It is
said that April showers bring May flowers, but this April brings our Companion
Animal of the Month, Angelica Walsh. Angelica is a twelve year-old blue point
Siamese that owns Sue and Mike Walsh. Her adoptive brother is a fifteen
year-old black Domestic Shorthair named Buddy. Angelica was a show cat in her
youth with a very successful career. Now she enjoys the retired life with Sue,
Mike, and Buddy.
Angelica may be one gorgeous cat, but she certainly is not just another pretty face. Sue says that she has a very affectionate personality. She is very attentive and gives a warm welcome when the Walshes return home for the day by rubbing against their ankles and purring loudly. She loves to be petted and admired, especially by her best friend, Mike. Angelica waits for him to wake up in the morning and then waits again for him to come home in the evening. Sue says that Angelica is a one-man cat, unless Mike is not at home, at which time she will present herself to the next best person... Sue.
One of Angelica's favorite games is catching folded-up bits of paper in midair and then batting them around on the floor. Another favorite is pretending to ignore Buddy when he tries his best to pester her. He will peek over the top edge of the table and stare at her, irritating her as only a brother can. She knows precisely where the sunniest napping spots are and makes good use of them while Sue and Mike are away at work.
In
February, Mike and Sue noticed two small lumps on Angelica's abdomen. One had
ruptured and was very red. They brought her in to see Dr. Sukhija and have him
examine the lumps. He suspected that the tumors may be cancerous, so after some
pre-anesthetic labs and x-rays, Angelica underwent a mastectomy. Dr. Sukhija
removed four tumors and sent them out for histopathology. The results showed
that two of the tumors were malignant, and the other two were pre-cancer.
The mass removal seemed to be complete with good clean margins.
Mammary adenocarcinoma can be a very aggressive cancer in cats. At least 80% of feline mammary tumors are malignant, and they are the third most frequently occurring tumor in cats. Just as with humans, early detection is key. The size of the tumor directly relates to the length of survival time for the cat. The smaller the tumor, the longer the survival time. Surgical removal of the entire mass offers the best chance for complete recovery. Removing small tumors early requires less surgery time, and often a quicker recovery time. Although not all cats follow the trends, studies show that the time to recurrence averages 325-575 days and survival usually ranges 500-800 days post operation. Chemotherapy after surgery is available but can have dramatic side effects and, in some cases, can be toxic.
Angelica is doing very well at home. The plan for her is to monitor her closely for any tumor re-growth, as the tumors could possibly reappear. Mammary cancer has the potential to spread into the lymph nodes and lungs, so Angelica will need to be examined often to ensure her continued recovery. Since her surgery, Angelica has been doing very well. Sue reports that she is feeling well and has resumed her normal routine of opening the cabinet doors to investigate inside, sleeping on the windowsill, and watching television with Mike.
--Written by Jennifer Liggett (Client Advocate)
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