Chondrosarcoma in cats: symptoms, causes, treatment
Chondrosarcoma in cats: serious disease that can cause serious problems for the cat if not diagnosed in time. Let’s see specifically what it is.
When we share our life with a pet we must be aware that our four-legged friend can get sick, sometimes even seriously.
In this article we will talk about chondrosarcoma in cats, an infrequent bone tumor that can affect the cat. Let’s see what are the causes of this pathology and what symptoms it is necessary to pay attention to.
Chondrosarcoma in cats: causes and symptoms
The chondrosarcoma is the second bone cancer that can affect our four-legged friend.
It mainly affects the flat bones : nasal passages, ribs, facial bones, and bones of the limbs. In the event that chondrosarcoma affects the cat’s ribs, the tumor can also migrate to the vicinity of the lung tissue.
As with any type of tumor, there is no specific cause that determines the presence of chondrosarcoma in cats. However, it is necessary to know how to identify the symptoms of this pathology, as if not diagnosed in time it can be dangerous for our furry friend.
Depending on the part of the body that this disease affects, different symptoms may be noted. The symptoms we encounter when chondrosarcoma affects the limbs are:
Ache
Lameness in the cat
Swelling of the limb where the tumor is present
If the tumor affects the nasal or facial bones, we may experience the following symptoms:
Sneezing in the cat
Nosebleeds
Respiratory difficulties
Cough in cats
Difficulty swallowing
Tearing of the eyes
Facial deformity
Bad breath in cats
However, the general symptoms of this pathology are:
Lethargy
Loss of appetite
Lack of exercise.
Chondrosarcoma in cats: diagnosis and treatment
In the event that your furry friend exhibits one or more of the symptoms listed in the previous paragraph, you should contact your veterinarian.
The latter must be informed of the extent of the symptoms and the medical history of your four-legged friend, after which the specialist will carry out a physical examination to the cat, as the symptoms are linked to many types of pathologies.
The vet will also perform urinalysis and a blood count, radiographs and CT scans may show the presence of bone tumors in the cat. However, a biopsy is required for a certain diagnosis of chondrosarcoma.
Treatment depends on the severity of the disease, if the tumor has also involved other organs, the vet may suggest euthanasia.
Otherwise treatment is possible. If chondrosarcoma has affected a cat’s rib or limb, radiation therapy and surgery may be the best treatment.
If the cancer has affected the nasal or facial passages, radiation therapy is the right treatment. In addition, the specialist may prescribe medications to the cat just to relieve symptoms.
