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Webster's Fight Against SCC
I brought peace to my orange tabby cat, Webster, March 11 at 11:15 a.m. after treating him since November 17, 2002 and more than likely having SCC since around September. He was 14 years and 1 month old and I actually decided to put him to sleep 1 day before his favorite companion, Mozart, was put to sleep, March 12, 5 years ago. It was almost as if he knew and wanted to join him. It was a very difficult decision, for he was an extremely affectionate and loving cat, following me "everywhere" I went, on my lap, at my side at all times. However, I wanted to spare him the last phase of this devastating cancer, and most of all did not want him to die alone or be barely alive when I put him to rest. Up until 2 hours before, he was jumping up to all his favorite spots in the house near me, yet he was eating less in the past few days no matter how long and hard he licked up his warm, wet food. Finally, when jumping on to my lap a second time that morning, he had a hard time coming up and he let me know I was doing the right thing. My vet, of course, reassured me that I was doing the humane thing and Webster died the most peaceful death, reassuring me that I did the right thing with love at the right time. I have been faithfully visiting the various sites where diaries appeared to compare notes as my dear Webster experienced various stages of this disease. To say it helped and prepared me is an understatement. While my vet was very conscientious and caring, I derived more concrete detail from these sites. Following is a diary of what I experienced with my Webster: July/August 2002: I was bringing my other cat, Chico, also 14 years old, to the vet fairly often for check ups. He had been diagnosed with IBD in the Spring and was placed on prednisone and another medication (name escapes me now, begins with an M and was an oral medicine that I gave him for only a short time). He was placed on a special diet as well, Hill's z/d Low Allergen. For a while I was only putting out dry food (as my vet requested) for both cats in the morning before work, when I came home from work, and right before bed. Both cats were on this diet since my vet stated it would not hurt Webster and Webster was also extremely prone to vomiting. I did this for about a month, then started back with just leaving the food out. Although I was busy with Chico, I had noticed Webster had "bad breath" and had some nose discharge as if he had a cold. But it seemed just like a cold nose, etc. I thought after this period with Chico, I will bring Webster in for a teeth cleaning, thinking nothing of it. September 2002: I continued to notice the halitosis and then Webster began pawing at his mouth as if he were cleaning or trying to clean off his whiskers. This happened sometimes then it became more frequent and frantic toward the end of September. I gauged it and noticed it happened mostly after he ate. It was extremely odd and he would stand up on his hind legs at times and do this pawing at his mouth, whiskers, or sides of his lips. Sometimes I would hear him doing it as if he were trying to hide it, then he began to ensure I saw him doing it. During this month, I also noticed he began to lose weight, which I attributed to the special diet. So I began adding another dry food to his diet and a sometime treat of wet food. First week of October 2002: Took Webster to the vet and was given a new vet who had started at this practice. He was very attentive, a little aggressive but was very thorough. We did a complete blood work up. My vet sounded a little puzzled over the pawing at the mouth, attributing it to possible tooth problems, perhaps tartar build up, maybe a loose tooth or abcess. He did a cursory look at his teeth, said they looked pretty good, but from what he was able to see, Webster might have an abcess in the back molar. He wanted to see the test results first before we did a teeth cleaning or further work especially due to his age. I found out a few days later that Webster had hyperthyroidism. The blood work looked good, otherwise, except Webster's white platelets were clumped together. My vet assured me this was fairly normal in older cats and nothing to worry about. At this time, my vet wanted to see if the pawing stopped with treatment so Webster was placed on thyroid medication. After a short time on medication, Webster was not vomiting but was not happy about having me pop pills in his mouth. End of October through mid November: Pawing at the mouth seemed to periodically appear but not as often. However, halitosis was becoming more noticeable and now Webster was hiding in the closet sleeping on a sweater, which had never happened in all the years I had Webster. This went on for a week. Made an appointment for a tooth cleaning 2nd week of November. That morning the vet called me before surgery and told me that they found a major abcess in the back molar and that he would explain further when I picked Webster up later that day. My vet showed me X-rays, detailed how abcessed the area around the tooth and bone was and how he removed it all. They would send the bone specimen out to the pathologist as part of normal procedure but once again he assured me on a positive note. Bringing Webster home that night was scary. I had never brought an animal home semi-conscious from anesthesia and to see Webster falling off the bed was disheartening to say the least. A few hours later, he seemed okay but was very lethargic obviously. For the next few days afterwards the lethargy continued but the pawing at the mouth had stopped. I checked in with the vet and he said the depression is fairly normal on that particular antibiotic and especially with older cats. I could change the antibiotic but we decided it was only going to be another 5-6 days and Webster seemed to recover and become somewhat like his old self. He was no longer hiding, was jumping, eating, etc. AND he was no longer pawing!!!! November 15, 2002: Had a message on my voicemail from the other vet, the owner of the vet practice, that the pathologist report had revealed SCC and to call him as soon as possible. My other vet was going out of town however he called me that Friday night from out of state to give me all the options and details of the cancer. He actually had not experienced a cat with SCC before but my other vet who left the message had (he is Chico's vet). I told him right then that I would not opt for chemo and or radiation for I had already read up on the web about SCC in the past two days. He told me he was going to do some more research and would call me Monday about medications we would start Webster on. November 21: Started Webster on Antirobe Aquadrops and ordered piroxicam via an out of state compounding pharmacy (see address at the bottom of the page). Didn't receive the piroxicam until after the Thanksgiving holiday from what I recall. Webster started chicken flavored liquid piroxicam end of November. By that time, he was having difficulty eating hard food. I was warming up chicken and tuna wet food in the microwave and stirring in the piroxicam every 48 hours. Every day with aquadrops that I faithfully picked up every 3 weeks and every other day with piroxicam Webster ate his warmed up wet food until March 10. And he loved it. Finally, he was able to eat wet food with abandon again. I had stopped wet food years ago. During this time, I continued to pop his thryroid pills in his mouth with much trouble. December: Early December to Christmas Webster seemed great: lively, ate a lot, was as affectionate and loving as ever, but he was losing weight.There were periods of "pawing at the mouth" but not as often. Mid December, however, I noticed him at times repositioning his tongue after eating even though he tried to hide it from me. XMAS Break: As a teacher, I have that luxurious 2 week break. Webster began drooling at the mouth, especially when he took cat naps at the edge of my leg. There would be streams of drool. By the end of December, I could no longer pop the thyroid pills in his mouth; he wouldn't let me near his mouth. So I crushed them in his food for a while. End of December through January: I began having towels all around the house where Webster perched or napped for now the drool was laced with blood.Mid January I noticed (how I didn't catch it I don't know) that the liquid piroxicam I was giving him had expired on January 3 2003. I called the vet who said it wasn't dangerous but obviously not as potent. We renewed the prescription and I ordered optimistically (I actually told the pharmacist I doubted Webster would last the 50 pills) the 50 capsules (same cost: around 35.00 with shipping) that I would sprinkle in his food. During January, Webster was constantly repositioning his tongue and turning his head to readjust his jaw after eating, even after cleaning. This was hard to hear, to watch. I was scared he would swallow his tongue. When he would yawn, scared though I was to look in his mouth, I would notice his mouth only opening about halfway. He started to sneeze sometimes. I started to notice halitosis at times in spite of the aquadrops. His left eye was tearing periodically. Although, in hindsight, even in early fall I would notice his eye tear sometimes and his left eye seemed to take on a rounder appearance compared to his almond shaped right eye. He was losing more weight, sleeping more, kneading me more, coming near me even more often than before. He took on the habit of jumping on my lap in the bathroom late December through the end. Although, he took a few quick runs through the house after or behind Chico. February 2003: Webster was no longer greeting me at the door with Chico, usually groggily sleeping or barely awaking when I walked through the door. But he is alive; the worrying in the car was for naught. Then he would greet me and look at me with his sad, sweet golden eyes, one left eye tearing some days. By mid February, however, with the fresh new piroxicam ordered mid January, there was no blood in the drool from his mouth. What a relief, I thought. Webster was sneezing a lot. Webster's mouth, though, was becoming crooked. His front, fang tooth was hanging out over his lip. If you looked at him straight on, you could see that his mouth was pulling up toward the left jaw, eye, and ear. There was no outward swelling, but his sweet diamond shaped face was becoming thin, gaunt along with his little body. He felt like a feather if I picked him up. His eyes were becoming sadder, more tears in the left eye, more drool from the mouth. He seemed to have a little difficulty closing his left eye and would cover it with his paw. He continued to be with me though, sleeping with me, watching TV with me, reading with me, on my lap while at the computer, on my lap in the only place I am supposed to have privacy. *S* He continued to walk, jump, eat, drink, and "empty." There were no more quick runs or rampages with Chico this month. Webster is beginning to sleep in a weird place: on a top shelf right next to the pet carrier. Webster seemed to not eat as much each time although everytime I would put food out for him he would go to it and lap it up. March 2003: Webster's eye was becoming worse. It was now becoming very bloodshot on some days first week. He could not close his left eye; it was always full of tears, almost blurred. He was still jumping, walking, eating, drinking, with me all the time. Chico began howling a lot these two weeks. By second week, left eye was very bloodshot in left corner, very painful looking. Constant tears which he would shake off along with drool that was still coming from his mouth. His eating was becoming much harder. He would lick, lick, lick and food as it always was was all around the plate. But now he was leaving food on the plate. March 6: Webster's eye is very bloodshot, looks way too painful. Come home from work: He is in so much pain, he can barely open his left eye for a while. Then it clears. March 7: leave message for vet March 8: 2 a.m. Webster wakes me up with a dreadful, dramatic sneeze then another and still another, shaking his head from side to side. Talked to vet who was in a hurry and I was upset so I only describe bloodshot eye. He tells me to pick up a medication for his eye on Monday, to drop in his eye. March 9: Talk to family and friends; almost decide to put my sweet orange pumpkin out of his misery. There is NO WAY I will be able to get eye drops in this poor cat's eye and a third medication. What am I thinking? Yes, he is alive, yes this SCC has not affected his breathing yet, yes he is eating (but really, Sue, aren't you just noticing that his plate is still half full after licking for 10 minutes; yes, but Sue he ate 4 times on Saturday, yes but Sue, what about his bloodshot eye Saturday after all that licking, and on and on) My God this cancer is about to blind my Webster. I will not do this to him. My good friend came home to her cat bathed in blood dead 2 months ago and my family just witnessed their 9 year old cat die of a sudden stroke right in front of them. I do not want Webster to go alone without me, without my words of love, and I do not want to see him suffer anymore PERIOD. He has been my good friend, my buddy for more than 14 years, he has had the best life. Let him go in the dignity and grace with which he lived and oh how regally he walked. March 10: Stop at good friend's house before vet. Will she be available this week. She's leaving on Wednesday for Utah. Go to vet. Try to talk to my vet who is in surgery. Talk to nurse who assures me that I am making the right decision, that I know what the signs are. While I am talking to her, I realize my Webster has been giving me the signs these past two weeks. My God, so has Chico with his howling. I think and cry all night with Webster. But the vet said you look for 3 signs, no eating, drinking water, or going to the bathroom. Webster ate tonight. But no he has actually been meowing as you warm the food, following you to the food, but then walking away; you've been picking him up to bring him to the food. So he licks, licks, licks--repositions his mouth, shakes his head, food flies out, half the food left on plate. March 11: 5:30 wake up with Webster at my side. Thank goodness he's alive. His eye seems clearer. Oh no, I am making the wrong decision. Warm up food; piroxicam not due today and I won't give him aquadrops today. Webster eats, not that much but he doesn't walk away from it. Am I making the wrong decision? Am I doing it too soon. Tell me Webster. I cry. I stop. Webster kneading me on my hip while watching news. Webster jumps on on the top back of his favorite wingback chair near the door. Webster sleeps on the dryer on top of some clothes while I am in the shower. Webster sleeps on top of a sweatshirt on top of dresser in bedroom. When I am out in living room, Webster follows me and jumps up on the back of the loveseat next to the window; the sun is shining, another favorite place. Lap in bathroom once. Lap in bathroom a second time; he misses and tries again and looks in my eyes and I know then Webster knows why I am crying and he is telling me it is okay, Mom, I am ready to go and you are doing the right thing. Webster smells the pet carrier when I place it on the floor at 10:15. Mom, I am going to howl like crazy when you put me in that carrier and all the way to the vet and he does. Until, he is taken out of the carrier and he lies down on that turquoise towel he loved so much so quietly just listening to Dr. Whalen, Rita, and I talking (me crying but not as much--the tears were dried up by this point, only drops now). Dr. Whalen assures me again and again that I am doing this at the right time--that I wouldn't want to see or allow Webster to go through the next phase of this dreadful cancer. "In fact, Sue, when I tried to go near his eye, it is obvious he is in pain." 11: 45 a.m. Goodbye sweet Webster. You left with as much peace, grace and love as you lived your life. Greet Mozart, your favorite companion, in heaven. I wonder the opposite that night: Did I treat him too long; should I have put him out of his misery sooner. But I realize he was still living a fairly quality life up until the end and I didn't put him through the next phase, the possible loss of breathing, any additional spreading of this disease. I also realize Webster and I had such a close bond and that he told me when it was time. The compounding pharmacy is: Island Pharmacy Services (IPS) P.O. Box 1412 Woodruff, WI 54568 (715) 358-7712, Fax (715) 358-7021 www.islandpharmacy.com The representatives at this pharmacy were very helpful and understanding, especially given that I was ordering the piroxicam.
