Gracie has a tumor

Tina and Gracie (GA)

Tina and Gracie (GA)

Active Member
During the exam with my feline, my vet told me that she felt an abnormal large bump on my cat's upper leg. She said it was rare for cats to get fatty tumors. Anyway, she recommended we cut it off and send it over for a biopsy SAP.
She ordered a bunch more labs today.

The plan is to do it while she is under for her dental procedure at the end of January. I wanted to do it today, but she said Gracie needed to be sedated. She moved me to the top of the cancelation list as high priority. Of course....I'm now in the exam room sobbing at this point.

After tons of research on Google...it seems that cats can have fatty tumors. It is just rare.

@Rachel what experience do you have with cancer? I know I'm jumping to conclusions, but I just want to make sure I ask all the right questions and do all the right stuff.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
Well, I can tell you that I had a kitty many years ago that had a large lipoma (fatty tumour) on her side. At that time the vet told me the same thing - rare in cats. I didn't do anything about my kitty's and it never bothered her.
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Thanks Kris. You have definitely eased my mind, but now I just feel like a sucker. UGH. She definitely doesn't seem bothered by it. I can touch it and she just ignores me.
 
Teenuh said:
Thanks Kris. You have definitely eased my mind, but now I just feel like a sucker. UGH. She definitely doesn't seem bothered by it. I can touch it and she just ignores me.
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Don't feel like a sucker! A biopsy will put your mind at rest. I know lipomas are very common in dogs.
 
Either it's not all that rare or I have/have had several 'rare' cats over the years. I can pretty well assure you mine weren't 'rare'. The most recent was Snow's that he'd had for many years but finally grew large enough that it was uncomfortable and we had it removed. Out of 13 right now, I have 3 with a lipoma somewhere. I also have 3 dogs with them right now and 2 that crossed fairly recently also had them. No they didn't cross because of anything associated with the lipoma...they're harmless.

HUGS!!!
 
Quintus has a lipoma near his shoulder. We started out by observing it for 2-4 weeks to check if it was growing. It was not. We kept an eye on it after that but it's been years now and it hasn't budged.

Fingers crossed Gracie will be OK. I would use the next weeks to observe and see if it seems to evolve or if it's stable. Hugs!
 
Definitely sounds like it. I wish I had you guys with me at the vet. Now, I need some opinions on what to do regarding treatment.

I just received my estimate for the removal and biopsy. Gracie has a dental scheduled for the end of January. The vet suggested I do both at the same time. Her last dental was July'18. She needed one tooth removed. After reviewing my finances for this next month I'm wondering if I can give myself a few more months to save a little more, or if I can opt out of something to buy a little more time.
I have saved some for her dental, but adding the biopsy definitely puts me over the limit.
December was a very expensive month, as I made a few larger purchases for my apartment. January will be pricer to due to having other adult bills.

If it is absolutely needed yes, I can make it work. It just may be tight for a few months. What do you guys think?


Part of me wants to hold off on the biopsy and just watch it; however, I like the idea of putting my mind at ease and knowing what it is. Also, is a dental needed every 6 months? Or can they go a full year?

If it is absolutely needed yes, I can make it work. It just may be tight for a few months. What do you guys think? Open to suggestions.
@FurBabiesMama @Kris & Teasel @Djamila

Attached is the estimate they provided me.
 

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Hey Teenuh. My civvie has a fatty growth on her leg too (Lipoma). It’s been there for a few years and has gotten bigger over time, but it is soft and squishy so the vet said to just leave it alone. It’s probably like 2 cm in diameter. I am not sure if that is what your kitty has, but fatty tumors are benign (not cancerous) a lot of the time, at least in humans. It’s good that it will be removed so you can get a definitely answer as to what it is. Usually soft and movable is a good sign. Fingers crossed for you guys, keep us posted.
 
I'm going to give you my OPINION of what I would do the the same situation. I wouldn't have anything done with the lipoma right now - I'd just watch it and see what happens with it. Having had many with them, it's just not that big of a deal. If it were hard and immovable then I'd have it done but it's not.

Looking at the estimate, I'd have them remove the fructosamine test too - you have a testing history already. All that test does is look at the average bg over the prior 2 weeks - your spreadsheet tells the same story and doesn't cost you anything. Needing a dental can affect numbers - even if it turned out to be a bit higher than the beautiful numbers you usually get, that can easily be pinned on needing the dental. If they insist on having it before the dental then tell them they can do it but you won't pay for it.

Again, remember - this is just my two cents which that and $2 will get you a McD's coffee.... :)
 
Hey Ann.
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. Each vet (like doctors and dentists) seem to have their own opinion on what to do about what. I feel I get a more realistic approach on here. We all have cats and years of experience. I fired my prior vet due to many things, but one of them being overly bossy about what to do.
I seem to like my new vet. This is the first real "problem" I've encountered.

I know too many diagnoses in the human medical world. Microbiology and Anatomy and Physiology has shown me an open door to the possibilities of "what ifs". When I hear tumor my wheels start turning.
 
Hey Teenuh. I'm glad you're getting some good advice on here! I don't have any experience with cancer in kitties. My sugar baby Gypsy, had what we suspected was cancer but when we found it, she was already very ill. We let her cross the Bridge that same night and didn't ask for further tests...it wouldn't have changed the outcome at that point and she had become very ill very fast. So I can't comment on this with experience, but it sounds like lipomas are actually fairly common!
 
Teenuh said:
I called my vet and asked them to send me the measurements. Not sure if this helps (at least until I get home).
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When my kitty had her lipoma it was quite a bit larger in diameter, about the same thickness and felt soft and squishy to the touch.
 
Teenuh said:
I called my vet and asked them to send me the measurements. Not sure if this helps (at least until I get home).
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They didn’t describe what it felt like in the note, just the measurements, when you get home feel it and let me know. Soft squishy masses that move easily under the skin are more likely to be benign (not cancerous). Hard masses that don’t move are more concerning for cancer. Can a lipoma become cancerous? Yes. Is this always 100% correct that soft masses are not cancerous? No. But it’s a lot less likely.

Since my cat’s mass is soft and squishy, I chose to keep an eye on it with the advice of my vet. In humans, if a mass is getting larger, it’s one indication for removal, regardless of its characteristics. However, in cats we have to consider risk of anesthesia and infection (although it’s small) in an older cat, as well as stress associated with doctor visit and surgery, etc. if the mass is hard and doesn’t move, I would absolutely have it removed.
 
One rule of thumb I use regarding diagnostic expenses: is it going to change the course of treatment? ie, are the results of the biopsy going to make you decide to embark on treatment you would not embark on otherwise, and which have a good chance of influencing the outcome?

With Quintus, the surgery required to remove the growth would have been very invasive and require removing part of the ribcage. He was already not young, and though I do tend to want to save my cats whatever the cost, I wasn't sure I would put him through that. It's one of the reasons I didn't biopsy or do anything other than observe (which costs nothing and is not invasive).

Another example of this: Tounsi once had a very nasty jaw infection, hole in the bone, tooth root "eaten" by the infection. My vet was concerned it could be a neoplastic process because it seemed to have been so agressive. We discussed the usefulness of sending a sample for analysis: if it came out positive, and I wanted to do something about it, it would have meant removing half of Tounsi's jaw. Again, I wasn't sure I'd have gone that far for him, also given his temperament. Plus, if it was cancerous, we were going to see things go bad within a few weeks.

I don't know if any of this helps with Gracie. If it does turn out to be cancerous, what is the course of action? Is it something you can a) afford b) are ready to put Gracie through? Is timing going to make a difference, ie, doing it now versus doing it later? If the answers are yes, then it makes sense to biopsy so you can act. But if the soft-squishy-mobile-etc observations make you lean towards it being benign, you can also decide you can take the risk of determining what it is by waiting.

Thinking of you!
 
Stephanie & Quintus said:
One rule of thumb I use regarding diagnostic expenses: is it going to change the course of treatment? ie, are the results of the biopsy going to make you decide to embark on treatment you would not embark on otherwise, and which have a good chance of influencing the outcome?

With Quintus, the surgery required to remove the growth would have been very invasive and require removing part of the ribcage. He was already not young, and though I do tend to want to save my cats whatever the cost, I wasn't sure I would put him through that. It's one of the reasons I didn't biopsy or do anything other than observe (which costs nothing and is not invasive).

Another example of this: Tounsi once had a very nasty jaw infection, hole in the bone, tooth root "eaten" by the infection. My vet was concerned it could be a neoplastic process because it seemed to have been so agressive. We discussed the usefulness of sending a sample for analysis: if it came out positive, and I wanted to do something about it, it would have meant removing half of Tounsi's jaw. Again, I wasn't sure I'd have gone that far for him, also given his temperament. Plus, if it was cancerous, we were going to see things go bad within a few weeks.

I don't know if any of this helps with Gracie. If it does turn out to be cancerous, what is the course of action? Is it something you can a) afford b) are ready to put Gracie through? Is timing going to make a difference, ie, doing it now versus doing it later? If the answers are yes, then it makes sense to biopsy so you can act. But if the soft-squishy-mobile-etc observations make you lean towards it being benign, you can also decide you can take the risk of determining what it is by waiting.

Thinking of you!
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Excellent guide, Stephanie!
 
Ana & Frosty (GA) said:
They didn’t describe what it felt like in the note, just the measurements, when you get home feel it and let me know. Soft squishy masses that move easily under the skin are more likely to be benign (not cancerous). Hard masses that don’t move are more concerning for cancer. Can a lipoma become cancerous? Yes. Is this always 100% correct that soft masses are not cancerous? No. But it’s a lot less likely.

Since my cat’s mass is soft and squishy, I chose to keep an eye on it with the advice of my vet. In humans, if a mass is getting larger, it’s one indication for removal, regardless of its characteristics. However, in cats we have to consider risk of anesthesia and infection (although it’s small) in an older cat, as well as stress associated with doctor visit and surgery, etc. if the mass is hard and doesn’t move, I would absolutely have it removed.
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A little late updating...it is squishy.
 
@Stephanie & Quintus Thank you for giving me some examples. It definitely has helped me look at the bigger picture (at least for the time being).
Hypothetically, if I did the biopsy and it turned out to be cancer I would do my best to afford what I could. My fear is that I couldn't afford everything. I'm certainly not rich. Yes, I could charge thousands and thousands onto a credit card, but I need to consider if that would be digging myself (financially) into a grave that would be hard to climb out of.
I think the stress of that might cause havoc for me in school. I know this sounds selfish too. I would either fail, drop out, or I would skip classes in order to work more (to pay for treatment). In the long run, this wouldn't help me financially.

The fear of the unknown scares me. If I were to opt out of the biopsy, and did it later and found out she was dying . . . I know I would question everything I did. I might even blame myself.

I have decided though to opt out of the dental. I think going a full year in between is okay. If I did at the end of the month she would have gone 6 months. Of course...if there are problems sooner I will handle. I'm going to make the new appointment for April/May. It is only another 4-5months.

If anyone feels like I should reconsider doing the dental sooner I am open to suggestions. The appointment has not been canceled yet.
 
If you just have to know ask the vet if a needle biopsy is plausible. Local anesthetic and much less costly than going under the knife. I've had 2 done on dogs, told me it was malignant when it was not and 2 done on cats that were initially indeterminate and actually were malignant. Very annoying.
 
I get a bit irrational about this topic because of repeated misdiagnosis, same thing with ultrasounds.
I was more than annoyed at the oncologist who mistook a cyst for cancer. If you don't know, don't guess!
Stephanie & Quintus said:
is it going to change the course of treatment?
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That is perfect. We spent a fortune to find out a family of six all had cardiomyopathy but in our case knowing that still left us helpless. For that particular cardiomyopathy there is no treatment and it's conceivable in someone else's case that money could have been spent bettering your life in another way. The practical experience of people here is invaluable.
 
Tina R said:
@Noah & me (GA) The vet made it seem like that was an option, but was quick to say "sometimes they may not even get cells during the process" and the test would then be "inconclusive".
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That is true. You’re putting a small needle into a big mass so you don’t always get cells. Sometimes you get normal cels and get a good result but in fact there may be cancer cells left behind that they don’t get.

Also, yes soft and squishy is a good sign but it’s not a guarantee that there are no cancer cells. That is why I am watching Bella’s mass closely. It COULD still be cancer, or could become cancer. All it takes is for one cell to go “rogue”. However, I agree either Stephanie’s approach of deciding whether the results will change your management or not. That is always the most important question.
 
Tina R said:
@Noah & me (GA) The vet made it seem like that was an option, but was quick to say "sometimes they may not even get cells during the process" and the test would then be "inconclusive".
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This is also one thing my vet had told me, regarding Tounsi. You can also do the biopsy and not end up with a clear answer.

Tina R said:
Hypothetically, if I did the biopsy and it turned out to be cancer I would do my best to afford what I could. My fear is that I couldn't afford everything. I'm certainly not rich. Yes, I could charge thousands and thousands onto a credit card, but I need to consider if that would be digging myself (financially) into a grave that would be hard to climb out of.
I think the stress of that might cause havoc for me in school. I know this sounds selfish too. I would either fail, drop out, or I would skip classes in order to work more (to pay for treatment). In the long run, this wouldn't help me financially.
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Also -- not to be super negative or anything -- treating a cat with cancer doesn't necessarily mean you will save the cat. This happened to my neighbour. She tried everything, spent thousands in a few weeks, and still ended up with a dead cat. :(

I think it might be worth getting a little extra information on what the possible outcomes of the biopsy can be, and the respective natures and cost of treatments, so you have a clearer picture of which scenarios you would be able to afford and where you would draw the line. We all love our cats, but it is also OK to preserve oneself. Our cats are there so we can love them and they can bring joy to our lives, and in exchange we take care of them -- but we WILL see them die one day, and it will be horrible for us, but sometimes we have some control over how horrible. I personally would go a long way for my cats, but I do not believe in sacrificing one's health, sanity, or financial security in the long run, when the chances of a positive outcome are slim. (Not saying they are slim here, but you need to be able to evaluate them to make a rational decision. Yes, we can still be rational even when we're emotionally involved.)

Tina R said:
The fear of the unknown scares me. If I were to opt out of the biopsy, and did it later and found out she was dying . . . I know I would question everything I did. I might even blame myself.
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I understand that so well. We try to control what little we can control in the hope it will ease our fears of losing our beloved pet. And it works a bit... but in the end, we must face the fact that one day, hopefully later than sooner, we will lose them. I find that coming to terms with that helps me not get caught up in the short-term fix of trying to control everything. (Not saying I'm very good at putting it in practice, but I do try.) Again, the "solution" here is: can doing the biopsy now put you on a path where the odds are she doesn't die, compared to if you don't do it?

Thinking of you and feeling for you, despite my cold calculations...
 
Ana & Frosty (GA) said:
That is true. You’re putting a small needle into a big mass so you don’t always get cells. Sometimes you get normal cels and get a good result but in fact there may be cancer cells left behind that they don’t get.

Also, yes soft and squishy is a good sign but it’s not a guarantee that there are no cancer cells. That is why I am watching Bella’s mass closely. It COULD still be cancer, or could become cancer. All it takes is for one cell to go “rogue”. However, I agree either Stephanie’s approach of deciding whether the results will change your management or not. That is always the most important question.
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This is where my love for biology gets in the way. I understand that NK cells aren't perfect. The immune system can only do so much without help and even then sometimes it still isn't enough...and we need the big guns in medicine. I wish this was as easy in a textbook, as in real life. You get a fever and kill off those pathogenic cells trying to take over the body and in a few days, you are ok. I wish this worked in every circumstance.

Cancer is inevitable. I think the plan is to watch this lump closely and at her dental (i pushed out). I will address it then. Obviously, if something changes between then and now I will address it sooner. Until then....I will remain optimistic.
 
Stephanie & Quintus said:
This is also one thing my vet had told me, regarding Tounsi. You can also do the biopsy and not end up with a clear answer.



Also -- not to be super negative or anything -- treating a cat with cancer doesn't necessarily mean you will save the cat. This happened to my neighbour. She tried everything, spent thousands in a few weeks, and still ended up with a dead cat. :(

I think it might be worth getting a little extra information on what the possible outcomes of the biopsy can be, and the respective natures and cost of treatments, so you have a clearer picture of which scenarios you would be able to afford and where you would draw the line. We all love our cats, but it is also OK to preserve oneself. Our cats are there so we can love them and they can bring joy to our lives, and in exchange we take care of them -- but we WILL see them die one day, and it will be horrible for us, but sometimes we have some control over how horrible. I personally would go a long way for my cats, but I do not believe in sacrificing one's health, sanity, or financial security in the long run, when the chances of a positive outcome are slim. (Not saying they are slim here, but you need to be able to evaluate them to make a rational decision. Yes, we can still be rational even when we're emotionally involved.)



I understand that so well. We try to control what little we can control in the hope it will ease our fears of losing our beloved pet. And it works a bit... but in the end, we must face the fact that one day, hopefully later than sooner, we will lose them. I find that coming to terms with that helps me not get caught up in the short-term fix of trying to control everything. (Not saying I'm very good at putting it in practice, but I do try.) Again, the "solution" here is: can doing the biopsy now put you on a path where the odds are she doesn't die, compared to if you don't do it?

Thinking of you and feeling for you, despite my cold calculations...
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They are cold calculations, but they are also honest. I need the reality of what could be and what choices I may have to make down the line. Sometimes I think we can get so wrapped up and not see the bigger picture. When she said tumor all I could hear was cancer. You put it perfect "We try to control what little we can control in the hope it will ease our fears of losing our beloved pet".

I think cancer in humans is a little easier cost wise. Even with high deductibles . . . we can at least get treatment. Veterinarians can turn you away if you are unable to pay. The Er cannot.
 
@Stephanie & Quintus Those are not "cold calculations". The simple cyst diagnosed as cancer was our beautiful dog Hannah. After making it past Christmas we realized this could not be cancer but no one would acknowledge that (in other words admit their mistake and say sorry for putting us through Hell). We were told she had no chance and nothing could be done for her medically so without any meds we stopped counting 200 days after her best before date.
As Stephanie said "and still ended up with a dead cat". Hannah progressed rapidly into dementia so our miracle dog was not such a miracle after all.
She was in good health for a 12 year old Border Collie but to see the smartest dog in the world walk to the end of the block with you and be terrified because she did not know where she was was truly awful. That was her quality of life moment and two weeks later we took her for her last walk. We still ended up with a dead animal.
Sometimes it's something simple, other time there's nothing you can do about it.
I know Think Tank isn't for sentiment but these two both got horribly misdiagnosed. One lived longer, one's cancer was found too late and died an unpleasant death. They were best friends.
hannah&nigel002.JPG
 
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