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Cat Intestinal Tumors

Veterinarian Reviewed on April 2, 2014 by Dr. Janice Huntingford

Cat Intestinal Tumors

In cats, lymphoma is classified based on which body part seems to be most affected by the tumor. The most common form of lymphoma in cats is now intestinal. However, this was not always the case. Years ago, before the use of the Feline Leukemia Virus vaccine, the most common site of tumors in cats was in the chest cavity. The primary cause of these tumors was the Feline Leukemia Virus. Thankfully, this nasty virus has now become less common due to effective vaccination, having more cats live indoors, testing procedures that are readily available, and finding the cause of genetic issues, chemicals in the environment and other unknown factors. A cat that is subject to cigarette smoke in the home doubles its risk of getting cancer.

Intestinal Lymphoma

The most common type of intestinal tumor in the cat is intestinal lymphoma. This usually strikes older cats from the years of nine through thirteen.

Signs and Symptoms

They typically exhibit the following symptoms: Cat Vomiting, Cat Loss of Weight, Cat Diarrhea, Cat Loss of Appetite or any combination of these above symptoms. Male cats are more predisposed to developing intestinal tumors than are female cats.

Treatment Options for Intestinal Tumors

There may be the development of an actual mass with intestinal lymphoma or it could travel. A mass could possibly cause an intestinal obstruction that would require the cat to undergo immediate surgery. You must understand, however, that even if the tumor seems to be localized, just having your cat undergo surgery is not going to be a complete cure.

In order to give your cat the best chance of surviving for the long term, you are going to have it treated with chemotherapy. Most cats, just like most dogs, do not really suffer bad side effects when they undergo this type of treatment. However, some cats do experience horrific side effects. If this happens to your cat, you may want to consider adding a holistic treatment program in with their veterinary treatment protocol, such as adding Milk Thistle supplementation to your cat’s diet. Milk Thistle helps to take the strain off of your cat’s liver during chemotherapy treatments.

In conclusion, can your cat be cured if they have an intestinal tumor? For all intents and purposes, theoretically, yes, but speaking practically, no. You should try to be realistic in the outcome. You want to give your feline friend the longest possible survival with a good life quality.

Read also: Cat Cancer Dietary Supplements
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Our Expert

Dr. Janice Huntingford
Janice Huntingford, DVM, has been in veterinary practice for over 30 years and has founded two veterinary clinics since receiving her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. She has studied extensively in both conventional and holistic modalities. Ask Dr. Jan

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