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Cat Forum / General Topics / July 2005Cats Fat Belly - Any Ideas?
My cat is approx. 16 years old, recently his belly has swollen up. His stomach feels very hard, like he is backed up. He is at the Vet now, for the 3rd day. They performed an enema on him the first day. The 2nd day they drained liquid from him. Today, they called and said he is swollen up again. They have no idea why. They want to perform blood work on him to determine whats causing it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks DB I would ask for xrays at least. There are many reasons for fluid build up and unfortuneately none of them good. I hope you can get a diagnosis soon. > My cat is approx. 16 years old, recently his belly has swollen up. > His stomach feels very hard, like he is backed up. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Thanks > DB They have X-rayed him twice, but they still don't know what is causing it. >I would ask for xrays at least. There are many reasons for fluid build up > and unfortuneately none of them good. I hope you can get a diagnosis [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >> Thanks >> DB What color and consistency was the fluid? > My cat is approx. 16 years old, recently his belly has swollen up. > His stomach feels very hard, like he is backed up. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Thanks > DB I dont know, I guess I can ask the Vet. > What color and consistency was the fluid? > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >> Thanks >> DB Lab bloodwork ought to reveal a lot. >I dont know, I guess I can ask the Vet. > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >>> Thanks >>> DB The lab bloodwork didnt reveal the cause. They want to X-Ray him again (3rd time), this time after they have drained the fluid, to get an unobstructed view to see whats going on. > Lab bloodwork ought to reveal a lot. > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >>>> Thanks >>>> DB > The lab bloodwork didnt reveal the cause. They want to X-Ray him again > (3rd > time), this time after they have > drained the fluid, to get an unobstructed view to see whats going on. Again, I'd ask hard questions on why not ultrasound, with the fluid present, rather than X-ray. Remember that X-ray basically shows what is blocked by hard objects like bone, or, indeed foreign bodies in the stomach. It will show shadows of the stomach, especially how it displaces the ribs. Ultrasound actualy uses the fluids to form the image. CT (and, for that matter, MRI) also can image soft tissue and fluid as well as bone. > > Lab bloodwork ought to reveal a lot. > > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >>>> Thanks > >>>> DB > My cat is approx. 16 years old, recently his belly has swollen up. > His stomach feels very hard, like he is backed up. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Any help would be greatly appreciated. Blood work is indeed appropriate, probably starting with a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel and a Complete Blood Count. An analysis of the fluid drained is also important. I'm bothered by repeat X-rays. X-rays only give a limited amount of information about abdominal problems. He should have either ultrasound or a CT scan. Ultrasound is relatively inexpensive. Blood work, and ultrasound. I'd worry about a tumor that cannot be imaged on x-ray. -Sharon You can also get the fluid cultured as well. I'd be testing for FIP as well as everyone else's suggestions. > Blood work, and ultrasound. I'd worry about a tumor that cannot be imaged on > x-ray. > > -Sharon > You can also get the fluid cultured as well. I'd be testing for FIP as > well [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > > > -Sharon Cytological studies of the fluid might be informative, and an endoscopy could be in his future. I'm mystified by the emphasis on X-rays. > In article <6vydnS2Dw6fArknfRVn-og@rogers.com>, "Steph" >> > Cytological studies of the fluid might be informative, and an endoscopy > could be in his future. I'm mystified by the emphasis on X-rays. When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail? All I can figure. Jo > My cat is approx. 16 years old, recently his belly has swollen up. > His stomach feels very hard, like he is backed up. Sounds like my poor cat, ET. His turned out to be edema. He was diagnosed with FIP. I truly hope your cat doesn't have FIP. griffin The blood work didnt turn anything up - He is healthy in that regard. The X-Ray showed a softball size mass inside his abdomen. Someone had asked what the color the liquid was that they drained from him - it was tea color. They said there are specialists that could attempt to remove the growth, but it sounded pretty risky. This is a bummer. > The blood work didnt turn anything up - He is healthy in that regard. The > X-Ray showed a softball size mass inside his abdomen. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > This is a bummer. I'n so sorry. > The blood work didnt turn anything up - He is healthy in that regard. The > X-Ray showed a softball size mass inside his abdomen. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > This is a bummer. I didn't post before because I didn't want to say that fluid where it shouldn't be is often caused by a tumour. Purrs that you decide whatever is best for you both. I'm so sorry it isn't better news. You might like to get a second opinion at another vet surgery who can provide an ultrasound scan before you make your decision as to what to do. Tweed <-- been there recently myself > > The blood work didnt turn anything up - He is healthy in that regard. > > The [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Tweed <-- been there recently myself Agreed. Diagnosis is imperative, and it's not clear your vet is up to it. X-ray simply will not show more than a shape, but ultrasound and CT can give much better information. When my Clifford (RB) was showing some symptoms in the stomach, we diagnosed it with something less invasive than surgery: endoscopy. In this procedure, under general anesthesia, a tube is passed from the mouth into the stomach. This tube is equipped with a fiber optics viewing system, so they can actually look at the mass. Further, they can get a biopsy of it, which usually will need to be sent out to a special lab. In Clifford's case, what had been feared to be lymphoma turned out to be a simple inflammation, treatable by medication. I don't want to give false home -- you may be lucky as we were, but, as Tweed says, it may well be a tumor. Further, if it is a tumor, it's not necessarily cancerous. The biopsy is essential to tell. May I ask where you are geographically? It really seems like you need to go to a veterinary referral center. Good luck to both of you. I know how worried you must be. Howard, Thanks for your input. I am located right outside Fort Worth, TX. >> > The blood work didnt turn anything up - He is healthy in that regard. >> > The [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > > Good luck to both of you. I know how worried you must be. > Howard, > > Thanks for your input. I am located right outside Fort Worth, TX. Here are some possibilities. Dr. Kevin Hahn is one of the best-known veterinary oncologists, with a website at http://www.gcvs.com/oncology/pwc/index.htm At one point, he would give some advice by email. It might be a good idea to get a DFW recommendation from him. I did find a reputable listing for: Dr. Cheryl Harris Veterinary Oncology & Internal Medicine Clinic Dallas 972-431-9499 but don't have any direct knowledge. These may be more in human medicine, but another diagnostic technique that is minimally invasive is an ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of the tumor. I'm not saying it is or is not cancerous. Indeed, it might not even be a true tumor, but a cyst -- which would be a good thing. There is, I'm afraid, a fair chance it is cancerous, and one of the more common abdominal tumors is lymphoma. There are some treatments. With my own Clifford (RB), who had bladder cancer, there were some supportive measures that improved his comfort, and had some effect on the tumor, while we were trying to get him in condition for chemotherapy. I suspect that this type of therapy, using prednisone and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent, might help. > >> > The blood work didnt turn anything up - He is healthy in that > >> > regard. [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > > > > Good luck to both of you. I know how worried you must be. I'm sorry to hear it. But going in would be the choice I would make too. If they *can* remove it he has a good chance, if they cannot, well he is already asleep. I will send good thoughts your way hoping it is the type of mass they can also remove. > The blood work didnt turn anything up - He is healthy in that regard. The > X-Ray showed a softball size mass inside his abdomen. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > This is a bummer. > The blood work didnt turn anything up - He is healthy in that regard. The > X-Ray showed a softball size mass inside his abdomen. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > They said there are specialists that could attempt to remove the growth, > but it sounded pretty risky. Without further diagnostics, it's hard to say whether or not the abnormality can be removed. Ultrasound would certainly be an option. A cyst or tumor could at least be verified with exploratory surgery. With normal blood work, it sounds as if anesthesia could be tolerated at least for a quick look-see. Best of luck. -Sharon |
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