Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / May 2005

We had owned/cherished our cat since it was a couple of weeks old and she
would have been 14yrs old in late August.... 18mths ago she was found to
have higher than "normal" calcium levels in blood. We had
prompted the test as we had noticed she was more frequently drinking.... our
long-standing veterinary practice believed that she was likely to have a
tumour somewhere and we agreed to bring her in for blood tests at a more
regular interval (2/3 months). Kidney readings were within acceptable levels
we were told. The calcium levels was a little higher on next test (normal is
I gather 2.83 m/mols - she was around 3.01 m/mols) - so at the vets
suggestion she was put on a fluid drip for the day to bring the level down.
Her most recent blood test was 10 days ago (this was routine check - her
behaviour was normal although the first had increased compared to couple of
months prior) - vet detected calcium levels of 3.70! (Apparently this is
getting very high). Also a small lump was felt in her abdomen area - this
may have been coincidence but vet considered that it was likely to be
tumour. We were advised that if this was abdomen tumour she would be
inoperable and were to prepare ourselves for the worse. The vet immediately
prescribed daily 5mg Prednisone and advised this would address the calcium
issue and also slow down the tumour growth - in other words make her feel
better. The next 4 days our cat took a
serious dive in her well-being - more than coincidence this was the period
the prednisone had been applied. She was sick a couple of times, was visibly
losing weight, lost appetite, lethargic, looked "out of it"... on the 4th
day we got her back to vet who could no longer feel the lump and her calcium
levels appeared normal again! - this seemed ununsually fast response to the
prednisone and the vet seemed to agree but said it was possible. However our
cat was now gravely ill which did not make sense to me. They x-rayed her but
no tumour could be seen (I understand that x-rays are not very reliable) -
she was given valium to sedate her for the x-ray but where they expected her
to become very hungry in response to valium she was not eating anything.
They kept her on drip overnight to try and get her fluids up. The next day
there was no change and she was ultimately put to sleep our arms at the
urging of the vet.
This has emotionally destroyed myself and my partner and has left me with a
feeling if having poisoned my own cat. The last blood tests indicated
"problems" with liver, kidneys and bone marrow - she was also anaemic...
essentially it appears her whole system had caved-in. Vet had suspected
lymphoma in early diagnosis and I suppose this remains a possibility. But
the whole situation turned upside down during the prednisone period and the
vet insists coincidence but I cannot accept that.