Lymphoma in a Mixed Breed Cat

Background

When Peter, an 11 year old mixed breed cat, started acting lethargic and lost his appetite, his pet parents thought it might be an adverse reaction to the rabies vaccine he had received at his most recent wellness exam. However, extensive testing and multiple vet visits would confirm a diagnosis of lymphoma.

Peter's pet parent, Gayle K., shares his story:

"Peter is our eleven-year-old male kitty, a mixed breed whom I literally rescued from off the street in front of our house when he was about 10 weeks old. I noticed a group of boys laughing and playing with something a few houses away and it turns out they were tossing a kitten toward a tree to see if he would cling to it with his claws. I put on my best "stern adult' attitude and took the kitten away from them, none of whom could claim ownership of the kitten or knew where he came from.

That was the beginning of my life with Peter, who became the true darling of my heart. He is sweet, easy going, soft, playful (a "fetch cat'), and SO very handsome.

We took Peter in for his wellness visit. The next week to 10 days saw a major change in Peter's overall behavior and he became very lethargic; not eating, barely drinking, and hiding out in secluded corners of the house. He was having daily events of vomiting and diarrhea. At first, we thought it was just the lingering effects of the rabies vaccine he had gotten at the wellness visit, but it continued way past the point we thought it should. We took him back in and discovered he had lost 2 pounds in 2 weeks! It was unbelievably scary.

Over the next several visits (including an ultrasound and two lymph node aspiration procedures) and consults with oncology, we learned that Peter likely had lymphoma or irritable bowel disease, neither of which was a welcome diagnosis. (We also learned that the vaccine had probably initiated the episode that revealed the condition). Both conditions require similar treatment, including oral steroids, chemotherapy medication, and frequent follow-up visits. The original emergency vet told us the prognosis would be 1, maybe 2 years, but oncology has since told us that this disease, which they now believe is likely lymphoma, can be managed, with an excellent quality of life, for up to 4 or even 5 years.

It's never easy to hear this kind of news when you love your cat as much as we love Peter. He is such a special soul and we have a very special bond. No other animal in my life has been as much a part of me. However, I now see him gaining weight and getting his strength back, and his personality has been unchanged by the experience. He's still the Petey Boy I've always known and loved. We have a new routine, with the medications and the more frequent vet visits, but we would do anything to keep him with us and feeling like himself.

It is because we made the VERY good decision to purchase insurance from Embrace that we are able to care so well for him during his lymphoma treatment and give him as many happy years as we possibly can. Without the personal service and support, the superior choice of plans, and the unmatched level of reimbursement Embrace offers, it would not be possible to have our Peter here with us and back to being the incredible kitty he is. I have thanked Embrace profusely in recent weeks, but it bears repeating that there is no other pet insurance company that even comes close. We recently went with direct deposit and it made reimbursement even that much faster. It's breathtaking! We love you, Embrace. I tell everyone I know who has animals to go with Embrace. It's a decision you will not regret, especially when things go wrong and all you want to do is give your babies the best!"