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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:	Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:	FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:	MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO

Created:	Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:	Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	5089
Total number of notes:	60366

1058.0. "Need advice - Amputation!" by LINCON::NSOHL () Mon Jan 25 1988 14:19

A good friend of mine called last night to tell me of her trip to the vet with 
her 6 year old female cat who had a large lump on her hind leg. The vet is 
going to do a biopsy on it today, but told my friend that he felt it was 
cancer and may have to amputate the leg. (I really don't know all the details)

Needless to say, my friend is very upset. I told her I had heard of several 
cats that did quite well with three legs. I had read about them in this notes 
file. Now I can't find the notes. If anyone can refer me to the notes/replies
pertaining to cats having amputations, I would greatly appreciate it so I can 
pass this information on to my non-DEC friend.

The biopsy is today and it will take about a week to get the results back from 
the vet school (we're in Atlanta) then she'll have to decide what step to 
take next. I strongly recommended a second opinion and hoped that some 
'success' stories from NOTES would help her make her decision.

Thanks for any help.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1058.1		CIRCUS::KOLLING	Karen, Sweetie, Holly; in Calif.	`Mon Jan 25 1988 17:25`	3
	Cats do fine with three legs. see 1029.13 and 953 and it's replies. Please let us know how the puss makes out.
1058.2		FDCV13::SANDSTROM		`Mon Jan 25 1988 17:41`	5
	Notes 853 and 873 should help but if you need more information or reassurance just let me know and I'll have my human mom do some more typing for me. Jake the 3-legged terror (and Conni)
1058.3		AIMHI::OFFEN		`Mon Jan 25 1988 18:19`	5
	Good Luck. Hope it's good news. I know how I would feel if it was my babies. Sandi (Lightning's & DejaVu's mom)
1058.4	Thanks - you've helped	LINCON::NSOHL		`Mon Jan 25 1988 19:36`	8
	Thanks for the help! DIR/TITLE=... wasn't getting me anywhere. I found some very positive information and advice that I will pass on this evening when I call to check on how the biopsy went. I only found this file recently and have already learned alot. It's nice to know that there are other people out there as crazy about their cats as I am.
1058.5	Update?	PLANET::DALEY		`Wed Jan 27 1988 15:24`	4
	Any updates on the biopsy? Pat
1058.6	Update -She's got a chance	LINCON::NSOHL		`Fri Jan 29 1988 15:20`	18
	It turns out it is bone cancer that has done extensive damage to the leg. X-rays showed a huge mass. A second opinion was obtained from a truly exceptional vet (specializes in surgery and seems to know the latest on everything.) The second opinion was the same as the first. Both vets were great in explaining exactly what was going on and expressed high hopes for Miss Kitty being able to lead a "normal" life. I passed on the stories of Jake and other three-legged cats from this conference. My friend and I have had some deep discussions on the quality of life, (thanks again to you noters who can express such ideas so well). To the point, Miss Kitty is having her back leg amputated today. She is expected to come home tomorrow, if all goes well. We're saying our prayers.
1058.7		CIRCUS::KOLLING	Karen, Sweetie, Holly; in Calif.	`Fri Jan 29 1988 17:00`	3
	A rub under the ears to Miss Kitty. Please let us know how she does. Sweetie and Holly send good thoughts.
1058.8		DISSRV::HTAYLOR	Cat lovers are a special breed	`Fri Jan 29 1988 19:49`	4
	My best wishes for the Kitty. I'm sure she'll adapt just fine. Holly_the_person :-) (Sorry Karen, couldn't resist)
1058.9		AIMHI::MCCURDY		`Fri Jan 29 1988 20:01`	3
	Hi,Pookie and I also send our best wishes..... regards Kate
1058.10	Bunny rabbit kitty gait	EMIRFI::KEENER		`Sat Jan 30 1988 23:04`	19
	While my 3-legged wonder didn't have cancer (I found him dragging a leg across the yard at the office where I worked while living on Guam). Tigger was just a kitten, nearly starved - vet said some warped person had kicked or hit him and destroyed the radial nerve and one front leg was permanently "dead" - no control/no feeling. Vet felt he was too starved to make it but he grew, and grew. When he reached 'that' age we took him to have him neutered and requested that they also amputate his leg - it just flopped and when he ran sometimes another foot would step on it and he would fall. Tigger was missing a front, rather than back, leg but although he looked like a rabbit when he walked/hopped, you'd never know it was missing when he ran. He climbed the cat pole, played with my other cats, purred, cuddled - in every other way a normal kitty. I sure hope everything works out for your friend - three legs shouldn't be bad, I just hope there hasn't been any spreading of the cancer. Giver her our best. Ellen
1058.11	She's doing fine	LINCON::NSOHL		`Mon Feb 01 1988 11:54`	11
	Just to let you know... I checked with Miss Kitty's Mom yesterday to see how everything was going. Miss Kitty made it through the surgery with flying colors. She was a bit disoriented when she came home on Saturday, but once she got going, she hasn't stopped. She jumped up on the bed with no problems and seems to already have adjusted to three-legs. She has spent her time crying at the window to go out. (She has a nice privacy-fenced yard that she gets to investigate occasionally, but can't get over the fence). She will stay indoors for a while to have a chance to heal. She's doing great! Aren't cats amazing!