Cat question - X-ray or not?

Meowy Catkin

Meowy Catkin

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So my cat was poorly recently with a very high temperature. When he was at the Vet's, it was discovered that he has a lump in/on his small intestine. This is not linked to the temperature. Anyway the Vet has given me two options and I can't decide between them.

1, X-ray to see what's going on.
2, keep a close eye on him as the lump doesn't bother him in anyway and only investigate further if it starts to bother him (may never happen).
 
Could the vet ultrasound it? Less invasive and doesn't involve sedation - so cheaper.

Otherwise I'd leave it alone I think.
 
Yes, the Vet showed me how to feel for it.

SH - do you mean that having a lump is not healthy or that too many x-rays are unhealthy (this would be his first)?
 
xray unlikely to tell you very much. ultrasound much more useful. no idea how vet could say unlikely to be anything to worry about though. Unless they're not sure it was an actual mass and think it might be poo they were feeling then any mass is a concern and unfortunately the majority of masses I feel in cats intestines are aggressive and normally specifically lymphosarcoma. I would never ignore one.
 
He has been given liquid paraffin and I have a laxative to put in his food. He's bright, eating and back to his normal self. If he wasn't pooing (goes outside, wont use a tray) then he would be surely feeling ill by now as the lump was discovered four days ago?

I would need to be referred and travel to the bigger Vet practice to get an ultrasound. I don't think that this will be an issue if an ultrasound is the best way forward.

She said with a cat the age he is (three) in her experience it's unlikely to be cancerous. Of course it could be a benign tumour and he might be unlucky and be one of the few young cats that she's treated with a cancerous tumour.

Sigh. I just want the bleddy beast to be OK.
 
Has the cat been constipated ?!! I once had a cat that a vet said he had a lump and could possibly be cancer. Turned out to be soild poo. A couple of days of laxative and little wet food his 'lump' had gone. If it is def not poop I would have a ultrasound. Much less stress for you and cat.

:-)
 
if he's only 3 it's unlikely to be cancer. are they sure not just feeling poo? it can feel remarkably like a lump. I'd want another vet to have a feel before spending lots of money on imaging in a cat that age,.
 
I've been told to think about it - hence why I'm asking what others would do as I'm quite stumped really. He's going back in on friday to check the lump. I really hope that it is just a lump of poo and that all my 'what will I do' worries are a waste of time.

The cat meanwhile has been stalking a spider and is being utterly delightful.
 
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