Cat with cancer: How to safely dose prednisolone and find a vet?

Hello. I am so sorry about Bugger's cancer. No, the prednisolone did not actually allow the cancer to grow. Prednisolone is a steroid, & acts as an anti-inflammatory. It is often used in conjunction with some protocols to treat cancer, but it is not a cancer medication by itself. So, the cancer was going to advance & grow regardless of the prednisolone. I have no idea what kind of cancer Bugger has, but the use of surgery & an actual anticancer protocol might have been curative. This being said, the prednisolone may have contributed to Bugger surviving these past 4 years & allow him to make it to this wonderful old age. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Unfortunately, by law it is illegal for the experts at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to recommend using any drug without seeing the animal in person first. That's because doing so requires a veterinary client patient relationship which cannot be achieved via an internet forum. In addition, the experts cannot say for certain if a specific drug is safe for Rudy. I strongly urge you not to give him the prednisone, as they can only be given to cats under specific situations and if they are heathy. Give his vet a call to let them know he is in pain, and you can see if they can prescribe some pain medication for him. Best of luck.

Hello. At this point in time, there is no credible information concerning carcinogenicity and Vitamin B12. Long term studies in animals have just never been done. In any situation where you have co-morbidities, in this case IBD & skin cancer, you & your veterinarian have to decide if the risk of one possible problem outweighs the benefit it gives for the other problem. Since there is no credible information associating B12 with cancer growth, & it is controlling Bugger's intestinal symptoms, you must decide about continuing the supplement. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello Linda, So sorry that Bugger has this issue. The other thing you can do to make him more comfortable is to give him oral pain medications, such as piroxicam and/or buprenorphine. Those medications will reduce discomfort associated with the tumor. You will need to get those medications from your veterinarian as they are prescription only. Topical medications unfortunately, do not help. Again, I am sorry that you and Bugger are dealing with this. Cancer is a terrible disease.

I'm sorry that you and Bugger have been through so much together during his skin cancer management. Deciding when to euthanize a beloved pet is never easy and there often isn't a clear cut, black and white answer. Instead, we're left with a lot of maybes, what ifs, and gray areas. I think it's important to consider Bugger's overall quality of life. Namely, can he still do most of the things that he always used to enjoy? That may have meant chasing a bell ball or laser pointer, jumping onto a sunny perch, or following you around the house. If he's struggling to do many of his favorite things, that's a good indication that his quality of life isn't what it used to be. Eating and drinking are all well and good, but that doesn't always tell the whole picture. Based on your description, I simply don't have enough information in order to guide you one way or the other. Instead, I think it's important for you to try to take a step back and objectively assess Bugger. OSU has a quality of life guide that I think is really helpful in making these objective and less emotional assessments. Ultimately, when we make the decision to euthanize a pet, we do it as a kindness to them to ease their suffering, even though it can be gut-wrenching for us. I'm wishing you and Bugger all the best through this challenging time. https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-decision-of-euthanizing-your-pet/

Given her age, steroid side effects from long term use tend to become less of a risk if the benefits are clearly improving her quality of life. Depending on the nature of the growth, low level chemotherapy medications may provide an opportunity to halt growth or even reduce the mass but this would require assessment by a specialist

Hello. I am so sorry for your worries with Bugger. While it is ultimately up to your veterinarian to decide if it is appropriate to administer the Covenia injection while he is on the Prednisolone, there are no real contraindications if this needs to be done. As long as Bugger is not on an immunosuppresive dose of Prednisolone, the Covenia should work just fine. I hope Bugger is feeling better soon & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center.