Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice/opinions about my cat.
Signalment:
- Cat, female spayed, ~9 years old
Acute episode (March):
- Sudden onset of vomiting (more than 10 episodes over 2 days: bile + undigested food)
- Became anorexic
- No diarrhea, normal urination
Clinical exam findings:
- Mild depression
- Fever (39.2°C)
- ~6–7% dehydration
- Painful abdomen
- Palpable large, firm, irregular abdominal mass (mid-caudal abdomen)
Radiographs:
- Loss of abdominal detail in caudal abdomen
- Suspected irregular mass in the region of the bladder / caudal abdomen
- Stomach not distended
- Diffuse intestinal gas
- Formed feces in colon
Bloodwork:
- Mild metabolic acidosis
- Hemoconcentration (consistent with dehydration)
- Mild electrolyte imbalances (low sodium, low calcium)
- Elevated lactate
- Mild hyperglycemia (likely stress-related)
- Triglycerides slightly elevated
Initial assessment:
- Suspected abdominal / bladder mass (origin unclear)
Clinical course:
- From the day after the first visit, the cat resumed eating normally and has had regular bowel movements since
- Currently clinically stable
Follow-up:
- Ultrasound performed yesterday: mass confirmed, but origin unclear
- Waiting for official report
- Vet mentioned extended mass with possible lymph node involvement
- If neoplastic, may not be surgically operable
- Recommended: echocardiogram + anesthesia + CT scan for further evaluation
-–
Main questions:
- Does this presentation sound more consistent with lymphoma vs carcinoma vs something else?
- Is it common for a cat with a significant abdominal mass to be clinically stable?
- Would you proceed with CT under anesthesia in this situation?
Thank you in advance.
