Life threatening abscess on rear leg of my cat.

Greetings all on this forum.

Time is running out for my cat. He is our 12 year old Maine Coon. We have taken him to the vet couple weeks ago after we discovered his rear leg swelling up. He has involvement in his lymph nodes also. He's been on antibiotic for the last 10 days or so as well as an anti inflammatory for pain.

He only 5 days left of antibiotics.

Today the vet said infection is spreading and has a large lump on his leg, and when the antibiotics are finished my cat will crash fast and will have to be put down. I've recently read somewhere that there may be a homepathic remedy that is a better alternative to antibiotic. It was specifically for a rear leg abscess. What I remember, think it had something to do with sulpha used with some other remedies to help heal the wound?

Anybody ever deal with this issue before and was successful in treating it? I don't want to put my cat down if I have other options.


Thanks in advance,

Dan.

Hi Dan
I have no experience of this but this may assist?
Treating Abscess in Animals with Homeopathy

I hope you find an answer and your cat recovers. Let me know.

Helen

Hi Helen,

Thank you so much for your reply! That was the exact article that I was referring to. I've been all over the web trying to find it again.

I don't really know if the treatment in the article will work, but I down to only days before I have to make that dreaded decision. I hope a health food store in my area carries what I need.

Hi Helen,

An update: The local nutrition store was very helpful with some advice on homeopathic products, and also pointed me to a homeopathic veternarian about 20 minutes away. I have booked an appointment for my boy on saturday morning.

Today after I spoke with the nutrition store I have put him on the following:

Budwig diet (cottage cheese and flax oil) morning
Heph Sulph 30c in his water dish 4 times a day (I am looking to buy 200c dose online or at the vet saturday)
Probiotic 1/8 tsp 3 times a day in his canned food for 10 days, then 1 a day afterward
Flouressence 1:1 with water 2 times a day

Hopefully this will hold him until his appointment saturday.

I am sure the vet will change something above. She will look at his current diet,his meds and will put him on a specific diet.

The good news is he is still using the litter box and an appetite. He is very stronged willed.

Dan.

Just back from the new vet.

Somewhat promising news.

It's not cancer or lekumia. It's a severe infection within the leg joint and now he has a slight fever. The first vet treated with an antibiotic that was not the best choice to use for my boy's condition.

He is now on 2 two different types of antibiotics, and now he will have to undergo surgery to flush and clean the infection in the joint and lymph node. I will take him back next Tuesday for the surgery.

Hopefully in the next 2 days there will be an improvement with the new medication.

I'll still give him the homeopathic supplements.

So glad to hear the news is more hopeful. Hope your boy improves soon. Please keep us posted. Very best wishes.

I am so glad that you have some better news. Hope he gets well soon!

Devastating news yesterday (saturday morning). Tests results back today from the cultures taken on Wednesday. My boy has bone cancer, the x-rays didn't show it, other than an infection across the joints. The vet said the only option is amputation of the limb. No gaurantee it would prevent it further spreading.

My wife and I have discussed this, and decided not to put the cat through this ordeal. I will continue with the homeopathic treatment and hope for some sort of improvement.

I can't believe how fast things are progressing with him.

I make sure every day he gets some outside time in the back yard, he loves being outdoors laying in the shade and nibbling blades of grass. If we only have him for a little while longer, I'm going to make sure I make him as happy and comfortable as possible.

What sad sad news. Reading through your post the thing that shines out is the love and companionship that has so clearly developed over the past 12 years with your boy. What times you must have shared and what a wealth of incredible memories. What a happy boy you must have there!! My thoughts are with you all; keep strong x

What a terrible shock, your poor boy. Enjoy every moment you have left. I think you have made the right decision. Hugs to you and your family x

My heart goes out to you.

Oh no, so very sorry to hear your sad news ... we also are thinking of you x

So so sorry may your last days together increase those happy memories to be bought out when needed, admire your decision not to put him through major surgery,hugs & furry cuddles from us all to all of you....xxxx

So sorry to hear your sad news x

I am so sorry to hear your news. Such a brave and sad decision. Stength to your boy and you and your family.

So sorry to hear this devastating news! What a selfless decision you have made - one that's difficult to imagine for some.

I hope that our heartfelt words bring comfort and strength to you and your family.

Final update:

Sad, sad, day for my family and I. My boy took a turn for the worse after I woke up this afternoon from working the midnight shift. He was panting heavily which was not normal. I gave him a pet on the head like I always do, he was obviously running a high fever, he was obviously in visible pain today. I managed to get him outside in the cool air in the back yard, but he was unsteady on his feet while he walked out onto the grass. He started a moaning cry as he couldn't get comfortable, the pain was too much for him. He ended up laying under my sitting bench on the cement pad.

After calling my wife at work I told her that it was time to make the decision to put him to sleep. Today it was clear he had no more quality of life.

My wife arrived back home and with my daughter and I, we spent about an hour where he lay talking to him telling him we loved him. He wouldn't let us pet him any further which was never the case before. He used to love all the attention. We brought out his blanket that he has recently been sleeping on,and helped him gently to lay on it. We used the blanket as a stretcher to minimize any pain, and it worked really well. We gently put him on the floor in the back seat where he usually stayed on previous trips to the vet.

I opted for two injections. The first one was to help him with his pain. This allowed us to spend our final moments with him. He was purring loudly again like he usually does when he gets attention, while the vet gave him the first injection. This really made it tough for us. He was a good boy as he was on the table. I knew the moment the pain meds took hold; he relaxed and rested his head on his front paws. He was wide awake as he looked at us when each took turns being in front of him. He couldn’t turn his head anymore, we spent about15 minutes petting him and saying our goodbyes. All I can say about these final moments, he loved us as much as we loved him. It was an unmistakable bond we had all developed over the years we enjoyed each other’s company within our family.

At 6:50 p.m. the vet came back in the room and asked if we were ready. I told him yes we where. He inserted the final injection into the catheter in his front paw. My cat moved his paw a little bit as the anesthetic entered his vein. The vet pushed the syringe again ever so slightly and my boy died peacefully.

I thought I would write this to all who love their pets. As one day you will also find yourself making this same decision. Please be there for your faithful pets final moments, it allows for an easier passing with having loved ones helping them to pass into pet heaven.

My family and I buried him in the flower garden, along the deck at the back of the house, where happy memories of summer fun from past, present, and future. He will always be with us in spirit. He will be always loved and remember as the best cat ever.

So sorry for your loss Aquanut - I agree with you 100%, and this is always the hardest part of being a pet parent. I have been very fortunate to always be with my furbabies as they pass over the rainbow bridge. It is so important that they know how loved they are, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I cherish each pet and memory. Bless you and your family - R.I.P sweet boy.:sad1:

So very, very sorry to hear such sad news Aquanut ... it's the worst and most painful decision to ever have to make. Hold on to those happy memories, your special boy will always be with you in your hearts x

Thank you for having the strength to write this, it's the hardest part of having pets and the memory of those goodbyes, and the grief and the loss never really leaves us. Your voices and your love for him were the last things he knew and he is no longer in pain and that will comfort you in the days to come. Heartfelt sympathy to you all.

Horrible moments, you have all my support. We had a similar situation and when my wife saw how sad I was we went with our eyes still full of tears for another kitten

Have pain free fun over at rainbow bridge little one & hugs & cuddles to those left hurting.....x

So sorry for your loss x

How truly sad, I am so sorry for your loss. What a heart wrenching decision you had to make, it's one we never want to think about until the dreaded time comes. And you were there for him and with him - that is so important.
Take care. x

I am so sorry to hear of your loss, thank you for sharing your experiance aquanut , it is such a difficult decision to make especially if you have no idea what happens at the vets , by sharing i am sure you will help someone to make the right decision when that difficult decision needs to be made.

Oh my gosh... I feel your pain. I have been there and it is one of the hardest things to do even though you know deep down it is the right decision to make for your faithful friend. I still shed several tears reading your words. Thank you for sharing your experience and love for your Boy. You have done the right thing and he is now at peace over rainbow bridge. Being a caring responsible owner is not always easy but the benefits of sharing your life and love with such a beautiful creature far outweighs a life without having shared the experience at all. Hold onto all those happy memories and smile at all the funny and good times. X

Thank you for sharing the most difficult part of pet parenting. You have done the right thing and the brave thing. Your boy was so fortunate to have you and your family as his carers. My deepest sympathy to you all.

I would reiterate to anyone reading this - please, please be there at the very end for your pet, no matter how hard it is for you. It means so much to them. I believe that you do really owe it to them after all they have given you.

Hi everyone.

It's been a week since the passing of my beloved cat. I still can't believe how fast the cancer took him away. I would also like to comment on the Budwig cancer diet and supplements in treating feline cancer. I was surprised at how the Budwig diet worked well at increasing my cats energy level. The last 4 weeks he was energetic and more sociable then he had been in a few years. He was like he was when he was a younger cat many years ago. But I couldn't stop the rear leg from draining and bleeding, it just wouldn't heal. The osteocarcoma was too far advanced; there weren’t any symptoms until mid july.

Feeding the Budwig to him was a challenge, some days he would eat it, others he wouldn't. Ideally he should have had it 2 to 3 times a day but I was lucky if he eat it once a day. My other cat went bonkers for it and would clean up whatever was left on the plate. It did make a difference; it was too bad I didn't have more time to work with him.

I would like to thank everyone for caring and providing moral support during this difficult time.

I would like to share a funny story. If it had to have a title, it would be called "The cat with many names" When I bought my little Maine Coon kitten from the pet store, they said it was a female. My youngest daughter was little at the time and the two of us used to watch Scooby Doo to share quality father and daughter time. I thought it would be a good idea to name the kitten Daphne which was well received with my daughter. The name stuck for several months until one day the cat was lying on it's back belly up. It was at that time it was unmistakable that the she was actually a he!! I tried changing his name to Junior which didn't fly with the rest of the family who thought his original name should stay. I called him Junior, they called him Daphne. This went on for a few years until I knew that Junior just wouldn't fly. One day while I was trying to get the cats attention while he was lying down sprawled out on the floor. He had a knack of ignoring me. Frustrated I randomly called him Putty, I was amazed he stood up walked over and started talking to me as if he finally approved of his new name. The wife and I used the name Putty until the last day. My daughters secretly called him Daphne.

Moral of the story, make sure of the gender of your pet before you pick the name!

Rest in peace Daphne, aka Junior, aka Putty.

March 5, 2001 - September 20, 2012

Attachment 6342

Photo taken September 4, 2012. 16 days before he passed

RIP Daphne,aka Junior,aka Putty{brilliant story} looked as if he was enjoying his lookaround in the photo & no way could you even start to imagine what was going on looking at it....
I know how quick the different cancers can take our beloved furries,for us & our girl it was all over within a few hours & leaves you bewildered but is good to know about the Budwig diet,hoping that none of us have to go through it / or again, but it has been noted in my cats book of words just in case.....
Warm hugs to you & family x

Thank you so much for sharing your brave story with us. RIP Daphne/Junior/Putty.

I am so deeply sorry for your devastating loss :( it is so hard losing a family member and it sounds as though you guys had a lot of emotional ups and downs with the diagnosis. My mom always says that our animals live just long enough to make themselves unreplacable, and it's so true. I agree that it was a very brave and selfless decision not to put your boy through surgery. He was clearly a very loved kitty :)

I do want to add a comment about being there for your pets at the end: I agree that it is the best thing to do, for them and for the owners, it helps you say goodbye and gives closure. However as a vet tech I can assure you that if you just can't do it, your pet will still go gently, comfortably, surrounded by loving people. I DO NOT judge people for not being able to be with their pet in their final moments, it can be very difficult and it is a very personal choice that I would never question. At my clinic most people chose to be in the room but when they don't we take the pet in the back, get them comfy on a nice blanket, one of us will hold them in our arms as though they were our own. We tell them they are loved, that their pain will be over soon, we pet them and kiss them until they are gone. There is not a single euthanasia I have been present at where I didn't shed a few tears, I remember the names of every animal whose final moments I have shared. Rest assured that it never becomes routine for us. I just felt it was important to share that for people who may not feel like they can be there in the end.