Please help me here, have any of you experienced anything like this:
 
Just a quick recap.  I have 2 babies who are into their 6th year.  Diasy
Mai, my little female and Jade Elaine, my male.
 
Jade Elaine had his spleen removed in September of '97, he was about 4.5
years at that time.  That has been his only surgery ever.
 
A mass has been detected in Jade's abdomen in early November of '98.  This
mass in NOT a blockage, for Jade's bowel movements are fine.  His activity
level and appetite have been fine, (by times).  Here is what I mean "by
times":
 
Jade will totally refuse all foods for about 4 - 6 days, so out comes the
syringe and he gets force fed.  Then all of the sudden, as quick as the
eating stopped, he eats again, just chows and all is fine.
 
I have been going through this process for quite some time now.  1 week of
eating, then one week of force feeding, he may even get 2 good weeks, but
the process continues.  The vet is aware of all this, I take Jade in at
every turn.  She has aspirated cells from this mass to see if she could
determine what this mass was.  Nothing.  This is my asumption: If the mass
was cancerous, she would have known from the aspiration.  I may be mistaken
though.
 
Debbie my vet, is keeping close tabs on this mass and it doesn't appear
to be bothering him.  But this cycle of eating and not eating, what does
it all mean?  I have had to start the force feeding process again last
evening, I will keep force feeding him til he eats on his own again.  I
will be calling Debbie first thing Monday morning!  Debbie has not opted
to removed the mass just yet, I am not sure exactly why, but she hasn't.
Should I ask her to do her exploratory surgery and remove the mass
regardless of her opinions, and do it now?
 
Debbie is a really great, vet!  I'm certain it would be safe to say that
Debbie is one of, if not the best Vet in the greater Fredericton and
surrounding areas.  I trust her opinions and her treatments, but she is not
God, and therefore doesn't have "all" the answers.  If there is anything
that I can relay to her, that you can provide to me about Jade's strange
eating patterns, I would ever so happy to provide this all to Debbie.
 
It's almost like Jade has a cold or something but a cold wouldn't run a
course like this, and besides Daisy Mai is just fine.  She had her cold
back in early October of '98 and she has been fine since.
 
Jade doesn't seem to be down too much in weight, but his overall
build/stature is just not right.  When I hold him, I feel his ribs, his
spine, his bum seems bonier.  But he is not "skinny" per se, just not much
for fat anymore.  Does this make any sense?
 
Please help me, I thank you, Jade Elaine really thanks you :o), Daisy Mai
will love you too to have her sidekick back :o)
 
Jadesun, Jade Elaine Mr.MeFirst & Daisy Mai  ;o)
                            @-->-->--
    "Taken Forever a Whisper to a Scream"
        http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/jadesun
[Posted in FML issue 2552]