Mammary cancer in a cat: causes, symptoms, treatment in a veterinary clinic

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Many people cannot imagine life without pets. They have cats, dogs and other animals. However, sometimes you have to deal with the fact that pets get sick. Moreover, diseases can be both the simplest and very complex. The latter certainly include oncology.

There are two types of tumors in cats: benign and malignant. Unfortunately, the latter is much more common. With benign formations, the clinical picture passes with little or no damage to the he alth of the animal. But malignant ones grow very quickly, they can affect any organs with metastases. Over time, a necrotic process opens up on the seals.

Where does the disease come from?

Many cat owners are wondering: “Where do tumors come from? What causes this disease? Opinions of doctors and scientists were divided. They offer a large number of versions, but still cannot come to a single solution.

Some think it's cancermammary gland in a cat occurs due to living in a polluted environment. Others say that interrupting the estrus process can cause oncology. There is a version that low-quality food provokes the development of a tumor. Many veterinarians believe that cancer is inherited at the genetic level, so before taking the animal home, it is recommended to find out as much as possible about its pedigree.

Symptomatics

A cat is an affectionate animal, so checking her skin will not be a problem. This can be done while stroking by probing the tummy. Small seals found in the area of the mammary glands should be considered the first bell, which may indicate that the cat has breast cancer. What to do in such a situation, we will tell further.

If the animal is not helped in the early stages of detection of seals, then the inflammatory process will begin. How soon this happens depends on the condition of the pet. A symptom of the last stage is the occurrence of necrosis and metastasis. How long do cats with breast cancer live in this case? A few months. Most often, they suffocate, as the lungs are affected.

If a cat hurts some place on the body, she starts to lick it. This happens in all animals without exception. However, this does not bring relief to the affected area. On the contrary, the condition can rapidly worsen, the formation of deep ulcers is possible. Pus accumulates in them, which constantly flows out, while being accompanied by a sharp putrid odor. The animal is veryquickly loses weight, refuses food, because of which he becomes very weak. There may be an exacerbation of chronic diseases, if the animal was sick before.

By the size of the tumor in the veterinary clinic, doctors can predict.

• If the neoplasm is up to 2 cm in diameter, then, as a rule, a favorable outcome is possible in 80% of cases out of 100.
• If the seal has grown to 3 cm, then it is difficult to guarantee the recovery of the animal.
• But an unfavorable prognosis, in which doctors do not give any guarantees, cause tumors larger than 3 cm.

Diagnosis of disease

It is impossible to visually determine the type of cancer in the early stages. Only a biopsy can confirm the diagnosis. It must be done in special laboratories. In order not to cause additional injuries to the animal, the material is taken as carefully as possible. It is known that in the affected areas metastases can rapidly begin to form. With such a clinical picture, treatment is already useless.

In the process of diagnosis, it is important to accurately determine the stage of breast cancer. Cats for this are carefully examined. Many doctors recommend a parallel biopsy of the lymph nodes, since it is in them that metastases appear first. Also, organ damage can be determined using x-rays and ultrasound examinations. A complete blood count must be taken from the animal. According to its formula, the doctor determines the condition of the pet and clinical signs. Also, according to the results of the analysisthe optimal dosage of the ongoing chemotherapy is prescribed, which the animal's body can tolerate.

It is important to understand: the sooner treatment begins, the greater the chances of a pet recovering.

Treatment

How to cure breast cancer in a cat? In most cases, doctors recommend surgery. However, the animal is not always able to transfer it. As a rule, when suffering from an oncological disease, the animal becomes so weak that it can simply die from the anesthesia administered. Also, conservative treatment is prescribed for older cats.

Now many effective drugs have been developed to help fight the tumor. Even in the case of drug therapy, the pet will still be prescribed chemotherapy drugs to stop the further development of the neoplasm. In simple terms, the cat will be injected with a certain dosage of a poisonous substance that destroys cancer cells. Unfortunately, such medications affect not only the affected areas, but also he althy organs, so it is recommended to visit the veterinary clinic every day, where the doctor will monitor the cat's condition and observe how it tolerates the treatment. If necessary, adjust the dosage in a timely manner in order to prevent a sharp deterioration.

The owners will have to tune in to a long treatment. It is important to understand that in severe cases, the pet is best left in the clinic. Doctors will be able to alleviate the general condition with medicines, that is, to stop pain, prevent respiratory failure and partially relieveintoxication.

Operate or not

According to statistics, the probability of a positive outcome increases if the tumor is removed surgically in time. At the moment, surgical treatment is considered the most effective. With a positive prognosis, the affected area is removed completely. This is what makes it possible to exclude the spread of the disease with a high probability. If the tumor is malignant, then the surgeon completely cuts out the mammary glands from the animal to prevent the formation of metastases.

If a cat's lesion has spread to the lymph nodes, then the only thing that the clinic will offer is surgical treatment. If they are not removed, then cancer cells will quickly spread throughout the body in a matter of days, even when taking special drugs.

After surgery

Providing favorable conditions for the operated animal plays an important role in its recovery. Unfortunately, if you do not follow the recommendations, then the pet will die. After the operation, the cat should be in absolute rest. When discharged from the clinic, the doctor must prescribe food, so it must be strictly observed. It is also necessary to treat the wound. How and with what medicines, this is told by the doctor. If additional drugs were prescribed, then they should be given strictly on time. A bandage on a cat with breast cancer must be put on - in order to avoid the divergence of postoperative sutures. But if this did happen, then, regardless of the time of day,urgently need to go to the hospital.

No self-treatment

If the owner found a seal on the skin of his animal, then in no case should you start treatment without consulting a doctor. It is strictly forbidden to use thermal applications. For example, heated s alt can simply lead to the death of a pet. When heated, a benign tumor in a cat will begin to grow rapidly, with a malignant formation, the development of numerous metastases will begin. Self-medication of a pet can be fatal, so it's best to turn to professionals.

Preventive measures

How to prevent breast cancer in cats? Unfortunately, there are no specific preventive measures.

Some veterinarians recommend spaying before the age of eight months. This reduces the risk of oncology, but does not give a 100% guarantee. If the cat has reached the age of seven, it is recommended to be examined in the clinic at least once every six months. Also, a systematic examination of the animal will not interfere. This can be done by the owner himself while stroking.

General recommendations:

• proper and quality nutrition;
• good care;
• treatment of genital diseases and mastitis;
• complete rejection of hormonal drugs that disrupt the sexual cycle.

Who is at risk?

Unfortunately, any cat can get cancer. However, most often such cases occur with thoseindividuals who have reached the age of seven. Scientists have noticed that Siamese breeds have a predisposition to mastopathy. It is they who have cancer much more often.

Watching cats, doctors concluded that unneutered animals are at risk, as well as individuals who underwent surgery after four or five estrus.

Conclusion

Many people treat their pets like children: they play with them, take care of them, feed them, and when they get sick, they treat them. The main prevention of cancer is the responsibility and care of the owners. If you find even a small seal on the body of a cat, you must immediately go to the clinic and take tests. Negligence in this matter can be fatal. It is not recommended to poke around inflamed ulcers on your own, as during this you can cause microtrauma, which will lead to the formation of metastases.

If breast cancer is found in a cat, then most doctors believe that the sooner the tumor is removed, the better and faster the recovery will be. In no case should you just sit and wait, as there are situations when it is simply pointless to have an operation already.