My baby Austin has to have an ultrasound

misty8723

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I took Austin to the vet yesterday to have his wellness check and rabies shot. The vet was doing the exam and at one point she said she felt something was not right with his spleen. But she couldn't really feel it good because every time she would get hold of it he he would move and she'd lose it. She said she might be making a mountain out of a molehill, it may be nothing, but the only way to be sure is either XRays or Ultrasound and Ultrasound is more definitive. She said she hated to waste people's money if it was a molehill. I opted for the Ultrasound and assured it was NOT a waste.

They are doing the Ultrasound Tuesday, and I'm just really scared about all of it. She has to sedate him for the Ultrasound and if they are going to do aspirations of whatever it is maybe more. He has never been under anesthesia other than general I'm guessing when he was neutered. I'm worried about that, I'm worried about what they might find, I'm just pretty much a mess right now. I was trying to hold it together in the room with them, but at one point her assistant went out and brought me a box of tissues. Right now I'm waiting for the results of the blood test, which she said she would call me about today.

The vet said it was a good sign that he doesn't have any symptoms and has actually gained weight (1/2 pound). She told me to go home and not to worry. I said "have you even met me?" and she laughed. She knows I am a worrier.

This all just brings back so many bad/sad memories. I pray it really is just a molehill.

Austin.jpg
 

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One time, when my Mom left me on cat sitting duty with her cat for a month, Nightfury started to act off. I called the vet and said I couldn't point to anything but lethargic but something was wrong. And I am a helicopter pet parent so I promise at that point it was simply he refused breakfast and wasn't as active as usually and I called them immediately. They said to bring him in and they'd see him when they could. I dropped him off and within 30 minutes got a call that he was being put on an IV, mild dehydration, and they recommended an ultrasound. Luckily, it happened to be the day their ultrasound tech was in (small practice) so they squeezed him in right then.

Turns out it was his spleen.

He ended up hospitalized for two weeks (he wasn't eating and I wasn't confident in my ability to get him eating and medicated alone at home) and came home like nothing happened, just a little skinny and with a shaved tummy. That was a few years ago and nothing else has come of it.

Whole point being, deep breath. One step at a time and try to not work yourself up over the ultrasound. The shaved tummy will be more embarrassing and upsetting to your boy then the sedation or exam itself if Nughtfury is any indicator.
 

mrsgreenjeens

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There have been cats here on TCS who have actually had to have their spleens removed and they did fine with that. One of mine had a "hit" on his spleen on his last ultrasound (meaning it lit up somewhat), but our Vet didn't think it was anything that needed immediate action. He will get a follow-up ultrasound in another month or so to see if anything has changed.

BUT, I want to tell you a little story to possibly ease your jitters. My other cat went in for an ultrasound in August and had to be sedated because he's a pistol at the Vet. (The sedation is much milder, BTW, than for a surgery) She called me while he was still under because his liver lit up and some lymph nodes looked suspicious and asked if I wanted her to do fine needle aspirations. I said "absolutely", and they came back 99.9% positive for Lymphoma. So, off to the oncologist we went. The oncologist looked at everything, including the last four blood workups that had been done and concurred that it was SCL, so we opted to start chemo and pred, but she wanted to do another blood draw to have a baseline since his last bloodwork was now 3 months old. Well, low and behold, when that baseline bloodwork came back in, his lymphocytes were back in the normal range, first time in two years! She said we didn't need to start treating him! I'm just telling you this because even if things come back not quite as they should, it might not be the end of the world. Especially if it's his spleen, since they can be removed, if absolutely necessary.
 

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What a pretty kitty! My cats have had ultrasounds previously and they have been helping in early detection of problems and diagnosing some issues. I also learned one time that my cat had small kidneys, even though that's not what they were specifically looking for! Take a deep breath. It will be okay.
 

silent meowlook

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Your cat is beautiful. Is this a regular vet or a specialist doing the ultrasound?
I have seen many regular veterinarians think they feel or see something, but then the specialist says it’s nothing.

Please don’t let your cat know you are worried. Don’t even put the worry idea out into the universe.
 

SofiesMumma

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Austin is a fine looking boy!!! 😍 like everyone else said, try your best not to worry. Our babies can sense our moods more than you think. I worry a lot as well, and always remind myself to try my best not to for my baby's sake.

Sofie went to the ER back in May for almost 2 days of low food intake. Found out she was dehydrated and kidney values were a bit high, nothing outrageous, but just outside of normal. An ultrasound was suggested. Honestly, ultrasounds and xrays are the easiest thing she has been through in these months! We found a tumor on one kidney, the kidney was also small. She ended up having a nephrectomy and is now going thru some light chemo treatments because the tumor was cancerous.

The sedation used for ultrasounds and xrays is so mild. They just get a lil doped up and it's important to make sure they get enough water and rest after. Also the shaved belly. That is my personal least favorite. But it grows back! 😊 Sofie is all grown back from her big surgery in July, she has been grown back for a bit now.

Our sweetest baby, Lilyth who has since crossed the rainbow bridge, would go for routine ultrasounds on her liver because a number was always a bit elevated. She had several of them every 6-8 months. Her liver never was an issue. She developed lymphoma and there was a tumor outside of the ultrasound scope and was not caught.

Ultrasounds are an amazing very non-invasive way to get health hints and catch issues early. It is always best to do things now while Austin is feeling well. He may be just fine! I would look at this as an opportunity, not a fearful event ❤ Please keep us posted on the outcome!! Sending healthy vibes to Austin and comfort vibes to you ✨️
 
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misty8723

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There have been cats here on TCS who have actually had to have their spleens removed and they did fine with that. One of mine had a "hit" on his spleen on his last ultrasound (meaning it lit up somewhat), but our Vet didn't think it was anything that needed immediate action. He will get a follow-up ultrasound in another month or so to see if anything has changed.

BUT, I want to tell you a little story to possibly ease your jitters. My other cat went in for an ultrasound in August and had to be sedated because he's a pistol at the Vet. (The sedation is much milder, BTW, than for a surgery) She called me while he was still under because his liver lit up and some lymph nodes looked suspicious and asked if I wanted her to do fine needle aspirations. I said "absolutely", and they came back 99.9% positive for Lymphoma. So, off to the oncologist we went. The oncologist looked at everything, including the last four blood workups that had been done and concurred that it was SCL, so we opted to start chemo and pred, but she wanted to do another blood draw to have a baseline since his last bloodwork was now 3 months old. Well, low and behold, when that baseline bloodwork came back in, his lymphocytes were back in the normal range, first time in two years! She said we didn't need to start treating him! I'm just telling you this because even if things come back not quite as they should, it might not be the end of the world. Especially if it's his spleen, since they can be removed, if absolutely necessary.
Thank you for this. Part of my feaking out is bad memories from previous kitties. With Cindy it started with what I thought was probably a UTI. On checking her stomach, the vet said "I feel a mass." That started us on a journey of trying to discover what the mass was. The first ultrasound they did an aspiration and found no cancer (which didn't mean it wasn't cancer). We took her for a second opinion and had another ultrasound. That vet said it was cancer but they couldn't tell what kind. One of the vets there said take her home and make her comfortable, probably 3 months. Our regular vet said she was otherwise healthy and a good candidate for surgery and put us in touch with a highly rated surgeon at the vet hospital. We had nothing to lose at that point. They allowed us to wait during the surgery instead of just dropping her off. When the surgeon came out with two thumbs up we were esctatic. The mass was on her colon so they had to remove part of her colon, but said they got the entire mass. The surgeon thought it was probably lymphoma, but it turned out to be mast cell. She had chemo and thrived for awhile, but eventually got some kind of GI issues. But we did have her another year and a half.

But the worse one was Swanie, my heart cat. Took him to the hospital for an Ultrasound and he never came home. I failed him badly and I will never forgive myself. But Swanie had a lot of health issues and Austin is otherwise a healthy kitty. So I am not expecting that outcome.

The other thing is I'm already very stressed with other things and this is just one more.

I hope your kitties are doing well and have no more health scares!
 
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misty8723

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One time, when my Mom left me on cat sitting duty with her cat for a month, Nightfury started to act off. I called the vet and said I couldn't point to anything but lethargic but something was wrong. And I am a helicopter pet parent so I promise at that point it was simply he refused breakfast and wasn't as active as usually and I called them immediately. They said to bring him in and they'd see him when they could. I dropped him off and within 30 minutes got a call that he was being put on an IV, mild dehydration, and they recommended an ultrasound. Luckily, it happened to be the day their ultrasound tech was in (small practice) so they squeezed him in right then.

Turns out it was his spleen.

He ended up hospitalized for two weeks (he wasn't eating and I wasn't confident in my ability to get him eating and medicated alone at home) and came home like nothing happened, just a little skinny and with a shaved tummy. That was a few years ago and nothing else has come of it.

Whole point being, deep breath. One step at a time and try to not work yourself up over the ultrasound. The shaved tummy will be more embarrassing and upsetting to your boy then the sedation or exam itself if Nughtfury is any indicator.
Thank you for the reply. I hope Nightfury is still doing well.

That's the thing, Austin is eating just fine, not lethargic, actually gained weight. He pesters me for food a lot, I will open a can, he'll eat some, maybe go back for more later (he likes to graze) or come bug me to open a fresh one. He is definitely not lethargic. So I'm hopeful, but like you I am a helicopter kitty mama, so I worry a lot. I had the same thing with him as Nightfury where one morning he refused his food and was a bit lethargic. I called the vet but it was Saturday and were booked, but thought he should be seen. So it was off to the emergency vet. They did a bunch of tests on the poor boy and didn't come up with anything. And that was that, he's been fine ever since. But Austin refusing food, ever, is always a cause for concern,
 
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misty8723

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What a pretty kitty! My cats have had ultrasounds previously and they have been helping in early detection of problems and diagnosing some issues. I also learned one time that my cat had small kidneys, even though that's not what they were specifically looking for! Take a deep breath. It will be okay.
Thank you! Austin says purrr! Oh I know the ultrasound is a good thing, but any time something unexpected comes up with my cats, I worry. And it's better to find it and treat it as early as possible, and I know they will take really good care of him there. I quizzed her thoroughly about monitoring him while he was sedated.
 
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misty8723

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Austin is a fine looking boy!!! 😍 like everyone else said, try your best not to worry. Our babies can sense our moods more than you think. I worry a lot as well, and always remind myself to try my best not to for my baby's sake.

Sofie went to the ER back in May for almost 2 days of low food intake. Found out she was dehydrated and kidney values were a bit high, nothing outrageous, but just outside of normal. An ultrasound was suggested. Honestly, ultrasounds and xrays are the easiest thing she has been through in these months! We found a tumor on one kidney, the kidney was also small. She ended up having a nephrectomy and is now going thru some light chemo treatments because the tumor was cancerous.

The sedation used for ultrasounds and xrays is so mild. They just get a lil doped up and it's important to make sure they get enough water and rest after. Also the shaved belly. That is my personal least favorite. But it grows back! 😊 Sofie is all grown back from her big surgery in July, she has been grown back for a bit now.

Our sweetest baby, Lilyth who has since crossed the rainbow bridge, would go for routine ultrasounds on her liver because a number was always a bit elevated. She had several of them every 6-8 months. Her liver never was an issue. She developed lymphoma and there was a tumor outside of the ultrasound scope and was not caught.

Ultrasounds are an amazing very non-invasive way to get health hints and catch issues early. It is always best to do things now while Austin is feeling well. He may be just fine! I would look at this as an opportunity, not a fearful event ❤ Please keep us posted on the outcome!! Sending healthy vibes to Austin and comfort vibes to you ✨️
Thank you, Austin is aware that he is very handsome and works it to his advantage. Right now he is watching squirrels run back and forth on our sidewalk. Earlier this morning he pulled a curtain down trying to get a bug. He has also had two breakfasts. There is nothing lethargic and definitely no loss of appetite.

One of the things the vet said when she was checking him was that his kidneys were small. But she has been checking him for years and that's the first time she's mentioned that one. So I guess the ultrasound will see if there is anything up there. She didn't try to get a urine sample, but said she would during the ultrasound.

Several of my cats have had ultrasounds, none of whom are still with me. I think that's why I just freaked a bit when something unexpected shows up. You think everything is fine, you cat is just going to his exam and vaccines and come home. But oh no, something is wrong, we need to do an ultrasound. Well she didn't say that, she just said it seemed unusual but she couldn't really tell, and she might be making a mountain out of a mole hill, but the only way to know for sure is XRay or Ultrasound. Since Ultrasound is more definitive, I opted for that. As I told her, if there is something I want to know so we can do something about it.
 
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misty8723

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Thank you, Austin is aware that he is very handsome and works it to his advantage. Right now he is watching squirrels run back and forth on our sidewalk. Earlier this morning he pulled a curtain down trying to get a bug. He has also had two breakfasts. There is nothing lethargic and definitely no loss of appetite.

One of the things the vet said when she was checking him was that his kidneys were small. But she has been checking him for years and that's the first time she's mentioned that one. So I guess the ultrasound will see if there is anything up there. She didn't try to get a urine sample, but said she would during the ultrasound.

Several of my cats have had ultrasounds, none of whom are still with me. I think that's why I just freaked a bit when something unexpected shows up. You think everything is fine, you cat is just going to his exam and vaccines and come home. But oh no, something is wrong, we need to do an ultrasound. Well she didn't say that, she just said it seemed unusual but she couldn't really tell, and she might be making a mountain out of a mole hill, but the only way to know for sure is XRay or Ultrasound. Since Ultrasound is more definitive, I opted for that. As I told her, if there is something I want to know so we can do something about it.
 
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misty8723

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Your cat is beautiful. Is this a regular vet or a specialist doing the ultrasound?
I have seen many regular veterinarians think they feel or see something, but then the specialist says it’s nothing.

Please don’t let your cat know you are worried. Don’t even put the worry idea out into the universe.
Thank you. He knows he is a cutey and works it.
It is a specialist doing the ultrasound, they have one who comes in on Tuesdays. It is a small practice, although I see they have added another vet. Dr. Wendy (Austin's vet) is very highly rated and I'm so happy we were able to get our cats in with her before she got super busy. It is a cat only clinic, which I love.

Yes, I'm definitely trying not to broadcast any worry. I have learned (sort of) not to broadcast when I'm taking them to the vet. Austin didn't catch on so it was easy to get him in the carrier. However, my other cat, Cricket, saw me just walking up the stairs to go to the bathroom and ran under the bed. I think she's way more sensitive to things than Austin. And her upcoming appointment is Oct 31.
 

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misty8723 misty8723 : I've no experience with anything like that, so nothing to offer there. But did want to let you know I'll be thinking of you and your gorgeous boy, Austin, on Tuesday. :hugs:
 
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misty8723

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misty8723 misty8723 : I've no experience with anything like that, so nothing to offer there. But did want to let you know I'll be thinking of you and your gorgeous boy, Austin, on Tuesday. :hugs:
:redheartpump: Thank you rubysmama rubysmama , it is very much appreciated.
(He is currently having his third breakfast of the morning. He doesn't eat a lot each time, but he grazes).
 

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My husband calls me a helicopter cat mom, so I'll add my bit, too, focusing on the spleen! One of our cats had to have her spleen removed a couple years ago. It ruptured. The surgeon said Edwina would do fine without her spleen and (no surprise here!) he was right. The only one thing that has changed is how the vet interprets one or two things on a blood test because Edwina doesn't have a spleen.

I totally hear you about the worry and hope that all goes well on Tuesday! Austin's a handsome cat!
 
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misty8723

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My husband calls me a helicopter cat mom, so I'll add my bit, too, focusing on the spleen! One of our cats had to have her spleen removed a couple years ago. It ruptured. The surgeon said Edwina would do fine without her spleen and (no surprise here!) he was right. The only one thing that has changed is how the vet interprets one or two things on a blood test because Edwina doesn't have a spleen.

I totally hear you about the worry and hope that all goes well on Tuesday! Austin's a handsome cat!
Thank you for the reassurance. I am glad to hear Edwina is doing well and hope that continues!

Never did hear from the vet about his blood work. I am going to assume since she didn't call me there wasn't anything alarming.

Thanks. Austin knows he's pretty cute and works it for sure.
 

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Thank you for the reassurance. I am glad to hear Edwina is doing well and hope that continues!

Never did hear from the vet about his blood work. I am going to assume since she didn't call me there wasn't anything alarming.

Thanks. Austin knows he's pretty cute and works it for sure.
Fingers crossed that no news is good news! Edwina is fine, resting behind my computer, and she sends Austin good wishes for his ultrasound (it's tomorrow, right?) and his spleen.
 
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misty8723

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Upadate:
Dr. Wendy just called and said there was something there, by his liver, but they don't know what it is. She said it seems like some kind of cyst. They aspirated and fluid came out (like comes from cysts), which they are going to send off to the lab to be tested. She said there was no blood flow to it, which you see with cancer. So semi-good news. Dr. Wendy said she wasn't worried, so I hope that means I shouldn't worry either (hahahaha). Probably be three hours before we can go get him. Poor little guy.
 
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