My cat is going into surgery right now

[Hellrazor]

So my cat has been diagnosed with an aggressive, but thankfully, local cancer. My wife and I found a lump (pea sized) on her paw last year (July 05) which we had removed and biopsied. It came back as fibrosarcoma which is a soft tissue cancer. The problem with this cancer is that the tumors tend to "reach out" with fiber that are up to an inch long. Therefore it is very difficult to get clean margins for removal.

Almost immediately after her first lumpectomy (within a month and a half) we found a smaller tumor already beginning to form. Since this cancer does not usually metastasize, and it was still on her lower front paw, we attempted to have this removed and save the leg. This tumor was again the same type of cancer but was caught much earlier (BB sized).

This time there was a much greater time period before anything grew back, but it did again. The vet was unsure it was the same problem and not just scar tissue so against my better instincts he convinced us to wait a month. Well the tumor grew and once again we operated and removed it. The problem with repeated surgeries on a cat's leg is that it becomes difficult to close the wound as the skin is being stretched and stretched.

Unfortunately, a two months after this last surgery, I found another lump. Upon bringing her to the vet he suggested we see a surgeon/specialist to consider amputation which is considered 99% curative.

That brings us to today. Last week we saw the specialist and he agreed with our vet. He offered us three choices.

1) Amputate - cats do very well as tripods (his words) especially when its a front paw. We know a few people who have cats with three legs and amazingly within a week or two they are 90% back to normal.

2) Lumpectomy and radiation treatment - removal of lump and treatment of leg with radiation therapy for 19 straight days. No guarantee this will end the cancer totally (maybe 50%) and is quite expensive. Not to mention there are numerous side effects to the treatment.

3) Do nothing and let her live out her life until the cancer eventually becomes an impediment to her and then put her down. (Six to 12 months estimate)

Dexy is 12, but is extremely active and healthy outside of this. Doctor's expect her to live another 4-5+ years if treatment is successful.

We opted for the amputation. Her x-rays showed no spread of tumors to lungs or other body parts (lungs are the first place that tumors spread to on a cat when cancer metastasizes). However her heart appeared a little enlarged on the x-ray - cardiologist thinks that this is most likely due to her being a little heavy and is just some fat, but will do an EKG and echo on her pre-surgery.

This morning when I left her at home for my wife to take her in, I cried like a bitch. All I could think of is that she doesn't know what's going on and will wake up with one of her arms gone.

So if you are religious say a little prayer for Dexy, if not just think a good thought for her. She's a great pet. Hopefully I will be working from home on Friday and will be picking her up.