How do I know when to consider euthanasia for my cat with leukemia?

So sorry to hear that Bubba has this problem. A blood transfusion would be helpful but it will not "fix" the problem. That is something that can be done to help him though. Prognosis is poor because he is already immunosupressed having FeLV but many cats can be maintained on steroids for a long time. As long as he quality of life is good there is no reason to put him down now. When his quality of life is no longer good (not eating, not drinking, very lethargic, etc) then you will know it is time to put him down. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Feline leukemia is a difficult disease. It is an immunodeficiency virus which means the immune system doesn’t work as well. Also with this virus they can develop leukemia or lymphoma (cancer of the white blood cells). So vomiting could be due to an infection or to a tumor in her abdomen. It is also possible that it could be completely unrelated to her FeLv status and she could have something like an object in her stomach causing the vomiting. If you haven’t already had an abdominal ultrasound and current blood work done then I would recommend both of those to help you decide what to do. Also maybe a medication called cerenia may keep her from vomiting while you wait for the medication that your veterinarian ordered. I’m sorry you are facing this decision. I usually make the decision to euthanasia my pets when they can’t live the quality of life that I want for them. Take care and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear that. Lymphoma is an aggressive disease in cats, especially when in the gastrointestinal system and in circulation. Usually even with chemotherapy you are looking at a prognosis of 2-6 months depending on the exact type of lymphoma. You could try prednisolone as a palliative treatment to make her feel better for the time being and perhaps extend her survival time for a few weeks. If she is already anemic, she may also require a blood transfusion making things a bit more complicated. If she is not doing well and you are not interested in pursuing therapy knowing the prognosis then euthanasia is a good option. Let me know if you have further questions regarding her disease. Sorry for the sad news!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sounds like Norbert has a great home. One question I always have is, was only one test performed? There can be false positive tests and some cats can get exposed to the virus and fight it off, thus becoming negative over time. A repeat test is advised 30-60 days after the first positive test to assess the leukemia status again. If that one comes back positive, a confirmatory test is usually advised. I would just keep him as happy and as healthy as possible. Follow your vets advise on preventive health care although, I would not be a fan of yearly vaccinations for a cat with feline leukemia. I would get him on a 3 yr vaccine schedule as soon as you can. The initial vaccines are usually good for one year but then you have an option to go to a 3-year protocol. I would keep him dewormed regularly to make sure he doesn't develop problems with intestinal parasites. If appropriate, make sure that he has an effective flea product on also. You want to keep him as healthy as possible. One other thing, when you notice any problems with him, get him seen right away due to his leukemia status. Early intervention will help him battle things that may come up like respiratory infections, urinary problems, etc. Good luck with Norbert

Poor LouLou. Unfortunately feline leukemia is a virus infection and cannot be cured but only managed. It has several stages of the Ruiz and pets can go into latent periods where they are asymptomatic. Treatment options are a bit pricey and consist of anti-viral medications like Human interferon alpha and Feline interferon w. These can improve the survival time of your pet LouLou. The prognosis for any cat with FeLv varies. Cars with latent infections may not develop can't clinical disease and can live a healthy life's with normal lifespan. But cats that have persistent viremia (shedding of the virus) have a death rate of 50% in 2 years and 80% in 3 years, if living in a multicat household. The median survival of FeLV positive cats is 2.4 years, but with proper care with antiviral medications many of these cats can live longer.

This is a very difficult situation for you to be in. When it comes to quality of life I advise owners to look at what things there cat enjoys doing and if they are still doing those things. Examples could be eating, playing, or interacting with you. If those factors are not what they should be then it is a matter of can this be fixed or not. For example if your cat is not eating due to nausea could we give him medication to make them feel better and eat. Or if they are weak due to anemia could we give a blood transfusion or stimulate the bone marrow to make more red cells to help them feel better. If though none of the interventions are acceptable to you then it might be time to assess the quality of life and end any suffering. Ultimately it is your decision about what constitutes Peter having a good quality of life and if those measures can be met or not realistically. As you know lymphoma ultimately is fatal. Some cats can do very well for a long period of time however with his dropping red cell level I am concerned about Peter's long-term prognosis.

What a handsome kitty Chai is! I'm sorry to hear that he is not acting like his usual self. If he is acting unusually tired, but still eating and drinking his normal amount, urinating and defecating normally, then I think it is OK for you to watch him for a couple of days to see if he gets over it. If the lethargy continues or you see other signs of illness develop such as poor appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, drinking excessive amounts of water, then I would recommend taking him to see your veterinarian. I hope that Chai feels better very soon!