A Tough Decision
So it looks like our Lexi has cancer on her foot.
The results from her blood work and the tumor aspiration came back, and they said it’s mostly infections and white blood cells.
This, combined with the shape and firmness of the growth, as well as how quickly it appeared and how much it pains her, has led our Internal Medicine specialist to conclude that it is cancer.
But because it was an aspiration and not a biopsy, they aren’t 100% sure.
Here are our options for her leg:
Remove the mass and biopsy it.
- This will cost about $1300.
- We will know conclusively whether or not we are dealing with cancer (very, very likely).
- Because of the location of the mass, they won’t be able to get it all and it will likely grow back, bigger and even more angry, within 1 to 3 months.
Amputate her back left leg.
- This will also cost about $1300
- We will find out if it’s cancer, because it will be sent off for biopsy, but we will be suicidal if it wasn’t.
- She will be a 3 legged cat.
- While 3 legged cats are awesome, our hearts are breaking over the thought of handicapping our courageous, independent, self-sufficient, Little Miss Attitude Lexi in this way.
- If this is the only place she has cancer, she can probably live out the rest of her natural life with only 3 little legs… but what will the quality of that life be…?
Remove the mass, biopsy it, and try to radiate or use chemo to kill what’s left.
- This will be upwards of $4,000 to $8,000. We cannot afford that right now.
- The radiation treatments are very taxing on animals, and with her age it could be more inhumane than simply amputating.
- It could still grow back.
All this hinges on her being cancer-free elsewhere. If she has cancer in her chest or lungs… we will remove the mass to make her as comfortable as possible… and spoil her even more rotten than she already is…
……What do we do? How do we choose?…..
As for the mass in her ear…
This all started when we took her to the Emergency Vet because her left ear that was bleeding. The ER vet noted that it was her left ear that had a mass in it. But our Internal Medicine specialist found no mass in the left ear. They did, however, find a mass in her *right* ear.
Here’s what our ear-options are:
- To biopsy the mass will cost $1,500. JUST to biopsy it. No surgery, no solution. Just to look and see.
- If it is cancer,… there is nothing we can do but make her comfortable.
- If it is not cancer, then it is likely a polyp that is not nearly as serious or as life-threatening as her leg. It can wait.
We have decided to have our vet look into her ear and verify which one has the mass, and to tell us if the mass looks like a polyp (understanding, of course, that this is not conclusive). But because of the cost and the urgency of her leg, there is nothing we can do.
At the end of the day:
- We love her so, so, so very much.
- We have chosen to have cats, not kids, and we will do everything in our power to value and respect their little lives.
- We don’t want to amputate. We just don’t. I’m slightly more open to it than Vince is,… but I just can’t imagine my proud little Lexikins handicapped in such a way.
- We are scared. She is irreplaceable to us.
- We love our family and feel like we have been given a death sentence. It is horrible.
What do we do?