Cat Renal Lymphosarcoma

When Cat Cancer is present in a cat’s lymphoid tissue it is referred to as lymphosarcoma. This is a very common cancer in pets but cats are more prone to the type that affects the kidneys. It is caused by white blood cells called lymphocytes and affects cats that are middle aged to more senior years.
This is a fatal disease but with treatment can go into remission. Unfortunately Cat Renal Failure is often developed with renal lymphosarcoma.

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms of lymphosarcoma are not particularly specific to the disease. Cat Vomiting, Cat Diarrhea, Cat Loss of Appetite and subsequent Cat Loss of Weight are common to a large number of illnesses. Cat Swollen Abdomen and abdominal enlargement and tenderness can also indicate several diseases.
If your cat shows any sign of Cat Increased Thirst and Cat Increased Urination, you should note the changes and be on the alert for signs of Cat Dehydration as well. Your cat can become lethargic and lose interest in things that have been stimulating until this point.

If other organs are involved, there can be behavioral changes and lack of coordination. The hind legs are prone to failure, especially in cats.

Diagnosis

• The first things your vet will do is get a complete history and do a physical examination of your cat. During the examination, it is common to find enlargement of the cat’s kidneys.

• Blood tests and urinalysis will be done. This will provide a count of the red blood cells, the white blood cells and platelets. Anemia is a common occurrence as well as white cells that are abnormally formed and platelet abnormalities.

• A chemical profile is next. This will indicate if there are other organs involved in the illness.

• Your vet will perform an ultrasound of the abdomen to obtain information on the structure of the kidneys. Ultrasound will also allow your vet to check the lymph nodes to see if they are enlarged.

• A kidney biopsy or a fine needle aspirate may be done. Fluid will be withdrawn and examined to indicate possibilities. This is not particularly invasive and is done with minimal sedation. In the event of the needle aspirate not being consequential, a biopsy will be done.

• The next step is to obtain a bone marrow aspirate. This is necessary if lymphosarcoma is the suspected diagnosis. It will indicate tumor cells that are within the bone marrow. It will also indicate the stage of the disease which is an indication of how far the disease has progressed.

Treatment Options

Cat Cancer Chemotherapy is the treatment of choice. Kidney lymphosarcoma is responsive to chemotherapy. It will involve costly, weekly visits for treatment. In most cases the treatment will require the need for a veterinary oncologist.

Home Care

Keep your cat comfortable by following the Cat Palliative Cancer Care guidelines. Give all of the medications that are ordered by your vet as they are prescribed. There are some drugs that can be given at home, including Cat Cancer Dietary Supplements. Chemotherapy requires scheduled administration.

If your cat is given oral chemotherapy you will need to observe your cat for vomiting, diarrhea, signs of lethargy and loss of appetite. Any discomfort should also be noted and reported to your veterinarian immediately.

Unfortunately there are no preventative measures for this type of cancer.

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