Mystery of sad farewell
We took our elderly cat to the vet because he was getting a very swollen belly and diarrhoea, but our vet couldn’t find the cause. Last week he collapsed and had to be put to sleep. Can you put our minds at rest as to what the problem could have been? My
AIt’s very upsetting to lose your cat after many years, and especially having to make the sad decision to have him put to sleep.
I sympathise with your concern that you and your vet weren’t able to pinpoint the cause of his final illness. It is a difficulty faced by many cat owners as their pet nears the end of its life.
Decisions to put a pet to sleep are often made based not on an exact diagnosis but on a poor quality of life with little or no possibility of a cure or extension of life.
Above all, it is about preventing unnecessary suffering.
There are many conditions in elderly cats that could produce the signs you describe. For example, swelling of the abdomen caused by tumours of the liver, intestines and other organs, heart disease, kidney disease, diseases causing inadequate absorption of proteins from the intestines, and virus diseases.
A complete investigation of these possibilities is potentially very complicated and invasive, and may still not always provide answers.
Blood and urine samples, X-rays and ultrasound examinations, followed by biopsy of individual organs, are all possible. Vets may sometimes advise against this approach on clinical grounds, based on their experience and to prevent suffering.
AThese cases are very frustrating – not only for the cat and their owner, but also for their vet.
The difficulty you have is that as yet you don’t have a definitive diagnosis, which would allow for a specific treatment or management programme.
In the past, cats like yours would do the rounds of all the local vets, with each one trying to find something that would help, but not always succeeding.
However, recently there has been a big increase in vets achieving post-graduate certificates and diplomas in veterinary dermatology.
These colleagues are recognised by their peers and/or by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as having additional expertise.
Your own vet may know of suitably qualified colleagues who would be able to help.
Some will refer with a telephone consultation, and this is always useful to devise a diagnostic plan.
Ideally a hands-on examination by the dermatologist will allow sampling and a very detailed physical examination.
You may be worried about the cost. Initially it will be more expensive, but may lead to a diagnosis or prompt further investigation, much of which can be undertaken by your own vet under guidance.
Ultimately this is much more likely to be diagnostic and, importantly, cost effective in the long term.
David Grant MBE was a vet at the RSPCA Harmsworth hospital for animals Email questions to him at pamperedpets@reachplc.com