IBS or intestinal lymphoma

IMPORTANT: If your cat is in any distress or discomfort, please consult your own vet as your first priority.
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auntiefloss
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IBS or intestinal lymphoma

Post by auntiefloss »

Hi All,
my 16year old cat has bounced round like a kitten all her life, until 10days ago - Floss has been really poorly (vomiting/liquid poop/no appetite/weight loss) and the vet is unsure if it's IBS or lymphoma.
My understanding of the upcoming ultrasound is - if it shows 'thickening' in the intestine, it could be either IBS or lymphoma.
The only way to determine lymphoma (after an inconclusive ultrasound) would be invasive tests.

Floss has had a great life and I don't want to put her thru surgery or chemo - so why would I put her thru an ultrasound that would be inconclusive (as I then wouldn't put her thru invasive/surgical test) or conclusive/a tumour (as I then wouldn't put her thru surgery/chemo) ?

Do I go down the steroid route, in case it's IBS? But if she doesn't improve, make the sad decision to pts (because at that point it would probably be cancer)?

Am I a bad cat mom if I don't go ahead with the ultrasound?

TIA xx
PS the no surgery/chemo decision is a personal choice and not a financial one as Floss does have insurance xx
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fjm
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Re: IBS or intestinal lymphoma

Post by fjm »

An ultrasound is non-invasive, and may give you information to help to make decisions about treatment or palliative care. Steroids can help both IBS and lymphoma, although the dosage and regime might differ. I would go ahead with the ultrasound for the sake of any information it might give, but if you feel it would be very distressing for her and not make much difference to the treatment options then you know her best, and love her best.
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Mollycat
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Re: IBS or intestinal lymphoma

Post by Mollycat »

First if all, you are a great cat mom, and if anyone says you're not simply for deciding against a scan, then I stand with you to be a bad cat mom too, because I declined the same when faced with the same dilemma two years ago when my Boo was 14. My decision was made easy by my gentle but honest cat vet - I will see others for the dog but not for Molly - because she said knowing which it was would not change our treatment options. Every case is different and perhaps for you it might make a difference, but I now find it useful to ask brutal questions like, "What happens if we do nothing?" and "What timescale are we likely talking about on this treatment?" and "How does this test change our options?" and say things like "I'm not forcing pills down my cat's throat every day for the rest of her life, if it can't be injected monthly or given on food then we're not having it." I have no idea if my vets find me a terrible nuisance or a breath of fresh air, and I don't care - my duty of care is as Ralph Waldo Emerson said - "It is not the length of life, but the depth."

All of that said - yes the ultrasound is non-invasive and a lot hinges on whether you are happy to spend that on a test that could well tell you nothing, or at least nothing useful. Don't be fooled by the words, read up about how similar an intestinal lymphoma and inflammatory bowel disease are in a cat and how the prognosis and treatment are not hugely different. It isn't the same as the difference between cancer and irritable bowel in humans, put it that way. This is just one serious and reliable article, there are literally thousands and the level of agreement is very high https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/def ... &pid=11131 - and do take into account how well your cat takes treatment and regular vet visits, because those too contribute to overall quality of life.

Yes it is absolutely ok to refuse tests and treatments if they are not right for you and your cat. There is very little point in making a diagnosis if you're not prepared to put Floss through the treatment, and that is absolutely ok, it makes you a very loving kitty momma who puts your cat's quality of life in top priority above your very human wish that she could be by your side forever.
Last edited by Mollycat on Thu Sep 30, 2021 6:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
booktigger
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Re: IBS or intestinal lymphoma

Post by booktigger »

I would ask what the procedure is for an ultrasound first, I've used two vets, the first insisted on having my cat there for the whole day and sedating her, which was traumatic, the second allow it to be done in a normal appointment slot, and you can hold your cat. As the treatment is the same, nothing wrong with skipping the scan and trying steroids
auntiefloss
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Re: IBS or intestinal lymphoma

Post by auntiefloss »

Thank you so much for your replies, it's great to get others thoughts & perspective - I still don't know what I'll do, but I'll let you know xxx
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