possible cancer...?!? :(

[Caspar]

I am so sorry for you and Bronx-e

One of my ragdoll cats passed away from this disease two years ago. However, the vet didn't know what it was at first. He had an abdominal mass, had that removed, had it biopsied, the results were "inconclusive" and that was when he swelled up.

It's a hard to disease to have to watch. I am really, so sorry for you. Especially as he's such a young kitty. My thoughts go out to you..

 

[klreese]

Casper, Bronx-e's spleen biopsy came back inconclusive, but once they looked at the lymph notes biopsy they looked over the spleen one and figure it out- from my understanding!
I'm so sorry your kitty was a victim of this terrible cancer as well.

 

[klreese]

for all the breeders on the site:
About a 1.5-2 years ago when Bronxe was diagnosed with IBD/IBS we called the breeder to explain to her his problems. Not because we wanted anything in return, but to simply notify her of his issues.
my question is: should i call her and tell her about bronxe? and how his cancer is the result of his poor immune system? the dr says it was the result of his immune system and he's been a sickly cat since we got him.
obviously NO ONE will EVER replace my bronxe, but i feel she needs to know that he has cancer because he was a sickly kitty.

backstory: 2 days after we got him we took him to the vet- he had a really bad URI and other issues- although that could have been the result of the travel (2 hours car ride) and the stress of a new home. however, the vet looked at his teeth and they had black spots. he said that usually a kitty has those spots when they are given medicine too early. so he'd been sick before we bought him....

What's your opinions and responsibilities as a breeder? i know many people on here breed. thanks everyone.

 

[MissMySphynxBoys]

This is a hard question as it depends on your breeder as we have seen not all breeders are created equal.

Is your relationship with the breeder a good one? How did she take it when you contacted her about the IBS (which I read can be one of those inflammatory precursors to Lymphoma) 2 years ago?

People generally don't like having their mistakes (knowingly or not) pointed out to them. Many breeders put their heart and soul into their breeding programs so it must be a crushing blow to realize the pairing choices they made had a negative impact on the health of their kittens.

Having said that, I personally would like to know what happened. But I do understand that some people would rather not be faced with that information.

If you think that sharing Bronx-e's diagnosis with your breeder will help future litters in some way, I would tell her and let her deal with the information in her own way.

 

[klreese]

Thanks for the reply Sphynxboys-
i forgot to mention that info.
When i called her originally she felt HORRIBLE that he had those tummy problems. she offered us a new kitten for $300 because she felt so bad.
We really don't communicate with her, we haven't become friends and haven't spoken since the day she offered us the $300 kitten, saying we didn't need to decide anytime soon but later in the future if we decide she would honor that price.
again, a new cat will not bring my bronxe back and honestly i'm not sure i would want other ANYTIME soon..... maybe YEARS from now.
i guess i just sorta want her to know. i don't plan to me mean, afterall it isnt her fault. but i feel she needs to know. maybe something did go wrong- that i'm not aware of, but she may be.
I asked the dr the other day, if his condition could have been something we did or could have prevented and she said absolutely not. that this would have happened regardless of who he was with.
and yes, ibs which a common symptom for lymphoma cancer. however, his cancer developed from his poor immune system. so because of his chronic URI's and IBS, rodant ulcers, there was talk of feline asthma, his horrible rash last month- was all caused by his poor immune system! and although we would treat it, there was nothing we did or should have done to stop these illnesses.

he stayed over night at the er sat/sun (8/8-8/9) he came home in antibiotic. we stopped them thursday . he went to the dr friday for a check up and low and behold, he has an URI from just a recheck at the vet on friday! and this is the cycle he's had to endure these few years. the smallest thing can trigger an infections/sickness/etc.
so it wasn't anything she could/should have done... nothing i should/could have done. it would have happened at some point or another. i just fear for his littermates and/or future cats of hers.

 

[susi794]

It depends on why you are telling your breeder. Are you telling her because you want her to replace or refund the money you paid for Bronx-e? You should look at what your contract says, but I don't see how the breeder can be held responsible if a cat develops cancer two years later. Cancer isn't a congenital defect. What could this breeder have done to prevent it? I know you are hurt and angry, and I don't blame you. These cats can be very delicate, often have immune system issues that have been bred into them along with the hairlessness gene--that's why the outcross programs are so important --to strengthen the gene pool, so that these poor babies don't catch everything that comes down the pike.

My heart truly does bleed for you and I feel your sorrow....and I don't blame you for being mad. But it isn't really your breeders fault--is it? Cancer happens. If many cats from this particular pairing have developed cancer then that is one thing, but if not--how is it her fault? MMSB said that breeders may not like their mistakes (knowingly or not) pointed out to them....what mistake was this? How could the breeder have prevented it?

If I were your breeder, I would want to know that Bronx-e has cancer--but I think I would resent it if you made it sound like it were my fault. Tell her how heartbroken you are and ask her if when the time comes, she would see her way clear to giving you a discount, since you only have had Bronx-e for such a short time. . As a breeder I would feel terrible for your loss and would be much more likely to respond positively to that kind of an approach. She may even volunteer to do something for you.

Please don't think I'm being horrible--I don't mean to come off that way. It's just that making cancer sound like a breeder error just doesn't seem fair to me.

Sorry to be the contrary one this time....
Much love,
Susi

 

[klreese]

Susi- sorry if it came across as that way, but i have never blamed the breeder for bronxe's sickness.

while we were trying to diagnos bronxe's tummy problems i called her numerous times as updates on his illness. i never blamed her for them. i don't blame her for his poor immune system. that isn't why i would consider contacting her.

and i'm not asking for a new kitten, nor did i ask for the discounted $300 kitten. That was all her. She offered it because she felt bad because he was sick.

However, i do think she should know about what happened. I feel that maybe if he was sick as a kitten, then maybe his litter mates were sick too, that she should know what happened. not blamed, just aware- ya know?

I don't blame anyone for bronxe's sickness. his cancer was caused by his own body. no one could have detected that. and believe me, we took him to the vet A LOT... if there was ever a concern before hand for this, we would have found it. i dont blame anyone.

I guess i just feel she should know. As an english bulldog breeder, i would like to know how my puppies do later in life, ya know? i just feel she should know.

From my understanding, her family was VERY close to bronxe. Her daughter slept with him everynight and they considered keeping him for themselves.

I wouldn't want a refund. i love bronxe so much and know he will never be replaced. the money we paid for him, i'm not sad about. i wouldn't ever ask for a refund. nor would i ask for another kitten. however, i just feel she should know.

As breeders, if you guys wouldn't want to know, i guess i won't call. but i would NEVER blame her. if anyone, i blame myself. i would thank her for providing me with such a special gift from God. For my soulmate in life. for such a wonderful gift and will never be able to be replaced.

but i understand what you guys are saying.

 

[susi794]

Don't misunderstand me...I would DEFINITELYwant to know. I just wouldn't want to be blamed for something I couldn't control. I guess I just got concerned when I read stuff like "breeder's mistakes" associated with getting cancer. I didn't mean to sound like I was being some kind of a witch. If I came off that way, I apologize. I would never want to hurt anybody's feelings.
Much love,
Susi

 

[klreese]

Oh susi, no worries, i'm not offended.

i think i meant "breeders mistake" - as in.. they said bronxe was sick as a kitten.. i'm thinking of things like say my litter got sick and i was treating them. or my female was sick through pregnancy.. thats what i meant. i didnt mean MISTAKE as in, ill breeder or lack of love for their litter/female, ya know?
i mispoke. i'm sorry.

i just think she deserves to kn0w- deserves is a better way- then should know.

Although, i asked my fiancee and he doesn't think we should call her because he doesnt want her to think we want a cat in return- which we dont ya know.

thank you for your insight. i truly apperciate it! i respect your opinion. thank you.

 

[Bella07]

I am so terribly sorry to hear about your baby boy. If I were a breeder, I would want to know; no doubt about that. (If you do decide to contact her though, I would call her, rather than through email.) Tell her the truth...let her know that at this time you aren't interested in adding another Sphynx to your family, and want to spend as much time with Bronx-e as possible, but for the time being, you wanted to let her know about his cancer.....

 

[holly_savage]

So sorry to hear the sad news. But I agree, a responsible breeder should WANT to know these things.

 

[Ducky01]

I just read this post about your baby having Lyphoma. Thoughts and prayers with you in such a difficult time. I lost my Boxer last year to it and it was the most difficult thing to have to deal with. It sprung up so fast and he unfortunately did not make it more than a month. I remember the daily trips to mcdonalds just to buy him hamburgers so he would eat. It's so difficult to let such lovable devoted pets (family) go at any age but such a young life seems so cruel to steal.

 

[klreese]

Ducky- thanks for the reply. interesting you say he was only around for a month. the vet told us up to 3months and bronxe isn't doing well... we're going on 5 weeks. we anticipate having to put him down soon which breaks my heart beyond blief!
believe me- we accomodate bronxe SO much now! i buy deli turkey just for him, special treats to hide his medicine, he's even allowed outside now!! (i dont allow my cats to go outside) - this is his FAVE!! i love making him happy. he purrrrs none stop while behing held outside.
i'm so sorry to the loss of your dog.
did his cancer end up spreading to his intestines? the dr thinks bronxe's has spread there. he has started to throw up and his stomache is starting to swell. he's now on steroids and a nausea medicine. we are not doing chemo.

 

[Ducky01]

Ducky- thanks for the reply. interesting you say he was only around for a month. the vet told us up to 3months and bronxe isn't doing well... we're going on 5 weeks. we anticipate having to put him down soon which breaks my heart beyond blief!
believe me- we accomodate bronxe SO much now! i buy deli turkey just for him, special treats to hide his medicine, he's even allowed outside now!! (i dont allow my cats to go outside) - this is his FAVE!! i love making him happy. he purrrrs none stop while behing held outside.
i'm so sorry to the loss of your dog.
did his cancer end up spreading to his intestines? the dr thinks bronxe's has spread there. he has started to throw up and his stomache is starting to swell. he's now on steroids and a nausea medicine. we are not doing chemo.

His cancer remained in his Lymph-nodes and it may have spread but we never had the chance to figure it out. Once we got the for sure answer it was cancer it was only a week or two before we started to notice the dramatic loss in weight, he constantly drank and had to use the bathroom, he slept often but at times acted like nothing was wrong (which made it even more difficult).

We knew it was his time when we woke up one day and all he was doing was walking around the yard trying to eat grass to settle his stomach. It was extremely difficult letting him go and it took us days to realize it was best for him (during which he did not suffer) but he when he was sent to the rainbow bridge he passed very quickly which then let us know it was the right time to do it.

Give your baby lots of love (which I know you are doing 100x more than ever)making them feel like they are the only important thing in the world at that moment is the thing they live for, and remember there are always those fond memories that keep us going and cherishing life.

 

[dreaming_in_colour]

I loved reading about him going outside and purring! He must just be having so much fun on his outings!

I just feel so bad for you. I know how much Bronxe means to you. But with that, he is your heart cat and will forever remain so. Nothing, not even his passing to the Bridge can change that. I can't even imagine what you are going through. I wish I had some magical words of wisdom to say to make it easier, but I don't. for what it is worth, know there are many of us crying along with you, so you always have a place to vent and for virtual shoulders to cry on.

Hugs,
Kris