Feline Mammary Cancer - Any vets/techs on board?

[DisneyBlonde]

My cat has a cyst on her abdomen that burst. It happened at night, we took her to an ER vet. They cleaned her up, said it is mammary cancer. She didn't do a biopsy.

This same cat had a fluidy sack on her abdomen a few years ago. Our vet at that time (different state) drew some fluid and had it tested, the result was that mammary cancer was possible. He then did a biopsy which came back NEGATIVE for cancer. He said we were very lucky, that 98% of the time when he sees these tumors it's usually malignant. He explained that Angel has a lot of cysts, he biopsied 3, all were benign. That was more than 2 years ago. I explained this to the new vet, but she said she'd bet her license it's cancer.

I want to take Angel to a different vet, hoping to get a biopsy, but she gets very stressed when we put her in the carrier and she pants all the way to the vet's office. I want to save her the trauma if the vet is right and it's obvious that it's cancer.

Can a vet tell by looking at a ruptured tumor that it's malignant?

Thanks.

 

[DisneyBlonde]

Bumping it up for the day crowd.

 

[mjkacmom]

One of our rats had a mammory tumor, which the vet said was probably malignant. When it was removed, we had it biopsied, and it was benign. Therefore, when she got another one (a month later) we just had it removed. Unfortunately, she has another tumor, and when it appears to be too painful, we will take her to the vet to have her put to sleep - we've spent about $700 in the past 5 months on vet bills, and can't do any more.

 

[Lanshark]

I don't know but several years ago one of my cats had a ruptured tumor on her chest and it was cancerous. The tumor was removed as were several subsequent tumors. She lived to 15 years old.

 

[DisneyBlonde]

mjkacmom - did the tumors rupture or were they removed before?

Lanshark - how long did your cat live after the cancer was found? Was a biopsy done, or did the vet know just by looking at it that it was malignant?

Thank you!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

When it ruptured, what came out? Blood or fluid?

I, personally, would never - especially given the history of this particular cat - accept a cancer diagnosis without seeing those words written on a biopsy/pathology report. There's too much at stake.

We had the opposite happen with one of my dogs. Vet thought it was a cyst. Finally biopsied after it burst (blood), and it was cancerous.

I don't believe in guesswork. Get a definite diagnosis.

 

[mjkacmom]

mjkacmom - did the tumors rupture or were they removed before?

Lanshark - how long did your cat live after the cancer was found? Was a biopsy done, or did the vet know just by looking at it that it was malignant?

Thank you!

The first 2 were removed, and I think this one might have ruptured, because there is blood in the cage.

 

[Lanshark]

mjkacmom - did the tumors rupture or were they removed before?

Lanshark - how long did your cat live after the cancer was found? Was a biopsy done, or did the vet know just by looking at it that it was malignant?

Thank you!

The vet suspected when he saw it and then a biopsy was done confirming. She lived for 2 years after the first surgery. After the first one we checked her frequently. Whenever we found another bump I took her in and it was removed. None of the others burst after we were aware of what was happening. I believe this happened 4 or 5 times. She recovered quickly because it was always a small area removed with just a few stitches. She did remarkably well. Never seemed sick. She just died in her sleep one morning on her favorite chair.

Edited to say we never saw the first one until it burst. My daughter was about 10 and told me Pumpkin had a sore on her tummy. She was not a cat that liked her belly rubbed so we wouldn't have noticed had it not burst. It was bloody when it happened