Tuesday Cat Blogging: Smudgie's In Stitches, But He's Not Laughing

Excellent news: Smudgie does NOT have cancer! As blogged previously: Smudge had this squinty right eye which didn't clear up with the usual treatment as if it were an infection or irritation, SO we went to the opthamologist who said there was something behind Smudgie's eye, maybe a tumor, maybe an infection, but there was something there that was pushing his eye out and generally bothering his eye, SO THEN we went for a CAT scan which showed that there was something filling up his right frontal sinus and which also made its way through some bone towards the eye, this thing being, statistically, quite likely a tumor, further quite likely either lymphoma or carcinoma, SO THEN Smudgie had a biopsy taken surgically (hence the shaved head and stitches) to determine exactly what type of cancer it was and the sample sent out to the biopsy-reading specialist, though the oncologist took a quick look at some of the sample material and tentatively ruled out lymphoma, so we figured the specialist would come back with some kind of carcinoma, but NO!  Smudgie has a wicked infection, either bacterial or fungal.

!!1!

Now, when we first learned that Smudgie likely had cancer up there in his noggin, I Googled for and absorbed just enough information about nasal cancers to misunderstand it all.  IIRC, nasal cancers are pretty uncommon.  Now, to be exact, Smudgie's problem was his frontal sinus cavity, which is not the same as his nasal cavity, but the vets figured that a cancer of the former would be similar to that of the latter.  I don't recall how common such an infection is; I have the feeling that it's not all that common, but I could well be wrong about that.  There's been so much information thrown at us.

So Smudgie's infection is either bacterial or fungal (don't know why it's not possibly viral).  We're proceeding with treatment as if it's fungal.  Biopsy material has been sent out for further examination, but that will take a couple of weeks.  That will either rule out or rule in a fungus.  If it rules out a fungus, then we can assume (not digging the cat-care-related assumptions lately) that it's bacterial.  Thing is, to determine exactly what kind of bacteria it is, we'd need to have a culture done and they don't have biopsy material appropriate for culturing.  I think the deal is that, expecting a diagnosis of some kind of cancer, the biopsy material was processed one way, which worked for looking for cancer, and happens to work for ruling in/out fungus, but does not work for culturing bacteria.  I may be wrong about why the stuff they have now can't be cultured, but the bottom line is that it can't and that if it turns out not to be fungal, they'll want to get more material out of Smudgie for the culture.

Bco the location of Smudgie's thing, i.e., right behind the eye where there's a lot of bony structure, they couldn't do a needle biopsy, but had to do a surgical biopsy.  It was a little unnerving to think that Smudgie was going to be trepanned, but it was reassuring to know that Keith Richards was trepanned and he's still going strong.  Well, he's still going.  Alright, he's still around.  In some form or other.  Anyhoo, we're not crazy about Smudgie being trepanned again in a couple of weeks if more biopsy material is needed.  How many times can one be expected to have a hole drilled into one's head?  We'll deal with that if and when it becomes relevant.

We saw the CAT scans and it was very helpful to see the healthy left frontal sinus compared with the problematic right one.  I always like to see whatever visuals the vets get from the cats' procedures; it really helps me understand exactly what's going on and where.  Although I don't get much from ultrasounds; they all look the same to me, even with the vet explaining what we're looking at.  We have a CD with the scans and I'll try to load some here for your viewing pleasure, but I think it would require the scan-reading software so that may not work.

There's one more outstanding detail: On the scan, they saw a suspicious looking lymph node in his neck and took it out when they took the sinus material.  They didn't say anything about that when they called with the infection diagnosis, so we'll have to remember to ask about that.

The oncologist called Sunday morning with the relatively good news.  We had gone out for a bite the night before (at The Big Hamburger, as some young friends call it) and were joking about how wouldn't it be just like one of our cats for Smudgie's diagnosis to come back with something weird and relatively safe, like he's got a wine cork up his snout.  Dr. Slade has often said how our cats haven't read the book on cat illnesses bc they often present one way and end up with something else.  That happened just about this time last year, to Nosey's benefit, when he was being treated for IBD, then started declining rapidly, but it turned out not to be intestinal lymphoma (known to follow from IBD), but that he'd become very diabetic quite suddenly.  Thing is, we certainly didn't expect to be so lucky again.

I think it's fairly common and an accepted practice to proceed with statistical- and symptom-based treatment, but I'm so glad we did further testing (in Smudgie's case, as well as Nosey's).  It's no fun for the cats, but, hey, (a) at least he's not getting chemotherapy and/or radiation that he doesn't need; (b) he gets the relatively easier treatment he does need; and (c) he's going to live!  Knowledge is power!

Again, thanks to everyone who stopped by to wish Smudgie well.  We really appreciate your kindness.

Long live Smudgie!

Comments

[astrid]

oh the poor darling,
his face looks really bad with the stitches but we are glad that it turned out to be no cancer.
we are keeping paws crossed that he will recover soon and be his old self.
purrrs
Kashim & Othello
http://catboys.paulchens.org

[Annie]

Thank you. Although he looks funky, he is still his usual mushball self, which is a reassuring sign.

[Victor Tabbycat]

That pictor just begs the comment, "But you should see the other guy!" Is Smudgie a good patient? Poor sweetie. I herd on the talky box that bean doctors are taught to "expect a horse, not a zebra". That means, follow the symptoms (hoofbeats) to the most likely conclusion first (horse) rather than looking fur unusual but possible fings (zebra) firstest. But yur cats must be "zebras"!
Get well soon, Smudge! Purrs!

[Cheysuli]

WOW! I'm glad to hear it isn't cancer. That was a scary thing. I'm amazed though--having never heard of the sinus type problems in cats. However, my human says she's had cats like that--not with sinus problems but with weird statistically never happens stuff...

[taboo]

dear sweet smudgie,

what good news!

just don't look in the mirror for a little while.

[Babeth]

Much purrs coming your way Smudgie !!

You're looking cool with the stitches though. Mucho macho.

[Megan & Bad Kitty Cats]

We are SOOOOOOOOOO glad Smudgie does not have cancer. Sorry we did not get by sooner but we have been purrin' - this is such great news. Poor Baby with his stitchies... gentle kisses and loves.

Long Live Smudgie WOOHOO