Cat with Chylothorax...

Does anyone have any experience with a pet with Chylothorax?

My 10 year old cat was diagnosed in late June and I have been giving her Rutin in the hopes it would help (Vet Recommended it). She just went back today and she is doing REALLY badly now... Her left lung is really really small now, being crushed by the lymphatic fluid in her lung cavity. :cry3: They took 170 mL from each side of her lung cavity, and she's now getting new diuretic pills.

The cause is unknown, but her T cells/blood/urine/etc. are all normal. The vet suggested that I might take her to Saskatoon and go to the animal hospital there, where they can operate, but I dunno. The drive, the anesthetic, the surgery... I think it would be too much for her... First, she is a very timid thing and I swear she nearly had a heart attack during the drive and being in the vet's office, before they even did anything. How much stress and pain do I put her in? If she's not getting better, I don't think I could do it to her... Second, I have already paid $1500 on vet bills for her, and am already heavily in debt. I don't think I can financially do it... If they could guarantee that she would get better, maybe I would be more willing, but they cannot even guarantee she will live the anesthetic... :broken:

*sigh* I am sorry for dumping this, but I just kinda had to ask... If someone has had an animal with it, was there something you did? Did your pet get better? If not, when did you say it's enough? lease:

I don't want her to suffer... But I don't want to give up hope either... rayer:

Sounds to me like she is already suffering with her lungs, I'm sorry

The way I decide is to keep in mind her 3 favorite things. When she can no longer enjoy those, it's time to make that last appointment.

We're here when the time comes. :hug3:

addictedtochins said:

Sounds to me like she is already suffering with her lungs, I'm sorry

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You're probably right, but I can't give up hope yet. They just drained her lungs, and I am hoping it will kick start her system again or something... if not.... I won't force her to go through surgery, it's too much

3CsMommy said:

The way I decide is to keep in mind her 3 favorite things. When she can no longer enjoy those, it's time to make that last appointment.

We're here when the time comes. :hug3:

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I already think she cannot do some things she enjoys... she DID have such a hard time breathing, but now that they took that fluid out of her lungs, I am hoping she'll be able to breathe and then be alright. She has to go back in 2-3 weeks for another check up, but if she's still going down hill, it might be time...

Thank you for your replies.

When my childhood dog stopped playing fetch, we started watching him more closely. When he stopped stealing our seats when we left the room, we got worried. When he stopped wanting to eat, we called the vet. (He had a stroke in his sleep the next day, so we canceled the appointment.)

Hang in there.

I had to put my kitty down a month ago today (wow, just realized that). He had been having issues for a while and the vets couldn't find anything particularly wrong with him other than his liver function wasn't quite right, but he hadn't been eating so it may have been caused by that, or that might have caused him to stop eating. No one knows. He also hated going to the vet, so I did everything I could to keep him home and make him comfortable. Anyways, he stopped eating but he continued to sit on my lap, purr, play a little, and cuddle with us at night.
As he got worse, he stopped taking his favorite treats, and then he stopped jumping on our laps and playing. But I knew it was time when he didn't come to bed with me. That night he laid on the floor alone all night. To him, being in bed with us was better than food or playing, so when he couldn't do that, we knew it was time.