Feline Breast Cancer: One Friend's Story
Meowlo peeps!
Remember a little while back I said I was going to have a very special interview on my blog? Well, today's the day!
Everyone, please meet my good furriend Sugar Bear!
Isn't she lovely?
Sugar lives in San Francisco, CA, and her meowmy is a big Giants fan whom my MomKatt has known for a long time from Catster.
Last January, Sugar was diagnosed with feline breast cancer. Since she's had this experience, Sugar's meowmy has said she wished she had a nickle for every time someone, upon hearing that Sugar had experienced breast cancer, said, "Cats can get breast cancer?" The answer is: of course they can! And so can horses, cows, rabbits - even sea lions!
So Sugar and I, together with our meowmies, thought it would be really cool to have Sugar Bear tell her story to all my readers, in hopes of spreading the word about this horrible disease, and tell you all about the website Sugar's meowmy developed in response to her experience, called "Sugar Rub". (The name refers to giving your pet a breast exam.) We also wanted to talk a little about what you can do RIGHT NOW to learn early detection for your pet, and how to help fund the research currently being done to find a cure. One day, we hope, no pet parent will have to watch their beloved animal companion cope with this awful disease.
So, without further ado, take it away, Sugar Bear!
Sugar, please tell us a little about yourself. How did you find your furever home?
Selina, the farthest back I can remember was being in a cute little condo at the San Francisco SPCA adoption center - it's called Maddie's. I had been there for 6 months and, as nice as it was ... well, it just wasn't home. There were lots of volunteers there, and other people came in to visit me, but no one took me home. Then one day, Mom and Dad showed up and I knew they were the ones for me! It was Super Bowl Sunday 2008 and one of the best days of my life!
How old were you when you met your pawrents and how old are you now?
I was six years old then, and now I'm eleven. I'm still pretty playful for a “senior” gal. I can turn just about anything into a toy - a dust bunny, a tube of Chapstick, even my tail now and then! MOL!
What else do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
One of my favorite hobbies is eating! I love my Ahi Tuna Tiki Cat and I look forward to our 7 PM Treat Time.
OK, do you have any “pet peeves” (if you'll pardon the expression MOL!)?
You know, I really don't have any pet peeves. Truth is, I love everything and everyone. Mom says I'm a sweetheart!
I can believe that! OK, now to the serious side of our interview. You've recently experienced a very serious illness, which I'd like for us to discuss here on “One Eye On the Future”, and that's feline breast cancer. Tell us, please, how the whole thing started: how was your condition discovered?
One day last January, Mom picked me up and noticed a lump in the armpit area of my right front leg. She had a really bad feeling about it. She called our vet and he came over and checked me out.
Your Mom sounds like a REALLY pro-active cat parent. And it's really great when vets make “house calls!” What happened during your exam by the vet, and how did you react to all that?
The vet took some fluid out of the lump and then took some blood samples. I did not like that at all!
How quickly were you diagnosed?
Our vet got the fluid analyzed the next day. That night, around 7 PM, he called Mom and told her the bad news, that I had cancer. Because of the location of the cancer, he knew it was in my mammary glands and he referred Mom and Dad to a specialty hospital here in San Francisco. He told Mom they were open 24 hours, so she could call right away and get an appointment with a veterinary oncologist.
I went to the oncologist the next day and they did an x-ray and another blood test. They cleared me for surgery and, the following day, I went under the knife. They took out the lump and all of my mammary glands on the right-hand side where the lump was located.
Here is a picture of me in the surgery!
Wow! That sounds so dramatic, Sugar! And quick, too! Take us through the post-op recovery phase. Did you have to return to the hospital to get stitches out?
Yes, I returned to the hospital after ten days to get my stitches removed. The oncologist was really pleased with my recovery, and gave Mom and Dad the biopsy results. My 2 cm lump was malignant, but they think they got it all. The surgeon did not see any evidence of cancer in my lymph nodes. So the recommendation was no chemo, but to monitor me very closely. On March 8, I had a one-month exam and I got a good report and he said I didn't need to come back for two months.
How are you doing now and what's your prognosis for the future?
I was scheduled to go back for an exam in early May but in late April, Mom found another lump at the same location. She was pretty upset. I went to the oncologist the next day and they scheduled me for a lumpectomy that week and said that since I had a recurrence they did recommend chemo as a follow-up. I've had four treatments and I've done very well with no side effects. My last one is August 5.
For all my readers' pawrents out there, please tell us how hoomans can learn more about kitty breast cancer.
There is a lot of information on the Internet but, like everything else, you need to consider the source.
I understand that you have your very own web page as a result of your experience.
Yes, it's called Sugar Rub! (www.Sugarrub.org)
What is Sugar Rub!'s purpose?
The website is the home base for the Sugar Rub! mission, which consists of three parts:
1. Raise awareness that pets get breast cancer;
2. Encourage pet owners to do regular breast exams on their pets - that's what we call a Sugar Rub!; and
3. Raise funds for more research on animal cancers. Our first research study will be with the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School (Penn Vet) on treatments for feline mammary cancer, since very little has been done. Most of the treatments are based on canine research and they don't work as well for cats.
Are there videos on the Sugar Rub! website to help people learn how to give kitty breast exams?
There is a link on our What You Can Do page that gives instructions on how to do a breast exam on your pet. We had a great video from Purina showing a vet giving both a dog and a cat breast exam but they took it off of the internet. If anyone knows of one, we'd love to hear about it.
Additionally, the website has flyers you can print yourself and post at your vet's office or anywhere people will see it so others can learn more about the importance of regular breast exams for pets. Those are in .PDF format and are located at the bottom of the What You Can Do page.
Sugar Rub! also offers folks a way to contribute and support research efforts through some really cool wristbands! Tell us more about that - MomKatt got two of them and they're wonderpurr! What organization do they benefit when you purchase one?
The wristbands accomplish two things. First, they raise awareness and they invest people in our mission. Second, 100% of the funds they raise go into the Penn Vet Sugar Rub! Fund for Feline Mammary Carcinoma Research. My mom buys the wristbands out of her own personal funds, so all of it goes to Sugar Rub!
How much are the wristbands?
One wristband is $6, two are $10 and five are $20 - and if you get five wristbands, you also get 12 SugarRub! stickers for your calender to remind you to perform monthly breast exams on your cat(s).
And you have pendants people can buy as well. Tell me more about those.
Yes, the pendants are $19.95 each and are called “Believe” pendants. We have different charms such as “Power of the Paw” and pink ribbons for “Breast Cancer”. We also have charms that support things like HIV/AIDS research and equality and hooman rights. There's even a USA Flag/Yellow Ribbon pendant for “Support our Troops” and paw print charms too.
Here is a picture of just one of the many pendants we have available. They are very pretty and very fashionable, too!
Can purchasers of these things claim the purchase as a charitable donation on their taxes?
Yes! If they make the purchase by check, the funds go directly into the Sugar Rub! fund at Penn Vet and they can claim a tax deduction. If they are not interested in purchasing anything but would still like to help, they can still make an online donation directly to the fund at the link at the beginning of this paragraph.
Ok, Sugar, thank you so much for your time today and all this great information! Readers, for more information, visit the SugarRub! website and learn more about feline breast cancer and how you can help support research to end this horrible disease in kitties.
Remember: EARLY DETECTION IS VITAL!
Here she is, getting some well-deserved lovins' from her meowmy!
If you or a loved one has had a kitty that experienced feline breast cancer, you can Email their story to sugarrub@gmail.com.
Remember a little while back I said I was going to have a very special interview on my blog? Well, today's the day!
Everyone, please meet my good furriend Sugar Bear!
Sugar lives in San Francisco, CA, and her meowmy is a big Giants fan whom my MomKatt has known for a long time from Catster.
Last January, Sugar was diagnosed with feline breast cancer. Since she's had this experience, Sugar's meowmy has said she wished she had a nickle for every time someone, upon hearing that Sugar had experienced breast cancer, said, "Cats can get breast cancer?" The answer is: of course they can! And so can horses, cows, rabbits - even sea lions!
So Sugar and I, together with our meowmies, thought it would be really cool to have Sugar Bear tell her story to all my readers, in hopes of spreading the word about this horrible disease, and tell you all about the website Sugar's meowmy developed in response to her experience, called "Sugar Rub". (The name refers to giving your pet a breast exam.) We also wanted to talk a little about what you can do RIGHT NOW to learn early detection for your pet, and how to help fund the research currently being done to find a cure. One day, we hope, no pet parent will have to watch their beloved animal companion cope with this awful disease.
So, without further ado, take it away, Sugar Bear!
***************************
Sugar, please tell us a little about yourself. How did you find your furever home?
Selina, the farthest back I can remember was being in a cute little condo at the San Francisco SPCA adoption center - it's called Maddie's. I had been there for 6 months and, as nice as it was ... well, it just wasn't home. There were lots of volunteers there, and other people came in to visit me, but no one took me home. Then one day, Mom and Dad showed up and I knew they were the ones for me! It was Super Bowl Sunday 2008 and one of the best days of my life!
How old were you when you met your pawrents and how old are you now?
I was six years old then, and now I'm eleven. I'm still pretty playful for a “senior” gal. I can turn just about anything into a toy - a dust bunny, a tube of Chapstick, even my tail now and then! MOL!
What else do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
One of my favorite hobbies is eating! I love my Ahi Tuna Tiki Cat and I look forward to our 7 PM Treat Time.
OK, do you have any “pet peeves” (if you'll pardon the expression MOL!)?
You know, I really don't have any pet peeves. Truth is, I love everything and everyone. Mom says I'm a sweetheart!
I can believe that! OK, now to the serious side of our interview. You've recently experienced a very serious illness, which I'd like for us to discuss here on “One Eye On the Future”, and that's feline breast cancer. Tell us, please, how the whole thing started: how was your condition discovered?
One day last January, Mom picked me up and noticed a lump in the armpit area of my right front leg. She had a really bad feeling about it. She called our vet and he came over and checked me out.
Your Mom sounds like a REALLY pro-active cat parent. And it's really great when vets make “house calls!” What happened during your exam by the vet, and how did you react to all that?
The vet took some fluid out of the lump and then took some blood samples. I did not like that at all!
How quickly were you diagnosed?
Our vet got the fluid analyzed the next day. That night, around 7 PM, he called Mom and told her the bad news, that I had cancer. Because of the location of the cancer, he knew it was in my mammary glands and he referred Mom and Dad to a specialty hospital here in San Francisco. He told Mom they were open 24 hours, so she could call right away and get an appointment with a veterinary oncologist.
I went to the oncologist the next day and they did an x-ray and another blood test. They cleared me for surgery and, the following day, I went under the knife. They took out the lump and all of my mammary glands on the right-hand side where the lump was located.
Here is a picture of me in the surgery!
Wow! That sounds so dramatic, Sugar! And quick, too! Take us through the post-op recovery phase. Did you have to return to the hospital to get stitches out?
Yes, I returned to the hospital after ten days to get my stitches removed. The oncologist was really pleased with my recovery, and gave Mom and Dad the biopsy results. My 2 cm lump was malignant, but they think they got it all. The surgeon did not see any evidence of cancer in my lymph nodes. So the recommendation was no chemo, but to monitor me very closely. On March 8, I had a one-month exam and I got a good report and he said I didn't need to come back for two months.
How are you doing now and what's your prognosis for the future?
I was scheduled to go back for an exam in early May but in late April, Mom found another lump at the same location. She was pretty upset. I went to the oncologist the next day and they scheduled me for a lumpectomy that week and said that since I had a recurrence they did recommend chemo as a follow-up. I've had four treatments and I've done very well with no side effects. My last one is August 5.
For all my readers' pawrents out there, please tell us how hoomans can learn more about kitty breast cancer.
There is a lot of information on the Internet but, like everything else, you need to consider the source.
I understand that you have your very own web page as a result of your experience.
Yes, it's called Sugar Rub! (www.Sugarrub.org)
What is Sugar Rub!'s purpose?
The website is the home base for the Sugar Rub! mission, which consists of three parts:
1. Raise awareness that pets get breast cancer;
2. Encourage pet owners to do regular breast exams on their pets - that's what we call a Sugar Rub!; and
3. Raise funds for more research on animal cancers. Our first research study will be with the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School (Penn Vet) on treatments for feline mammary cancer, since very little has been done. Most of the treatments are based on canine research and they don't work as well for cats.
Are there videos on the Sugar Rub! website to help people learn how to give kitty breast exams?
There is a link on our What You Can Do page that gives instructions on how to do a breast exam on your pet. We had a great video from Purina showing a vet giving both a dog and a cat breast exam but they took it off of the internet. If anyone knows of one, we'd love to hear about it.
Additionally, the website has flyers you can print yourself and post at your vet's office or anywhere people will see it so others can learn more about the importance of regular breast exams for pets. Those are in .PDF format and are located at the bottom of the What You Can Do page.
Sugar Rub! also offers folks a way to contribute and support research efforts through some really cool wristbands! Tell us more about that - MomKatt got two of them and they're wonderpurr! What organization do they benefit when you purchase one?
The wristbands accomplish two things. First, they raise awareness and they invest people in our mission. Second, 100% of the funds they raise go into the Penn Vet Sugar Rub! Fund for Feline Mammary Carcinoma Research. My mom buys the wristbands out of her own personal funds, so all of it goes to Sugar Rub!
How much are the wristbands?
One wristband is $6, two are $10 and five are $20 - and if you get five wristbands, you also get 12 SugarRub! stickers for your calender to remind you to perform monthly breast exams on your cat(s).
And you have pendants people can buy as well. Tell me more about those.
Yes, the pendants are $19.95 each and are called “Believe” pendants. We have different charms such as “Power of the Paw” and pink ribbons for “Breast Cancer”. We also have charms that support things like HIV/AIDS research and equality and hooman rights. There's even a USA Flag/Yellow Ribbon pendant for “Support our Troops” and paw print charms too.
Here is a picture of just one of the many pendants we have available. They are very pretty and very fashionable, too!
Can purchasers of these things claim the purchase as a charitable donation on their taxes?
Yes! If they make the purchase by check, the funds go directly into the Sugar Rub! fund at Penn Vet and they can claim a tax deduction. If they are not interested in purchasing anything but would still like to help, they can still make an online donation directly to the fund at the link at the beginning of this paragraph.
Ok, Sugar, thank you so much for your time today and all this great information! Readers, for more information, visit the SugarRub! website and learn more about feline breast cancer and how you can help support research to end this horrible disease in kitties.
Remember: EARLY DETECTION IS VITAL!
Here she is, getting some well-deserved lovins' from her meowmy!
If you or a loved one has had a kitty that experienced feline breast cancer, you can Email their story to sugarrub@gmail.com.
Thank you for helping us share this important information Selina and Meowmy! XX Sugar & Mama J
ReplyDeleteThank you Sugar Rub for letting Selina interview you in this impawtent subject !
ReplyDeleteAbout 15 years ago, I lost a neutered MALE cat to breast cancer. Our thinking was that back then, the vets didn't realize the harm giving the 'spraying' male cat female hormones would do...you could actually express milk from his 'nipples'. Because of that phenomenon, I'm sure the hormones cased his breast cancer. Hopefully no vets are still giving female hormones to stop male (even neutered) spraying.
ReplyDeleteThank you for telling us about feline breast cancer - quite honestly it wasn't anything we'd ever thought about.
ReplyDeleteLuv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
Thanks so much for the interview with Sugar, Selina! She and her human are doing great work for an important cause!
ReplyDeletesugar...pleez tell yur mom.... R mom still haz oscar...
ReplyDelete:)
way awesum ta see ewe again, hope ewe N de crew iz doin grate
way awesum interviews selina N sugar...& see in two catster palz in de same spot iz
soooper kewl !!!
de blessing oh St Francis two ewe sugar
XOXO
Thank you sweet Tabbies o Trout Towne. Lots of love to you from all of the SF Gals and Mama J. XX
DeleteWhat a great post. Thanks for spreading the word about this important topic.
ReplyDeleteThat was a terrific interview and Sugar is such a beauty. Thanks for such important information!!!
ReplyDeleteThat was a great post Selins. It is important to know that other beings can(and do) get breast cancer!
ReplyDeleteWe send our purrs to Sugar and her Mom and Dad.
Purrs Tillie and Georgia,
Treasure,Tiger,JJ and Julie
Great info. I have a kitty furrend on Twitter who is a breast cancer survivor for many years. She doesn't like to tell anybody about it but I think this info should be shared.
ReplyDeleteBTW, this is exactly the kind of post that would fit into Blog the Change.
DeleteThank you Cathy - we think it is important to get the word out too. What is "Blog the Change"?
DeleteJeanette:
DeleteHere is the URL:
http://btc4animals.com/blog-the-change/
I've not tried this before, CK, but you're right, it WOULD be a good topic for it!
Selina
If any of you are on Facebook, we have a page
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Sugar-Rub/587437321283860
Oh MomKatt! You forgot to tell them THAT! MOL
DeleteGreat interview Selina,that's why it is always recomend for girl bunnies to be spayed as the are more prone to breast cancer when the get older,xx SPeedy's mum
ReplyDeleteMany, many years ago, we had a dog with mammary tumors. We were told it happened because she had not been spayed. Is there any relationship between spaying and breast cancer in cats? All our kitties have been spayed or neutered. Does this limit the possibilities of a cat getting this cancer? Thanks for sharing this interview. Janet
ReplyDeleteJanet, yes I believe one of the links on the Sugar Rub website, or the site itself, brain on the blink right now, says first thing that spaying/neutering is REALLY helpful in prevention. Jeanette, is MomKatt remembering this correctly?
DeleteGreat interview, Selina, and good to share this information!
ReplyDeleteThank you and I think what your Granny's doing w/the kitties is meowvelous! We like your blog!
DeletePurrz!
Selina
Selena, this is such an important post, thanks you for letting Sugar tell her story! xox
ReplyDeletesuch a beautiful and informative post! Thank you so much for sharing it
ReplyDeleteEveryone should read this. Everyone! I'm gonna go share right now.
ReplyDeletePurrs,
Nissy
This is such important information! Years ago my angel sister Pixie had a mammary lump. She had it removed and biopsied and she was so lucky it was benign.
ReplyDelete