
07-02-2006, 04:54 PM
Hope all goes well tonight!!!
Will keep everything crossed!!!
bobbie3917
07-02-2006, 05:00 PM
my fingers are crossed for you both
Elaine
07-02-2006, 05:11 PM
Poor Pebbles, fingers crossed and wishing you both the very best.;)
Fingers crossed for you both.
Fingers and paws crossed here.
How did Pebbles get on? Hope everything went ok.;) ;) ;)
How did it go BT? Hope all is well with Pebbles x
smudgley
07-02-2006, 11:54 PM
Hope Pebbles is ok?
Any news?
Booktigger
08-02-2006, 09:55 AM
Sorry, didn't end up getting on the internet, had to talk it through with someone. Not 100% sure what to think about what the vet said. Although in between being put in the carrier and the vet seeing her, she had pulled the scab off so it looked worse. She said she thinks it looks bigger than when she saw it in August, and she thought she only had one scab, and she had at least 2 on her nose last night. She also thinks her nose looks inflamed (and looking at it after we got home and this morning, I am tempted to agree with her). The vet said that 'if' it is anything serious, there isn't much that can be done with where it is and that tumours in that area tend to be aggressive anyway. So, all that we can do is really monitor it, and if it irritates her or gets scabbier, there is some cream, possibly called Fuciderm that she can prescribe - she is going to order some and I am up next week, so will pick it up then. The vet also didn't think she looked that well in herself, and I thought she was still looking thin in her back end, but she is maintaining her weight - she was 3.94 on the 28/12 and 3.95 last night, so am going to carry on feeding her as much as she wants, and might start giving her a/d once a week as well - she is up next month for the weight clinic, and might drop them down to every 6 weeks just to make sure it is monitored. I have thought of another 2 questions for the vet, but she is on half day today, so might not get chance to speak to her.
I'm sorry to hear this, you must be worried sick. At least you are doing all you can and it sounds like your vet is on the ball. Please let us know how things go. (((((((((((())))))))) hugs to you both
Fuciderm is a great cream - I use it for the unusual and mysterious sore that occasionally appears on Darcy's head. I hope it does the trick and that it's just an allergic reaction or something equally benign.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for Pebbles . . .
Donna
08-02-2006, 10:34 AM
Aww give Pebbles a big hug from me. Keep us updated on her weight etc and let us know how you are getting on x
Booktigger
08-02-2006, 11:23 AM
Cheers for the good wishes, I just wish the vet could have said one way or another really. When I checked my diary last night, I did notice that she got scratch on her nose from a foster at the end of Jan last year, but if it is that, it means it has never healed, and that doesn't sound too good either. Will try and speak to the vet about it though. She has always been a sickly cat though, and the vet made the people who were rehoming her do an FIV/FeLV test because she thought there was something underlying - that came back negative, and she had blood tests done in August (was supposed to just be a kidney function test, but the vet didn't like the way she looked, so she suggested a full blood test - think it showed a high white cell count, will check that out with her too) - she has also always had a weight issue.
Snoof
08-02-2006, 12:45 PM
I hope it turns out to be nothing to worry about.
dinahsmum
08-02-2006, 01:01 PM
As long as it is not a cancer (do hope it's not http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_6_16.gif ) the Fuciderm is just a wonder-cream (not actually a cream, more like a vaseling type affair) which seems to make every little mark disappear like magic.
Booktigger
08-02-2006, 01:34 PM
I am hoping not, might be worth just trying the cream out anyway.
Booktigger
08-02-2006, 02:36 PM
Just gone on the internet to do a bit of research, and some of the diagnostic methods and treatments don't sound particularly pleasant, but I do want to know for definite either way. I have a few more questions/points for the vet, and will see what she thinks tomorrow. I do have the option of ringing the rescues vet, as sort of a second opinion, but not sure if this is the best way to go.
Sorry to hear this news.....keeping my fingers crossed for Pebbles..
If it's any help I ahd something similar with a dog, I did alot of internet research and to be honest it only made me fret the worst. Just plod on with your vet. They do know what they are dealing with. Best wishes.
Booktigger
08-02-2006, 03:39 PM
Yeah, it can do. I know when I had a cat with mammary cancer last year it was a good thing, and I did end up writing an article with what I found out to help others, and it was published in my local CP newsletter. I think at the moment it is just not having a definite answer, but feel happier now I have my list of questions to ask - although that could change after I have spoken to the vet tomorrow.
Booktigger
09-02-2006, 08:10 PM
Well, the vet hasn't rang me today, so will have to wait till tomorrow for all my questions. My neighbour (whos a nurse) seems to think Fuciderm is a de-brider, which doesn't sound pleasant, and if it is what I think it is, I might be having a rethink of using it. Here is a close up pic of her nose taken on Tues.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b45/booktigger/nosecloseup.jpg
dinahsmum
09-02-2006, 08:41 PM
As far as I know Fuciderm is a general ?antibiotic ? steroid wonder cream. I certainly wouldn't have thought of it as a surface remover!
Don't think it is steroid. We've had 'Fuci-ear' or 'Fuci-eye' (can't remember which) as well (that's not the proper name).
Fucithalmic eye cream and ear cream DM . . .
dinahsmum
09-02-2006, 08:49 PM
Fucithalmic eye cream and ear cream DM . . .
That's the badger!
Booktigger
09-02-2006, 09:30 PM
Glad to know I was thinking along the right lines with a de-brider. Someone on another forum has said it is a steroid cream - apparently it is very easy to administer - they haven't met Pebbles, touching her eyes, nose and mouth is completely out of the question (if you like your hands that is - I got an infected finger last year from giving her meds, even the vet didn't bother with the final tab after seeing my finger less than 24 hours later). Have spoken to the woman I foster for and have decided I am going to check if this cream is in stock tomorrow, talk to the vet about how long it should be before we see results, and if nothing happens then push for tests. If my vet is unwilling to do any tests, I will contact the vet the rescue use for their opinion. So I feel a lot happier now as I feel I am doing something, I just feel bad it has been going on for so long, but she did have at least 12 vet trips last year, saw 3 different vets plus the vet nurse, and it was only brought up once, and then dropped quite quickly when I said she had tested negative for FIV - at least 3 of those vet visits were proper checkups and included her teeth being looked at, so you woudl assume they woudl have noticed those.
Booktigger
10-02-2006, 07:29 PM
well, the vet was busy when I rang at lunch, so I faxed over my list of questions, and was hoping to talk to her when I picked the tablets up. However, she wants to talk to someone else about Pebbles, so I might have to wait till next week. Have to admit I don't find it that reassuring when the vet wants opinions of someone else (who hasn't seen the cat)
Booktigger
12-02-2006, 10:54 AM
Well, she has been acting odd since Fri - found her in the wet bath twice on Fri morning, found her sat cleaning her face in the litter tray last night, and one of the lodgers keeps picking fights with her - they have been here since August, and just had occasional spats, but this past week or so, it has been really frequent. Fortunately they are going mid week
Booktigger
13-02-2006, 03:54 PM
Well, have spoken to the vet, and there is a possibility of her being referred to a specialist. Only prob is I cant get to where the specialist is, so will have to talk to the neighbours tonight to see if they woudl be willing to take me - I know they are normally willing to do things like this, but the specialist is only there one or 2 days a week, so it is whether we can both get the time off - I wouldn't be happy about them taking her without me being there. The vet has said he may be able to do a biopsy, which she isn't confident at doing, but the price for consultation, biopsy and possible x-ray will be between £400 and £600, so I also need to talk to the insurance company to find out if I would have to pay and then be reimbursed, or if they pay direct, and also if they would pay for specialists. I do hope they do, ad I have little chance of finding that kind of money with everything else that I have to pay for at the mo (unless I want to put it on the credit card, but am unwilling to, it is high enough anyway, and will take me so long to pay off).
Donna
13-02-2006, 04:35 PM
I do hope you can sort out getting to the specialist BT and sorting this out on your insurance. Let us know how you get on.
It is worrying BT, hope you get it sorted out.....
Booktigger
13-02-2006, 08:11 PM
Cheers - was talking to the woman at work who gives me a lift home, and she brought up a couple of points that hadn't occured to me - 1, that to do the biopsy might mean taking away a chunk of skin for testing (don't know what I thought they did to do biopsies) and 2 - that if the diagnosis is that it is something serious and they either can't operate or I would be unwilling for them to (which I would be if it meant taking away any part of her nose, more for her sake than mine) then what is the point? And 15% of £600 isn't cheap to have the same diagnosis as your vet gave you (for £8.30 - the price of the cream). I am going to see if I can talk to the specialist about my concerns but i do think that it looks better today though, so will try the cream till Fri, and then might consider contacting the vet the rescue use, they may have had more dealings with this kind of thing than my vet, so might have an alternative.
Booktigger
14-02-2006, 07:21 PM
WEll, still no idea what to do - I can't talk to the specialist until I have seen him, and I don't konw if I want to put her through that if I am unwilling to go through with the tests. So that is in the vet hands. Just taken a pic a week later as I thought her scab was looking better - the one that I have been able to put cream on is, but the others look worse to me - what do you all think? It is sounding a lot like squamous cell carcinama -cancer on ears/nose caused by teh sun (although it can also affect the eyelids) - if so, I doubt any treatment would be available, or if it is, it would mean amputation of the nose and I woudnt' put her through that. All my friends are telling me not to do anything, but they aren't cat lovers as such.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b45/booktigger/nosecloseupaftercream.jpg
I'm so sorry things are looking grim at the minute :( I wouldn't know how to advise you...think you have to go with your gut instinct and specialist advice on this one BT. Fingers crossed that it is not as severe as you are thinking {{{Hugs}}}
Booktigger
14-02-2006, 10:27 PM
Oh well, it isn't the first time and highly likely not to be the last time I am in an awkward situation - I just thought that as my two had clear blood test results I could start this year better than I did last - and then Molly's blood tests coming back clear made me really believe it. I am going to ring the insurance company tomorrow, to see if they are going to pay, and my neighbour may be able to take me, so pending the insurance company, I can ring the vet and ask her to refer me. It is a lot of money, esp if I am unwilling to do a lot of tests, and I was going to wait a couple of weeks but after reading about SCC I am really not sure if it is such a good idea to wait. I am surprised at the amount of people who dont' think it is a good idea though, and even people suggesting not to have a second opinion.
Booktigger
15-02-2006, 10:21 AM
Well, when she spat at me this morning, I noticed that the she seems to have more black on her gums, so think I am going to get the vet to look at that before I ask to be referred to the specialist. My neighbour may be able to take me depending on when it is, but it might take an hour each way, so if she has to be left there for tests it might not be quite so easy, nor will repeat trips.
Booktigger
16-02-2006, 10:51 AM
HAve seen the vet, and she was more concerned about Pebbles general condition, and wants to do blood tests to check her kidney function is fine before she does anything else regarding her nose. She is apparently dehydrated (my vet says that a lot, and when I do the test I cant see that they are), although she has put a decent amount of weight on (from 3.95 to 4.13 in 9 days), and is the heaviest she has been. So, as I already had an app with the vet nurse tonight, she is going up then for her blood tests, as she had already eaten this morning. Please keep your fingers crossed.
Donna
16-02-2006, 01:01 PM
Good luck Pebbles. We are all wishing you well x
Fingers crossed for Pebbles.......
Booktigger
16-02-2006, 02:30 PM
Cheers - I have had so many health issues to deal with with PEbbles that I can't help wondering if this is going to be something serious and am struggling to be positive about it. Her blood tests 6 months ago did show one of her levels was slightly raised and I think there was an issue with her protein, but as a urine sample showed the concentration was fine, it was left - my cats are blood tested yearly normally, so there was no recommendation about redoing them in a certain amount of time, this is just being done cos the vet isn't happy with how she looks. Someone has pointed out that it looks like her third eyelid is showing in the latest pic which could also be an indication that there is somethign not right. I just hope they can get the test results back tomorrow, I hate them being done at the end of the week and having to wait all weekend, especially when they are being done cos there is a possible sign of something, rather than just routine.
Fingers crossed for Pebbles x
Hoping all goes well with Pebbles...............
Booktigger
16-02-2006, 09:13 PM
Well, neither me nor Pebbles are very happy tonight. They had a couple of clients in making an awful decision tonight, so they took Pebbles into the back to save me waiting - unfortunately Pebbles didn't like that and after about 20 mins, they had to admit defeat - she was extremely stressed, so although she had a good vein, they decided not to continue. I did pass comment on the fact that it was the only time I have never been with my cat for a blood sample and the only time they failed. Fortunately Harold (my next door neighbour) had taken me up, as they want her back in the morning and I have a dentist app, so couldn't take her up myself. i am hoping that they manage fine tomorrow - if it is done early enough, it will be able to go with the courier and we could get results back tomorrow afternoon. The vet wanted a test that included electrolytes, not sure why, and it was the vet nurse who attempted the sample, so couldn't ask.
samwise
16-02-2006, 10:32 PM
I am sorry it didnt go well tonight! I hope it goes better tomorrow. The electrolyte test is used for testing kidney function, among others.
Fingers crossed for you at the dentist as well!
Elaine
16-02-2006, 10:44 PM
Good luck Pebbles for all your ailments. Will be thinking about you tomorrow;)
Donna
16-02-2006, 10:59 PM
Poor Pebbles. I hope the vets manage to get a blood sample without stressing her too much tomorrow. Will be thinking of poor little Pebbles x
Booktigger
17-02-2006, 11:25 AM
WEll, rang 10 mins ago and they have put the cream on and are waiting for it to work - poor thing hasn't eaten since 8 last night, as she had to be prestarved (again). I know the main point of this test is for her kidney function, didn't realise they were to do with kidney issues as well. She is eating really well though (although she proved what she thought of normal cat food last night - she ignored the two bowls that were down despite being hungry through not having her tea), and her fur looks really shiny, she isn't vomiting, so I am hoping they are all good signs.
I hope all goes well today BT..........
Booktigger
17-02-2006, 12:39 PM
WEll, they have taken the blood, and she is back home - I left some food and a plate out so my neighbour fed her for me, althoguh with the amount of other things sent to the lab the results are more than likely going to come back on Mon. Don't like waiting, will be on edge all weekend now. I do have to get my neighbour something nice though - he took me both times yesterday (and we were nearly an hour the second time), then he has taken her up and brought her home today, plus fed her.
Donna
17-02-2006, 12:41 PM
You have a great neighbour BT!! Will be thinking of Pebbles over the weekend x
What a lovely neighbour you have BT!! Try not to worry too much over the weekend x
Booktigger
18-02-2006, 05:35 PM
Well, I keep imagining the worse and getting myself worked up. I don't know if I want the results to be positive or negative - if they are positive, the vet might not want to refer her to the specialist, depending on what the results actually are, if they are negative, I have to again decide if I should go through with the specialist - I want to see him, but might not go through with the tests, so do have to decide if it is worth it. and if I do go through with it,it will be more waiting and emotional stuff to get through.
She is quite clingy (although did nip me a couple of times last night when we were cuddling in bed - she did lick me before and afterwards though, but after the second nip I stopped her licking me), but I suppose that could just be going to the vets 3 times in 2 days, esp as she was taken by my neighbour the 3rd time, and had to stay there for a couple of hours. I am only feeding her wet food to try and help with the dehydration - not that she likes that idea much, she loves biscuits.
Booktigger
19-02-2006, 04:02 PM
Well, it looks like both her third eyelids are showing. I am hoping it is just cos she is dehydrated (although I still cant tell she is, I can only check the bit under her shoulder blades, there isn't enough flesh further down to check and she has been on wet food only since Fri). I am going to try and syringe some fluids into her, but don't anticipate it will go well as she hates her mouth being messed with. I dont think there is much point ringing the emergency vet as we are waiting for test results back. If she seems worse in the morning though, I will ring in sick and wizz her up, and hope that maybe the vet can push for the results, although she said they don't normally do them in the morning, so we would be looking at lunchtime anyway.
Donna
19-02-2006, 06:38 PM
Must be a hard time for you BT. Thinking of you and poor little Pebbles. Let us know as soon as you can how things are going x
Booktigger
19-02-2006, 07:25 PM
I hate all this waiting around, if I can help it I don't have blood tests done at the end of the week for this reason!! If I had suspected she would want to take bloods, I wouldn't have fed Pebbles on Thurs morning, then they could have been done then and I would have had the results Fri lunch (my previous cat Snowy had a liver prob, so she was always starved before seeing the vet just in case, no wonder she didn't like going!!) - but she looked healthy to me, I could tell she had put weight on and her fur was shiny. Oh well, not long to go now, have given up with the housework, have only had a half hearted attempt at anything today, and am going to veg in front of the TV tonight, and hope a cat joins me!!
Booktigger
20-02-2006, 02:16 PM
STill no reply, the waiting is really getting to me now. She was back in the surgery by 2 last week, so I hope it is the same this week. If not, I might have to wait till 3ish.
Booktigger
20-02-2006, 06:45 PM
Well, my patience finally ran out, I rang them as soon as I got home to see if they were back and whether i would get a phone call after surgery finishes to be told that the vet will ring me in the morning - which at my surgery means anytime after 11 depending on how many ops there are, I don't mind that they do the ops first, but it means more waiting. The waiting and emotions are really getting to me now, I don't know how I am going to get through another night.
Donna
20-02-2006, 07:22 PM
This is not nice all this waiting - hope you find out soon.
Booktigger
21-02-2006, 01:46 PM
Well, just rang the vet, and she has had to go on a housecall, then to the other surgery, so isn’t expected back till 3.30, which is time for afternoon surgery. And she does evening surgery on a Tues, so doesn’t finish till 7. I hope she gets chance to ring after that, as she doesn’t work on a Wed morning. Am all worked up again now, really can’t bear all this waiting around. The vet nurse said she would remind her again, but she had reminded her this morning.
Booktigger
21-02-2006, 04:50 PM
Just heard. Yet again, there is nothing to indicate anything. Nothing to explain the dehydration, only her urea is slightly high, but not enough to indicate kidney probs, and could be a number of other things, but too early for anything specific. The only thing she can say is that maybe she is starting with something but it is too early to tell. It could all be linked to her nose but tumours wont show on the blood tests, there is another vet (the only one I haven’t seen) that may be able to do more than my vet, so I am going to see her at 6pm tomorrow - fingers crossed she has seen this more than my vet, as that means that we might not have to see the specialist. So, I feel marginally better. This is the second time that she has been bloodtested for more than she went in for due to looking worse (and was FIV/FeLV tested before I got her due to the vet thinking there was something underlying), so I still can’t help wondering if it is connected with her nose. The vet did say that with tumours they can look really bad but can have 'clear' blood tests
Booktigger
22-02-2006, 09:51 PM
Well, am fairly happy tonight. We saw a lovely vet, who has worked in Australia, so has seen lots of cases of SCC - apparently in Australia one in every 3 cats has had the tip of their nose removed due to it. She feels certain that Pebbles scabs are pre cancerous, I could have a biopsy done but it wouldn't show anything, so not worth it. I have to get her used to wearing suncream (which I have ordered, just not picked up) and watch her at the hottest part of the day. If they start getting bigger or bleeding then she has to go back, and the vet may operate - she has had a lot of experience and has assured me that it wont be that bad for her. She also feels that if it does turn, and she has to have it operated on, it is highly likely not to come back, as it takes years to get to this level of damage, so it might not get chance to return. Her noisy breathing is nothing to do with it fortunately.
Donna
22-02-2006, 09:54 PM
just make sure pebbles wears the sun cream and buy her a big floppy hat to keep her head in the shade. what a sweetie!
Elaine
22-02-2006, 11:12 PM
And a parrasol to sit under;)
Pleased you have found a vet that knows a bit more about it.
Good news BT!! You must be feeling somewhat relieved. Hope you can manage this with the suncream and prevention measures x
Booktigger
22-02-2006, 11:48 PM
Can't describe how relieved I am. It has been a hellish two weeks, I knew she didn't have symptoms of kidney probs, but it didnt stop me imagining things!! So, now all I have to do is to get her used to wearing suncream - and pick it up of course!! Fingers crossed it wont get any worse and she wont have to have an op - but if she does, it can be done by this vet, she wont have to see the specialist.
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