Cat Ovarian Cancer

Ovaries are the glands that produce the eggs in cats. There is no specific cause for ovarian tumors except the fact that your cat is intact. The most common tumor of the ovaries is carcinoma.

Ovarian tumors are rare in cats. It is felt that this is due to spaying rather than specific health or environmental issues. Most will appear in older cats.

Signs and Symptoms

• Stay alert to any changes in your cat’s heat cycle

• Hair loss may be evident

• The breast may become enlarged

• The uterus can become infected

• Your female cat adopting more and more male behaviorisms

• Fluid in the abdominal cavity which will cause pronounced enlargement of the abdomen, aka Cat Swollen Abdomen

• Fatigue

• Your cat may have some shortness of breath due to the increased accumulation of fluids in the upper abdomen and chest cavity

• Cat Loss of Appetite with subsequent Cat Loss of Weight

• Cat Fever

Diagnosis

An accurate history of your cat’s health will aid your vet in the diagnostic process. Your veterinarian will perform standard diagnostic tests such as blood counts and chemical profiles. Although they may be normal with the occurrence of ovarian cancer, it will assist in ruling out other illnesses.

Palpation of your cat’s abdomen may allow the vet to feel the tumors in the abdomen.

X-rays are helpful in distinguishing abdominal masses in the abdomen. They can also be taken of the chest, which will indicate whether or not there is involvement in the chest and lungs. If these do indicate a tumor, an ultrasound may also be done to get a more accurate image of the tumors.

Testing of the cells in the abdomen and lungs can confirm the presence of cancer. This can be done by biopsy if necessary.

Treatment

Surgery is the preferred treatment in cats that do not have metastasis. This will involve the removal of the uterus and the ovaries. There are instances when Cat Cancer Chemotherapy may also be done. This is based on a case by case evaluation.

Home treatment

Your veterinarian will give you specific instructions as to your home care. Initially controlling pain, observing the operative area for infection and maintaining proper nutrition will be the most important things that you will need to do. By preventing pain, you will prevent excessive licking or biting of the surgical area.

Nutritional status must be maintained to shorten recovery and accelerate healing. Your cat may be placed on a special Cat Cancer Diets. One thing to consider is the lack of appetite that comes along with pain. It may be best to offer several small meals each day rather than one feeding daily. This will give your cat the opportunity to get the necessary nutrition without the discomfort a full stomach may produce after surgery.

Prognosis

The prognosis for recovery of ovarian cancer is always guarded. Mush of this depends on how far the disease has progressed and whether or not it has metastasized to other organs. Paying attention to behavioral changes and body changes in your cat can aid in early diagnosis.

Prevention

Have your cat spayed at a young age.

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