OMG, there's a lump between Luna's shoulder blades!!! (Update Aug. 15)

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Kirsten, try not to worry to much, please.... . You say it is movable, so the chance that it is nothing serious is real!!
Of course, I understand your fear, I would react the same way....

[kb2yjx]

Any word???

[lvpets2002]

OMG Kristen I am so sorry & sad for you & Luna.. Hope all is ok.. ((((HUGS & PRAYERS)))) from me & the girls..

[Kirsten]

I took her to two different vets after work today. Both my regular vet and the other vet in town are on vacation and had substitute vets in their offices (the first one very young, the second one very old); they checked the lump but couldn't say wether it was benign or malign. Of course I know they cannot tell without a biopsy, or histology, but they told me to wait several weeks and watch the growth of the tumor. And they say that it's movable is NOT a guarantee for a benign one, so this small hope I had is also gone now.

That's all I know for now. All I can do is waiting and fear for Luna's life.

My regular vet will be back in two weeks, and I will call her as soon as she's back and ask for advice. My personal opinion is not to wait too long with the sugery, because why should you wait until it's worse? On the other hand, if it's a sarcoma, the chances aren't good anyway, with or without surgery.

Kirsten

[Queen of Poop]

Sounds like there is a reason they are substitute vets. Is there any other "real" vet you can take her to before your vet is back. Two weeks will be agony and seem like an eternity. Keep a close watch on the lump. But do not give it so much attention that Luna becomes aware of it. Although it sounds like she wouldn't be able to reach it. I will pray that it is just a lump and nothing that needs any attention or causes her (and you) any difficulty. Please give Luna a big KISS.

[Barbara]

I think the lump should get looked at anyway. So surgery would be the next option. It does not make sense to wait. Either it is a little fat lump or not - but in the latter case it should happen soon.

Keeping all my fingers crossed.

[orangemm]

Hugs to you and prayers for Luna. I'm hoping and praying it will be nothing more than a fatty tumor that can be removed.

Don't go imagining the worst scenario. There is always hope.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

I think the lump should get looked at anyway. So surgery would be the next option. It does not make sense to wait. Either it is a little fat lump or not - but in the latter case it should happen soon.

Keeping all my fingers crossed.

I agree with Barbara! There must be a reliable clinic somewhere near you. No matter if that lump is bad or not, it is better to have it removed.... .
Good luck sweet Luna!!

[Donnaj4962]

Oh my, I am just seeing this thread! I am sorry to hear about Luna's lump, but even more sad to hear that you got nothing definitive from the 2 vets you took her to. I agree that a "regular" vet is the way to go, not a substitute.

Lots of hugs and many prayers coming your way from Indiana for you and Luna!

[Catsnclay]

Awhile back I too found a lump on Fluffy while petting him. We too rushed him to the vet who felt it and at the time didn't seem to concerned. She told us to keep an eye on it, make sure it didn'g grow bigger or move.

We checked it every time we brushed him, and one day my husband asked me what side the lump was on, again?? We both felt Fluffy, and neither of us could find that lump! Yeah! And we searched & searched

So, do not rush to conclusions, or into surgery just yet. Give it some time, and see what it does. Sometimes they get bumps & bruises, but it is under their skin (ours show on top). I know it is hard to be patient, but hopefully this lump will go away on Luna, and we all worried for nothing But we will be keeping all fingers and paw's crossed, just in case......

[phesina]

Dear Kirsten, my cats and I all hope and pray that this lump is benign and will come off with no problems.

By all means, get this looked at right away by a vet who's in regular practice; perhaps a specialist, or get recommendations from friends. See what the vet has to say, but I should think that if the lump is at all questionable, the best thing to do is get it out. If it's benign, no loss (except for the cost of the surgery, of course), but if it is malignant, the sooner it's out the better to limit potential spread, and the sooner it's diagnosed the sooner you will know what the overall picture is and what if any further treatment might need to be considered.

My boy Sydney has a fibrosarcoma. About a month ago I felt a lump under his right armpit. I took him to the vet right away, and she removed it surgically 3 days later. Pathology came back saying fibrosarcoma, probably vaccine-related. The vet took very wide margins with her surgery, but it turned out she didn't get it all.

Last week we looked into radiation but decided that is not an option. A surgical specialist thinks he may be able to get the rest of it, so Sydney is scheduled for surgery with him on August 22, the first opening he had.

If that is not successful, we won't do any other drastic treatment. He's fine for now, but it will very likely recur down the road and perhaps metastasize. All radiation and/or chemotherapy might do is extend the time before recurrence or mets, not prevent it.

I'm giving Sydney lots of love and some homeopathic-type immune-boosting medications which may possibly help. We'll do whatever seems best to do as we go along.

Much love and prayers and good wishes and purrs are coming to Luna, and to Lily and you too.

Pat, Sydney, Peony, Priscilla, and Poppy

[momcat]

I know I love Luna too much, and that I will be punished for this one day.

First of all, I don't believe for even a moment that you love her too much. Our kitty companions have a way of stealing our hearts over and over again. Luna holds a very special place in your heart and in your life just as Groucho does in mine. Kirsten, you have done nothing to be punished for! Our pets are a very special gift that bring so much to us, things we could never find anywhere else... their unconditional love, devoted companionship. You have given Luna everything a happy kitty could possibly hope for. If loving a cat too much is a punishable offense then each and everyone of us here on PT are in a whole lot of trouble!
Prayers are certainly being prayed for Luna and you as well.

[CultureJunky]

I hope Luna is going to be just fine, and I'm sure she will be with your loving care and attention. She is lucky to have an owner who does so much for her and cares so deeply. My fingers are crossed that she will be fine, and I'm sure she will
Love Kate, Jack & Sunny

[Kirsten]

Thank you everyone for your support!

phesina, I'm really sorry to read about your Sydney! This is so scary, and I'm sending all the best wishes to him.

As you all said it's too risky to wait several weeks, I called the vet clinic in Kassel this morning and described Luna's case, and the person on the phone said very clearly that I shouldn't wait that long. She offered me an appointment for a sugery tomorrow, but said I should introduce Luna to the clinic's pet specialist first. So I agreed to bring Luna to the clinic this evening after work.

The thought of poor Luna having surgery so soon was sort of scary, and I cried all morning at work. I just couldn't help it; it broke my heart and I was terribly scared.

At 5:30 this afternoon, I was finally able to pick Luna up and bring her to the clinic where the vet checked the lump and said it was big, about the size of a cherry pit. She left the decision up to me whether the surgery should be tomorrow or not. She said it's very likely that it's only a reaction to shots (fat tissue necrosis), which sometimes occures up to 3 months after (!) an injection. Luna's last antibiotic shot IS three months ago. It's true that IF it's a sarcoma, it's better to remove it as soon as possible, even though it's a fact that you NEVER get all the cancer cells out of the system, so it's very likely that there are relapses. At least a fibrosarcoma does not metastazise.

Anyway, we eventually agreed NOT to have the surgery tomorrow, as there are (according to her) good chances that it's only a fat tissue necrosis. But I need to watch Luna closely and if I notice any changes, she will have surgery immediately.

I don't know if this was the right decision, all I know is that I had a terrible bad feeling about the surgery tomorrow. I really don't know what to do. I'm just scared. But when we left the clinic, I was sort of relieved that I don't have to put Luna through this torture tomorrow. Does that make any sense to you?

Kirsten

[shais_mom]

glad to hear an update -
will be hoping it goes away on its own