Prayers need for Max
 

Max is our DS 15 year old cat. Monday evening he felt a lump under his chin. My vet tech DIL took him into work this morning so our vet could check him out. It is a swollen lymph node and they suspect an infection of some sort. They also found that one of his kidneys is enlarged and he was dehydrated.

They did sub-q fluids to re-hydrate him. I am dropping him off in the morning for a complete blood panel to see what is going on. They say it could be onset renal failure or could just be the infection that is causing the kidney to be enlarged.

Someone set Max out when he was just a 6 week old kitten and he ended up on our porch. He has been our sons best buddy since that day. I just hope it an infection but at his age I know that it could be anything.

Here is a pic of Max I just took tonight. He has really slowed down in the last year or so and just mostly sleeps and eats.
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hang in there Max!! Sending postive energy and prayers that you will get well.

Sending good thoughts and prayers for Max. He looks so sweet.

Max is so precious, such a pretty boy. Such a lucky little guy to have found you porch and all the love he has:thumbup:

Sending prayers for sweet Max.

Healing prayers said for Max! He is gorgeous!

Thanks guys! Max is really a sweet cat. He has the best personality and it is so sad to see him aging so rapidly.

Awh Max hope you heal up. But such a wonderful life you've had with Michelle and your family.

Michelle, sending prayers and positive vibes that all will go well and Max will get better soon. It's heartbreaking when our babies are not well...

Michelle Hugs to you and Max. I will be praying for the sweet baby!!! He looks like my Simba from years ago.

Max stayed at the vet office all day today. They did a complete blood panel on him and there are several issues going on. He is anemic and has an infection going on. Good news is the kidneys look good other than one being a little enlarged. He had several things that were high on his blood work and a couple of things were low one of them being his red blood cells.
He was given an antibiotic shot of Convenia and was put on Lixontinic to build his red blood cells up and carafate because the vet thinks that he may be loosing blood through the intestines and they may be irritated (due to the way I told him he has been eating the last week or so). We go back in 3 weeks to have blood work done again to see if his anemia is any better. I can't remember what he called it but it was some kind of lymphoma (I am not sure if that was the exact word he used) in the intestines, which he said is common in cats this old.
He went over all of the abnormal results on the blood work but I am not sure which one was what?? Something that was high he said was a good sign that it meant the red blood cells were being regenerated.
Thanks for all the prayers it looks like we will still need them. I was hoping for just an infection and at his age I am not sure that treatment if it is lymphoma would give Max quality life at his age.:(

Sorry to hear it wasn't better news for Max. :( Sending prayers for the little guy.

Sending prayers and positive thoughts your way. I really hope it is nothing serious going on.

Praying for Max...

sending prayers for little max

Sending positive thoughts and prayers for Max

I am sorry I haven't updated, but the meds are not helping at this point. Max has very labored breathing as of yesterday. He is barely eating and still drinking some. We are taking him in this morning at 8:45 and hoping for the best, but I am expecting the worst. Our son thinks he is going to get better and is in denial about how sick Max is. Please pray for him and for Max. He isn't ready to let go, but Max is at this point suffering and doesn't have any quality of life. He can only walk about 4 steps before he has to lay down and rest:( This is going to be so hard.

oh im sorry ill keep max and your son in my thoughts and prayers.

Keeping you Max and your son in my prayer's.:animal-pa

I'm so sorry, Michelle. I know how sad you must be feeling, and I hope you will be comforted knowing that Max has lived a life with people who love him deeply. He will always be with you deep inside your heart.

I'm so sorry Michelle and my heart is breaking for your son. Continuing prayers for sweet Max.

I am sorry to hear about Max, will continue to send positive energy for your family and sweet Max!

So sorry sending prayers

We are back from the vet. We aren't to the point yet for the final decision. Without a surgery and biopsy we don't know for sure, but all the symptoms are still pointing to intestinal lymphoma. We started a course of treatment that consists of steroids, vitamin b-12, EquiStem and Convenia. We have to go weekly for the steroids and one of the other injections and then every 3 weeks for one of the others. His hope is that this will cause the lymphoma to go into remission.
I can't remember which ones, but best case he goes into remission and has another year of quality life and worse case this doesn't work at all and he continues to decline.
Our vet said if this were his cat he would do this same treatment. He did say that we should see a marked increase in his appetite and his breathing should become more normal if the treatment works,but his prognosis is guarded.
I am just hoping this doesn't give our son a false sense of security than Max is going to be cured. We are just trying to give him a quality life for whatever time he has left.

I am praying that the treatment works and that you share so many more happy and memorable moments with Max. I'm so sorry that your family has to go through this. My vet always told me never to give up hope. I know Max will feel your love and warmth all around him.

Just a quick update on Max....the treatment seems to be helping a little bit. He has a tad more energy as of yesterday and his breathing is till labored but not as extreme as it was before the treatment. He actually wanted to go out on the screen porch, which is his favorite place to chill. He loves sitting out there to watch the birds. Little sticker actually tried to run out the door a couple of times, which is a huge improvement!!
He has more of an appetite, but refuses cat food. Doc said let him eat whatever he will eat, so I am baking boneless chicken tenders for him and he is eating about 1 each day now.
We know this is just a temporary fix and that he doesn't have much time left, but at least he is getting some energy back. He has always been an inside only kitty, but loves the outdoors..so we are going to take him out and let him wonder around in the back yard while we can sit out there and watch over him (so many stray and loose dogs around to let him out alone). We just want his last days to be happy. He goes back Wed for another treatment.
Thanks so much for all your kind words and thoughtful prayers.

So glad he's doing better and can still do things he enjoys! Sending prayers for Max and your son....

Glad Max is getting a little better. I know how attached we can get. Hugs to Max. :)

I am so sorry your precious Max is going through this. I'm glad you are able to make his last days happier and more energetic. I'll keep you and your son in my prayers.

Bless his little heart. So glad you get to send some extra special outside time with Max. Continueing prayers for improvement with the little guy. Hugs to you all.

Took Max in for his treatment today. He is holding his own as far as no weight loss this past week. He is still eating although not at his usually appetite, but he is eating. He is showing a little bit more energy in the last few days.
As of now his quality of life is still pretty good now that he is eating. Our vet isn't sure how long this is going to last, but as long as we can keep him comfortable and pain fee, we feel good about our decision to go with treatment vs making the final decision right now.