Treatment
Diary: October 28-31
Monday,
October 28
- First Cansema application this evening. A friend helps me hold
Hector while I try rubbing the Cansema onto his leg directly but
it won't stick to his partially shaved fur (its too try and just
kind of crumbles off). Instead, I smear the Cansema onto a steril
gauze pad, press that against the tumor and use gauze and then
vet wrapt to hold it in place. I wrap it as loosely as I can without
risking he will shake it off, but using a lot of medical tape.
I put an e-collar on him too, so he won't remove the bandage.
He's not happy and goes and hides in his cat carrier. I tell him
its only for 24 hours but he doesn't seem placated. I check on
him every half hour. About two hours later he comes and lies on
my friend's chest while we are watching TV, growling at her. This
is very odd behavior for Hector, who never likes to lie on anyone,
much less a stranger. My friend says he must be really mad at
her for holding him still! He walks around shaking his paw a little
bit, like its bothering him but it might just be the bandage.
Eventually he settles down and goes to sleep.
Tuesday,
October 29
- in the morning he seems perfectly normal, jumping up on the
counter to demand his breakfast, shaking his paw a little bit,
jumping up on the window sill and nosing the latch to let me know
he wants to go out. Sorry Hector! Not today. I go to work, with
my boyfriend left to supervise him until I get home. I leave work
early (all this stress has given me a bad cold/flu) and at 4:00pm
think I should try to get the bandage off and see the results
before all the regular vets (and Pat McKay's) close for the night.
I try for about an hour to get the bandage off, Hector growling
at me the entire time but not running away - he wants it off too!
I can't get it off because his growling like its hurting him has
me terrified that there is a huge wound under the bandage and
that I'm hurting him by pulling at the tape/bandage which has
become much more sticky and won't simply wind off like I thought
it would. A desperate last minute call to Pat McKay and she has
me bring Hector up to her store (generously waiting after hours)
to remove the bandage. Underneath, it looks like nothing has happened,
though maybe the swelling looks flatter. But Pat says it looks
good, examines Hector and said he looks in good shape as well,
and tells me to keep her informed of the progress.
Wednesday,
October 30
- small, pinprick size dots of blood have appeared all over the
tumor area, which has swollen up again (see photos below). His
activity level and appetite is totally normal.
Wednesday,
October 31
- the wound is getting slightly bigger (see photo below). Hector
is licking at it, other than that acting normally. I'm worried
that the Cansema is not working. The next day would change that!
Next
> November 1-5
