My cat has lymphoma. How do I know when it's time to say goodbye?

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m so sorry to hear about Pepper. Cats need to eat everyday to prevent organ damage. If he stopped eating, I would be concerned the cancer is causing him too much discomfort to eat. When we talk about quality of life and when to make end of life decisions, I measure good days and bad days. When the bad days outweigh the good ones, then quality of life is declining. Good days are doing things he likes to do (like be social if he likes to be social, get petted, sleep in his favorite area, eating, using the litter box). Bad days are not eating, vomiting, diarrhea, hiding, lethargy, weight loss. If Pepper has been eating well since his diagnosis but suddenly stopped, I would consider it a bad day. I hope this help when determining his continued care. If you have more questions or concerns, please submit another question. Kisses to Pepper!

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/

First off, I'm very sorry Iggy has lung cancer! If he's stopped eating, unfortunately it may be time to let him go. It's actually very serious when a cat stops eating because they will develop a fatty liver after 72 hours of not eating. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment. It's not fair for him to starve to death either. You need to look at his quality of life, and ask yourself if he's having a good quality of life when he's not eating. I think you know the answer, but it is the hardest decision to make. Should you let him, know you are giving him one last, great gift: You will be letting him go peacefully without any further pain. I hope this helps.

Hi there. I'm sorry to hear about what you're going through with Dude. Think about the things that make Dude happy. Cats often sleep a lot, especially as they age. If he's still interactive with you, eating, and using the litter box then it sounds like his quality of life is good still. If these things begin to change, and he's not doing the things he likes, then his quality of life is not good and it is reasonable to let him go. All my best to you and Dude.

Oh poor Sonny! It is always so hard to say goodbye to a pet, as they are often ready to get before we are ready to let them go. I work for a home euthanasia company, so I face this issue frequently with my clients. I have my clients look at their animal's quality of life in order to make a decision. If their quality of life has declined, then it is time to say goodbye. In an animal that has a terminal illness, I tell my clients it's better to let them go peacefully and without pain before they get to a point where they are really quite ill, such as unable to eat completely or not wanting to move at all. My suggestion would be to take a good look at Sonny's quality of life, and if you feel it has declined, then I would consider letting him go peacefully. I'd be glad to consult with you further about this, if you'd like. Just click "consult online" under my answer. Again, I'm sorry.

I am so sorry you are going through this with Lucy. I think you will make the best decision for her. I really try to look at quality of life when I am faced with these situations. If you feel like she is painful, not eating, drinking and has a poor quality of life than it is most likely time. I know this can be a painful and hard decision to make so just trust your heart. Hope that helps