My male cat has breast tumors. We just found out at the vets office yesterday. They're running bloodwork to make sure he's healthy enough for surgery to remove the tumors and test for malignancy.
My question is:
Has anyone else out there had a cat undergo this sort of surgery? We are worried about his chances of survival and the quality of the remainder of his life. The vet really couldn't answer for how long he'll have to live, because they don't yet know if the tumors are malignant.
My husband and I are not sure we would want him to go through an agonizing mastectomy surgery when his life may not be extended by much longer anyway.
Does anyone have any insight?
We just want to make sure he has a good quality of life for whatever time he has left.
2007-07-12 14:54:22 · 5 answers · asked by Chellebelle78 4 in Pets ➔ Cats
Will the vet be able to tell if the tumors are malignant before the surgery? That would give you more information for making a decision. Did the vet do x-rays to see if there has been any spread internally?
I work at a vet hospital. I haven't seen any cases of mammary tumors in a cat in the six years I've been there, but there was a 9-year-old lab (dog) with cancer in two of her mammaries. The vet removed all her mammary glands, and she lived another four years, which is about the normal lifespan of a lab. The cancer never recurred.
The surgery is not agonizing, by the way. The mammary glands are outside the body wall, above the muscle layer. The cat should have no more pain from removal of all of them that a female cat has from a spay.
If he were my cat, I would go ahead with the surgery unless the tumors were malignant and had already spread to his lungs or elsewhere internally.
2007-07-12 15:36:27 · answer #1 · answered by Kayty 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My darling Spooky (a 12 year old neutered male) was found to have a cancerous breast tumor. Unfortunately the cancer had metastasized to his lungs and he had to be euthanized only two weeks later because he couldn't breathe.
Don't jump ahead of yourself here. It is agonizing to have to wait for comfirmation of what is exactly going on. I strongly urge you to join the Yahoo group feline cancer. From what I have read there of mammary cancer the mastectomy is not that terrible (I had the option of removing a cancerous jaw tumor from a 17 yr old cat which to me was no option at all).
Many people on the Yahoo group have dealt with this cancer - cats have had radical surgeries, chemo, radiation, etc. and some, though of course not all, have done well. It will depend on what the "stage" of the cancer is and how early you were able to catch it.
To join the group go to http://www.yahoogroups.com, put in a search for felinecancer and request membership. You will get a lot of help sorting through treatment options and emotional support in making your decision.
2007-07-12 15:29:56 · answer #2 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mammary tumors can be very serious. I think if it were my cat I would hav a biopsy done first to see if malignant or not. Then make a decision. A biopsy can be done under a very short acting anesthetic, and sent to a veterinary pathologist. Results can take a week. I'd rather know before putting him through major surgery--if malignant he probably wouldn't have much time left and it would be a lot to put him through needlessly. Good luck!
2007-07-12 15:25:09 · answer #3 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they can biopsy without surgery, you do not have to have both at the same time. Wait until the biopsy comes back. if malignant, then is the time to decide. the ? is how long do you want to have him in your life with a good quality of life. with the surgery you will have him longer, without less. can you care for him w/o the surgery during his lifespan. I would not go with the surgery and enjoy him for as long as he is happy. you will know when he is ready to go and take the appropriate steps at that time. the main thing is to love him and make the time he and you have together a happy one.
2007-07-12 15:09:35 · answer #4 · answered by nashniki 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
that would depend if it is malignant or not, and if it is malignant- then how far the cancer has spread. if its in his lymph nodes then it is too far gone and better to just make what life he has left comfortable until he is in too much pain and put him to sleep. it could be just fatty tumors, and having them removed would be no problem. if they are cancer and you found them early enough, then he should be fine (unless of course the cancer comes back) chemotherapy is really hard on animals. i personally dont recommend it, if it is cancer. it normally doesnt prolong their life long enough to make it worthwhile. but that is more if it had spread to his lymph nodes. be glad it is the breast- they are external so easier to masticate than if cancer is inward. good luck hope it helped.
2007-07-12 15:01:42 · answer #5 · answered by ruby71174 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋