A word of caution: some of the photos might be a bit shocking if you are squeamish. You won't see blood and guts or gaping wounds, but you will see a rather large incision and a bald cat belly. The choice is yours. Don't say I didn't warn you!
I tell you, when you have a house full of pets, things never get boring....especially when you have a house full of older pets! At the rate things are going, we will be paying for our vet's children to go to college free and clear!
I tell you, when you have a house full of pets, things never get boring....especially when you have a house full of older pets! At the rate things are going, we will be paying for our vet's children to go to college free and clear!
Our most recent malady came in the form of mammary tumors in Olivia, one of our calico cats . She didn't exhibit any pain or change in behavior, but Neal had noticed a lump when rubbing her belly one day. What started out as a small lump, quickly grew into a mass of lumps that the vet recommended be surgically removed and sent for histology.
The operation involved cutting her open from stem to stern on one side and removing the offensive tissues, including a couple of her nipples. When I went to pick her up from the vet, they warned me that her incision was long and scary-looking. I guess they didn't realize I've seen a lot of incisions, wounds and scary-looking things on animals! 
The one thing I hadn't seen before was a fluid drain like the one they inserted. It is the rubber-looking piece in the middle with the purple thread. The purpose of the drain is to remove any excess fluid accumulation, which could lead to problems. So far, everything is going according to plan and Olivia is pretty much back to normal. The pain meds and moral support from her buddies work wonders!
We have an appointment to remove the drain tomorrow, then the stitches will be removed a few days later. The pathology report concluded that it was mammary carcinoma (cancer), but the margins were clear and there was no evidence that it had spread to other areas of her body. We can't be 100% certain that all cancer was removed with the removal of the tumors, but we do know that we have bought her some extra time. And time is what we have too little of when it comes to the ones we love. So for now, all is "back to normal" (whatever that means) with our critter family.
6 comments:
Poor baby Olivia! She does look like she's doing just fine now. She certainly is getting a lot of moral support, isn't she? Too little time is too true. Hope your visit to the vet for the drain removal was uneventful.
poor kitty - i am so glad that you guys found that tumor before it got any bigger!
Oh, hugs to you and a gentle hug for Olivia.
Our animal family does keep us on our toes.
It always warms my heart when we know our animals so well that when something is not 'right' we take action.
Hope all the cancer is gone.
And you sure are right about not having enough time with our furry family members.
I hope Olivia is doing well. I can relate to your comment about paying for your vet's children's college. I'm sure I've paid for a new car for my vet, but we do have to take care of our furry children.
Morning Bray, Olivia is doing really well. The drain removal was uneventful, but left a huge hole in her belly! Her buddy, Skittles, is actually more dependent on her than she is on him.
Daune, glad we found the tumor too. It's amazing how those things can spread so quickly!
AJ-OAKS, Olivia and I appreciate the hugs! She is doing really well and we are hopeful all the cancer is gone.
SVB, Olivia is doing very well and recovering nicely. Yes, we do have to take care of our furry children. It's the least we can do in return for all the love and joy they bring to our lives!
Awwwww. Poor Olivia. But I'm glad to hear she's doing really well. Pretty little girl! And so lucky to have you and Neal as her parents!
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