Hi all. I have a 15 yr old cat that has a fairly large swollen area under the eye. His eye also was tearing and had a small amount of greenish discharge. In the past he has had this discharge and it went away in a couple days. Also, he has been sneezing on occasion. I assumed it was a URI but when I took him to the vet he said he had a tooth infection and that was causing the swelling. I took him in to have that tooth and also the same one on the other side extracted as the root was exposed once they cleaned of the tartar. The tooth on the side with the swelling had an abscess that he could see once it was pulled. My cat also stopped breathing during surgery. He was given antibiotics the day before the surgery, the day of, and has been on ClinDrops since, for 2 days. So that's a total of 4 days. There is no change in the swelling or tearing and he is still sneezing. The vet took an xray today and said there is no puss left but he saw something on that bone. He got some fluid out of the swelling and it was just blood, no puss. He told me that maybe it's a bone infection from the tooth or a tumor. I'm going back on Tues. and if the swelling hasn't gone down he will take a biopsy. He had been acting normal but since the surgery two days ago he's a little more sleepy, I attributed that to the surgery. He's eating good also. So I'm just wondering, does the bone infection seem likely? Would that even show up on xray? I thought this showed up suddenly and the vet said then that would point more towards an infection. The thing is, my 17 yr old dog was very ill for some time and I had to put him to sleep two weeks ago. Now I'm questioning if it could have been something that started gradually and I didn't notice. My hubby said it was sudden but he's always so busy so not sure if he would have noticed. I'm at a loss and still overwhelmed from my dog's passing so I was hoping to get some input here to hopefully put my mind at ease or to prepare me for the worst. I appreciate any help, thank you.
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Swelling under eye. Vet said tooth infection but....
- Thread starter stacy_s
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From everything you say it does sound like an infection so it probably just needs more time to clear up with the antibiotics.
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- #3
Sorry, I wish I could answer that for you but I am not medically trained. I am only thinking due to the experience I have had with abcesses in my own teeth. As long as the decaying matter (food, etc) is stuck in the root of the tooth then the infection continues. I can relieve it with antiseptic mouthwash rinse but with a cat that is not possible.
So it sounds to me like it is related to the teeth he had pulled and the infection could have spread into the jaw.
I think xray only shows bones - not soft tissue. So it would not show a tumor. For humans they use MRI and maybe ultrasound for that.
Hope that helps.... sorry I dont have anything conclusive for you. That would probably have to come from a vet.
So it sounds to me like it is related to the teeth he had pulled and the infection could have spread into the jaw.
I think xray only shows bones - not soft tissue. So it would not show a tumor. For humans they use MRI and maybe ultrasound for that.
Hope that helps.... sorry I dont have anything conclusive for you. That would probably have to come from a vet.
Hi Stacy, my kitty had swelling from a bad tooth. It looked like he was bunched in the face. They cut the side of his face, left it open, to drain the infection. They put him on antibiotics and then a week later pulled 14 teeth. Some bad and others as prevention. They looked like future problems. He heal great and never lost his appetite before or after. I'm wondering why they have not drained his swelling. It immediately helped even before the teeth were pulled.
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- #6
After doing some Googling, I wondered the same thing...why wasn't the abscess lanced. The vet said when he pulled the tooth there was a large abscess and that it would probably drain through his mouth. No drainage. When I took him back because the swelling didn't go down the vet said maybe the opening sealed up. So he took an xray and said there was something on the bone. Also, there was no puss left but just blood. I'm guessing he was basing that on drainage that came from the area around the tooth that was pulled and not an xray. He said it was possible that there was an infection in the tooth but maybe there was also a tumor right above and that was just coincidence. I am hoping that it isn't a coincidence and just a bad abscess, not a tumor. I guess this week I will find out after the biopsy is done. Thank you everyone for your responses.
Stacy, I pray it's just the abscess and that it's been unable to drain! Then he can just lance it. Fingers crossed! Please give us an update!
Yeah I have to think that it is just a pocket of blood that needs to be drained - kind of like a cyst or blister if you will. The odds of having a tumor right there is possible but just seems a much lower likely scenario. Even if it is a tumor they are often benign so I wouldnt worry about it.
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- #9
I am going to be seeing another vet at the same office tomorrow as my usual will be out. The other vet has more experience, so maybe he will have another opinion. I am hoping that when they do the biopsy it will turn out to be an abscess that will drain when the needle is inserted. My cat's eye has been oozing white since this started. I read that a tumor would have blood tinged discharge but not sure how true that is. I will update as soon as I hear something. Thank you everyone!
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- #10
Sad news. The other vet looked at the xray and also examined my kitty. He said that it's a tumor. Also, there was no reason to put him through the biopsy because it's either one of two types...osteosarcoma or another one that I forgot when I heard the news. He said 2 -3 months, that the tumor will grow and probably start to rupture. He gave me antibiotics and pain meds. I am going ahead with an herbal plan that I used on my dog and cat. My dog who just passed lived 2.5 years after the vet told me he would die in days. So I'm hoping I can slow down or stop the growth. Radiation is out of the question as it would be every other day for 6 weeks. He would need to be anaesthetized every time. Since he stopped breathing during the tooth extraction I will not chance it. He also said it would be such high doses that it would burn the surrounding areas. I think that would kill him sooner than the cancer. So for now he's doing great, just have to think positive. This is going to be so hard. He helped me through the passing of 3 pets, always coming to me when I would cry. He didn't even have to hear me, he would just sense it. He even watched over them and slept with them during their illnesses. My poor baby. Thank you everyone for your help and thoughts.
Stacy, I am so sorry!! My heart is breaking for you!
I was hoping it was an abscess. I know this is not something you were prepared for. No one is. I think you're making the right decision not to put him through all that and like your dog he may live longer then what's expected. I have witnessed that myself with loved ones given 6 months to live and living years. God bless you, honey!! I know you will do what's right for him!!
Stacy, I am sorry to hear this and kind of surprised as you said the lump appeared very quickly.
But you sound like you are taking the right path. I had a cat with a tumor on his neck that lived with it for 3 years and he was 19!
I am wishing for many good years for your kitty ahead.
But you sound like you are taking the right path. I had a cat with a tumor on his neck that lived with it for 3 years and he was 19!
I am wishing for many good years for your kitty ahead.
Hope your treatment plan is successful. Enjoy your time with him.
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- #14
Thank you so much everyone. I went in to the vet thinking for sure it was an abscess...all the signs pointed to that. So now I can only hope he was wrong or if it's a tumor then it's benign....or even just a cyst. It hasn't gotten any bigger than when we first saw it so hopefully it will just stay that way and he will live many more years. His next visit is in two weeks, I'm hoping he's going to heal and astonish all of them. Wishful thinking but I have to be positive for his sake. Thank you again everyone, I will keep updating.
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- #15
I guess I am now able to post an update. Sadly, I had to have my kitty put to sleep on 11/10/14. The swelling from his tumor first started to make his eye close, then the tissue grew completely over his eye. He was still in good spirits though, no big change in behavior. In the last weeks of his life he went blind in his other eye, I could tell this really bothered him as he could no longer do the fun things he loved to do and was having a hard time getting around. The tumor also started to bleed. I would clean it several times a day but since he was blind he would bump it on things and make it worse. I always knew he would tell me when he wanted to go. We had that "conversation" several times during his illness. The night before he was put down I was sitting with him on the couch. Even though he could no longer see me, he looked me in the eyes. I knew from his expression and the pleading look in his one eye that he wanted to be set free. My vet came my house the next day to put him to sleep, by then my kitty was having a hard time breathing. Even though he was in bad shape he greeted the vet, which really broke my heart. He was so happy to see him one minute and gone from us the next. I have been haunted by that and also by the meow he made when the vet gave him the injection. I know there was nothing more that could be done and knowing that he gave me the "ok" helps a lot. On a bright note, last winter I let him go outside in the snow and he loved it. I told him I would let him out again this year, sadly he passed before I had the chance to. When I picked up his ashes it started to snow, which in early Nov. is extremely uncommon here. I know that was his doing, we were able to be in the snow again this year after all. So that is the end of the story. My sweet tuxedo kitty is now with his friends at the Rainbow Bridge. Thank you again, everyone. <3
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How beautiful that it snowed for both of you. I'm so sorry for your loss. It sounds like he was such a loving and loved kitty, right to his very last breath.
I'm so very sorry for your loss. I just passed the 1 year anniversary of the loss of my sweet tuxedo kitty. She had jaw cancer. Its so incredibly hard, but we can enjoy the sweet memories of the times together. Sending you hugs & vibes
Thank you @stacy_s for posting an update on your kitty. I know how difficult it was to do. It is amazing how often we get signs from above and your story about it snowing was definitely one of them.... what were the odds? 15 years is a long life .... take solace.... I read many threads about young cats under 5 that get sick from FIP or something else and dont live a full life. You should feel blessed - he sounded like a wonderful cat. God bless.
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Awe that made me cry. How sad.
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[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]It sounded like an infection.
I’m so sorry.
Mali once had a bad tooth that made the left half of her face swell up.
It sounded like an abscess.
It sounded like a blood pocket.
I’m very sorry.
I’m so very sorry.
I hoped that treatment would go well.
The snow is the heavens crying for you.
I’m so sorry.
Thank you for keeping us updated.
I am in tears right now.
oNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]It sounded like an infection.I’m so sorry.
Mali once had a bad tooth that made the left half of her face swell up.
It sounded like an abscess.
It sounded like a blood pocket.
I’m very sorry.
I’m so very sorry.
I hoped that treatment would go well.
The snow is the heavens crying for you.
I’m so sorry.
Thank you for keeping us updated.
I am in tears right now.
