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- Jul 21, 2018
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My Moon is about 12 years old. We adopted her and she was an ex-breeding queen (persian). She was in very bad health at the time and had just gotten spayed (it was an infected incision -- her previous owner wasn't taking care of it). She was emaciated. We took her to a general vet, internal medicine specialist, and board certified cardiologist (they found HCM). With medication, food, and love, she has thrived. She's super energetic, eats a lot, and is alert and loving. The vets are stunned by how well she bounced back as it was really touch-and-go for awhile.
Well, a year ago this month, I found a lump under one of her nipples. I took her to my general vet. I couldn't get to her specialists as they are in another province which I can't cross into due to COVID. My general vet said about 90% of mammary lumps in cats are cancer. She said an aspiration would likely be inconclusive and anesthesia for a full biopsy is out of the question with her heart. Her heart is stable so we don't want to chance it. We contacted the specialists and everyone agreed -- palliative especially since an x-ray showed a small lump in her lung as well.
Well, in a year, the mammary lump has grown a bit but barely. It doesn't hurt. It doesn't bleed. It's not ulcerated. She had a follow-up x-ray in September and the lump in her lung hadn't grown or spread. She doesn't have any lumps in the other nipples or lymph nodes.
My general vet is a little stunned that she hasn't needed pain killers, has continued to gain weight, and runs around and plays like a young cat. They had estimated a few months, but now it's a year and she is asymptomatic. Even her breathing rate has remained stable.
Has anyone experienced this? As far as I know, mammary cancer is usually very aggressive in cats. I'm very happy, but it makes me wonder whether this isn't cancer..
Well, a year ago this month, I found a lump under one of her nipples. I took her to my general vet. I couldn't get to her specialists as they are in another province which I can't cross into due to COVID. My general vet said about 90% of mammary lumps in cats are cancer. She said an aspiration would likely be inconclusive and anesthesia for a full biopsy is out of the question with her heart. Her heart is stable so we don't want to chance it. We contacted the specialists and everyone agreed -- palliative especially since an x-ray showed a small lump in her lung as well.
Well, in a year, the mammary lump has grown a bit but barely. It doesn't hurt. It doesn't bleed. It's not ulcerated. She had a follow-up x-ray in September and the lump in her lung hadn't grown or spread. She doesn't have any lumps in the other nipples or lymph nodes.
My general vet is a little stunned that she hasn't needed pain killers, has continued to gain weight, and runs around and plays like a young cat. They had estimated a few months, but now it's a year and she is asymptomatic. Even her breathing rate has remained stable.
Has anyone experienced this? As far as I know, mammary cancer is usually very aggressive in cats. I'm very happy, but it makes me wonder whether this isn't cancer..