Malignant Oral Tumor in Cat

[AprilW76]

We just found out that our cat Stottlemeyer has a tumor in her mouth, and it is cancerous. I have read up about the prognosis of this, and it does not look good. Next Friday we are taking Stot back to the specialist so she can get a couple of CT Scans. The CT Scans will determine if the cancer has spread to bones in the head and if she is a candidate for surgery to have the tumor removed and / or radiation. If Stot is able to have the tumor removed, she may have to have a feeding tube inserted and eat through the tube for the rest of her life. And Stot is only 4 years old, 5 at the most. Have any of you dealt with anything like this before? Or know of any other treatments that would help? I am so scared of losing Stot, who is still being her lovable, playful self.

[luckypenny]

We haven't experienced such a medical situation such as your's, but I was just wanting to send and that all will work out for the best for Stottlemeyer.

Hopefully someone else will come along who may be able to provide some of the info you are seeking.

[sugarcatmom]

Oh gosh, I'm so sorry to hear about Stottlemeyer's diagnosis. I don't know a huge amount about oral carcinoma in cats except for what I've read on the internet. Feeding tubes, on the other hand, I'm quite familiar with. They sound worse than they are and can really be a life-saver. There are a few different kinds, a nasal tube (only used short-term), an esophageal tube (or E-tube, surgically placed in through the side of the cat's neck), a pharyngostomy tube (P-tube, goes in higher up on the cat's neck), and a PEG tube, which goes directly into the stomach from the cat's side. My experience has been with PEG tubes. There's lots more detailed info here: http://www.catinfo.org/feedingtubes.htm

Having said that, it's a decision only you and Stottlemeyer and her oncologist can make on whether a feeding tube is a reasonable option. I have some links that you might want to check out. This one talks about Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Here's a good Quality of Life Scale, and this rather clinical article is about Feline Pain Management.

I'm really hoping for the best for you guys. Please keep us updated on Stot's progress.

[badger]

This happened to the much older cat of a friend of mine. They were not able to operate, probably because it was caught too late and head cancers are difficult to treat. I'm afraid he was ultimately euthanized; his quality of life was just too poor.

I am so sorry. I really hope the vet can turn this around and give Stot at least a few more years. If things are too much for her, she'll let you know.