Cat Multiple Myeloma

Cats and humans share very few if any characteristics; one thing they do share however is the possibility of contracting various forms of cancer. Multiple Myeloma in cats is the same disease that people can develop as well. This type of Cat Cancer is considered non-curable in human beings, and although remission is fairly high in dogs that receive treatment, in cats, Multiple Myeloma is rare and the data is a bit sketchier for felines.

Diagnosis

Multiple Myeloma is a cancer of the cat’s plasma cells. When these cells become cancerous, they produce many other plasma cells resulting in a tumor, which then in turn begin releasing antibodies into the cat’s body. Tumors will begin cropping up in multiple bone marrow sites, hence the name Multiple Myeloma. It is the production of antibodies, most commonly imunoglobin that cause most of the clinical symptoms you will see with this disease.

Signs and Symptoms

As stated above cats are not as prone to Multiple Myeloma as dogs or people, but on occasion, they will present with the disease. Here are a few signs and symptoms you might notice in your feline companion:

•Cat Fever

•Retinal hemorrhage

•Cat Blindness

•Limb pain

•Cat Back Pain

•Cat Seizures

•Cat Depression

•Cat Loss of Weight

In addition to these signs of multiple myeloma in cats, you may also notice your cat experiencing Cat Vomiting, Cat Diarrhea or simply not acting “right”. This may also be evident via a change in their personality. Cats are somewhat like children when it comes to determining an illness, if you think something is wrong, contact your medical professional as soon as possible for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

Generally, multiple myeloma in cats is discovered through routine testing of the cat’s blood or urine after presenting with nonspecific symptoms.

Multiple myeloma is a fast moving disease and in some cases cats had to be euthanized in as little as a few weeks because of the worsening symptoms. The main reason for a higher mortality rate in cats is due to the lack of adequate therapy that is available. In the best case scenario, you can expect a 15 month survival span should cat contract Multiple Myeloma.

Conclusion

As you can see, multiple myeloma is a serious disease with varied expectations. Cats contract Multiple Myeloma so rarely that getting good treatment can be extremely difficult. If you suspect that your beloved cat may have multiple myeloma, then it is best to see your veterinarian quickly, because as with any medical problem the sooner you intervene the better chance your cat has to survive Multiple Myeloma.

Additional Cat Cancer Pages

Cat Cancer | Cat Skin Cancer | Cat Lung Cancer | Cat Pancreatic Cancer | Cat Cancer Prevention | Cat Cancer Diagnosis | Cat Gastric Cancer | Cat Lymphoma Cancer | Cat Squamous Cell Carcinoma | Cat Mouth Cancer | Cat Brain Tumor | Cat Palliative Cancer Care