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Last night, my cat was diagnosed with lymphoma. We were given the option to euthanize, or spend hundreds on further exams and treatments. Are we doing the right thing by euthanizing her? She’s only 8 years old, but her lymphocyte levels and wbc levels were extremely high, and her red cells were very low.

Last night, my cat was diagnosed with lymphoma. We were given the option to euthanize, or spend hundreds on further exams and treatments. Are we doing the right thing by euthanizing her? She’s only 8 years old, but her lymphocyte levels and wbc levels were extremely high, and her red cells were very low.

Updated On November 2nd, 2017

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Longhair | Female | spayed | 8 lbs

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Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

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Thanks for using PetCoach! I am sorry to hear that. Lymphoma is an aggressive disease in cats, especially when in the gastrointestinal system and in circulation. Usually even with chemotherapy you are looking at a prognosis of 2-6 months depending on the exact type of lymphoma. You could try prednisolone as a palliative treatment to make her feel better for the time being and perhaps extend her survival time for a few weeks. If she is already anemic, she may also require a blood transfusion making things a bit more complicated. If she is not doing well and you are not interested in pursuing therapy knowing the prognosis then euthanasia is a good option. Let me know if you have further questions regarding her disease. Sorry for the sad news!

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