The Truth About Cat Lymphoma

June 4th, 2009

Many different areas of your cat’s body has lymphoid tissue. Lymphoma is a disease that affects lymphoid tissue. Therefore, it can affect many different organs. This type of cancer is usually a problem with cats ten years or older. Also, cats infected with the leukemia or immunodeficiency virus have an increased risk. There are several forms of cat lymphoma.

Forms

Cat lymphoma can occur in one of three forms. They include the multicentric, mediastinal, and alimentary forms. The alimentary form affects the digestive tract and surrounding lymph nodes. The mediastinal form affects the chest, thymus, and associated lymph nodes. Cats with the leukemia virus are commonly affected by this form.

Lymphoma in cats can also occur in the multicentric form. Cats infected with the leukemia virus commonly suffer from this form also. This form of lymphoma can affect many different organs and their adjacent lymph nodes.

Symptoms

Unfortunately, lymphoma in cats causes unspecific symptoms. Lethargy, weight loss, and loss of appetite are commony experienced. The specific organ system affected will determine any other signs that your feline experiences.

Treatment

Chemotherapy is the main method of treatment for lymphoma in cats. If the disease has already spread to multiple areas, this is the only treatment option your cat will have. This medication can be given by an injection, although some cats can take it orally. If the disease is still only affected one area, surgery, laser, and radiation are treatment options.

Prognosis

This is a very serious cancer. The outcome of treatment depends on various factors. These include how early the tumor was detected and its location. Cats infected with one of the aforementioned viruses will also have a worse prognosis. Most cats don’t survive more than two years, while many die around six months after diagnosis|Cats with lymphoma generally don’t survive more than two years. It’s common for the disease to be fatal within six months of diagnosis.

All owners should know a little something about diseases in cats. Luckily for you, www.cat-illnesses.com provides all the information you need. Stop by right now to learn about some of these health problems.

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