For nearly 10 years, Kayla Fine’s cat has welcomed her home in the same way: by running to the door, rolling over, and offering her belly. So, when that didn’t happen one January day, Fine immediately knew something was wrong with the calico she pragmatically calls “Cat.”
Cat was “completely unlike herself,” recalled Fine, a veterinarian in Larksville, Pa. Unlike the affectionate, active feline Fine adopted during veterinary school, Cat was stressed, breathing heavily, and experiencing seizures.
In preparation for surgery, Cat’s Penn Vet care team places a stabilizing pillow under her head.
Fine rushed Cat into the veterinary practice she is part of alongside her father, David Fine, V ’89, and her sister, Sela Fine, V ’23, both graduates of Penn Vet. The medical team started Cat on steroids and anti-seizure medications, but her health continued to decline. She stopped walking and lost interest in eating or drinking. At one point, Fine was afraid she would not make it through the night.
Cat’s care team suspected the presence of a brain tumor. However, they had no way of knowing what type of tumor it was, where it was located, or if it was treatable. She needed advanced tests and specialty care. She needed Penn Vet.
Wojciech Panek, DVM, DACVIM, was one of the first doctors to examine Cat when she arrived at Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital. Panek, who would go on to lead Cat’s care team, noticed Cat was quiet and struggled to initiate voluntary movement. She was unsteady on her feet and wandered in circles around the exam room. CarolAnn Daidone, V’21, a second-year neurology resident who managed Cat’s case with Panek, noticed that Cat didn’t blink when a hand moved toward her face, another worrisome sign of neurologic decline.
Given Cat’s history and examination results, Panek and Daidone agreed that a brain tumor was probable. They ordered a brain MRI, which confirmed that Cat had a tumor known as a meningioma. These tumors commonly occur in cats and usually lead to seizures and neurological changes when they reach a certain size. Cat’s tumor was large, taking up almost one third of her skull.
Neurology resident Dr. CarolAnn Daidone cradles Cat after a successful surgery.
Oftentimes, the only treatment for meningiomas are palliative medications. But in Cat’s case, because of the tumor’s location, doctors believed they could attempt to remove it. For Fine, the decision was an easy one.
“Of course, there’s a risk and it’s not something to be taken lightly,” Fine said. “But how could I not give her that chance given that the mass was operable? Some patients aren’t so lucky to have a mass in a surgical location.”
During the five-hour operation, a surgical team led by Panek and Daidone carefully dissected the tumor from Cat’s normal brain tissue. As they excised pieces of the mass, they could clearly see the undamaged brain expanding to fill the space left behind.
Hours after her operation, Cat was on her feet and ready to eat. Gone was the lethargic animal who first entered Ryan Hospital.
Panek — whose lab conducts translational research in neuro-oncology and neuro-aging — noted that historically, a case like Cat’s might have been fatal. However, due to advances in veterinary medicine, patients and their caregivers now have more available options.
“A brain tumor no longer automatically means we need to consider humane euthanasia,” Panek said. “We have different tools and novel treatments available to provide the most advanced and gold-standard care to our patients.”
Cat is now back home, seizure-free, and once again Fine’s feline best friend.
“You would never know she had major surgery a short time ago,” Fine said. “I have my Cat back again. I will forever be grateful to Penn Vet, Dr. Panek, and Dr. Daidone.”