Is it time? 15yr old cat with CKD, Pancreatitis & a tumor

[valeroonie]

My beloved 15.5 year old cat is nearing the end and I need help in when to make the dreaded decision.

4 months ago, she was diagnosed with high blood pressure, secondary to chronic kidney disease and enlarged lymphs. Additional diagnosis of either IBD or lymphoma – not confirmed as I won’t put her through surgery at her age. She began going to the bathroom all around the apartment 5 months ago after a move, although it's gotten worse.

1 month ago, she had another ultrasound and was subsequently diagnosed with pancreatitis and has a mass, the vet believes is likely malignant.

Her 'bathroom' habits have become urinary incontinence where she ends up with urine all over her hind legs. Her bowel movements have been soft for weeks now, never in the box, and proving discomfort to her by her scurrying around before and after, trying to clean herself (of which I help her) only to growl and make odd noises clearly indicating her behind is sore and irritated.

She's been hiding daily, although not ALL day. On the other hand, she still purrs, eats and drinks a ton, and seems ok. She's currently on anti-hypertensive, steroids, and what seems to be continuous bouts of antibiotics.

HELP! I don't know if it's time yet or not. I don't want her to suffer but I'm afraid of doing it too early and not considering a potential resolution (or maintenance, rather) that could help her.

Please advise. The nearly complete incontinence is the newest and saddest part, hence me writing this post. It just seems to keep getting worse.

[sugarcatmom]

Sounds like your sweet girl is having a rough time these days.

There are some great "quality of life" scales available that might help you with this difficult decision. Input from a vet you trust can also be invaluable. I so sympathize with you, it's never easy to know exactly when the right time is and trying to find that balance between not wanting our pet to suffer, but also not wanting to end their life too soon if there's a chance for recovery, or for more good days than bad. Such a heavy burden to bear, but also such a huge gift we can give. My heart goes out to you.

http://www.hilstvet.com/quality-of-life-scale-pets/
http://www.lapoflove.com/Quality-of-...uality-of-Life
http://www.homepeteuthanasia.com/end...uality-of-life

[sugarcatmom]

Forgot to mention that antibiotics might be partly responsible for the soft stools, in which case the additon of probiotics to your kitty's food could help with that. Also, pain meds should be at the top of the list when the pancreatitis flares up. Discuss with your vet what analgesics might be worthwhile to suit your cat's needs.