Published on: September 19, 2022 • By: lipaz · In Forum: Cats
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Topic
lipaz
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September 19, 2022 at 08:25pm
Hello!
Thank you for your service!
Two years ago, I noticed this bump on my cats ear, her vet told me it is probably a sebaceous gland that is pluged.. now two year later it became a bit bigger, but it is not botherong her, and it is kind of flat... my question is , should I test this cyst? Or leave it to be? As I said, it doesnt bother her at all.. thanks!
Hello - if your vet hasn't checked this for a couple of years, then your cat may be due for a check-up in any case. It is always important to have lumps checked again if they change. Cysts (which can sometimes be aspirated, for example) are always a possibility but I can't rule out other causes / types of lump and the vet responsible for the case will have more chance of doing so in person.
Thank you for your answer! The vet did check it, but only pysically check... My question is if I should ask to remove or aspirate it? Or just leave it be? Thanks
There are usually a complex array of factors (pros and cons) that influence a decision like this, and a good internet vet wouldn't attempt to make decisions for you without appreciating at least some of them. Often, such factors turn out to be less scientific that we'd like them to be and the weight that the factors carry in each case can depend on the individual client and the pet. The sort of thing I am talking about, include: 1) the vets' feeling about the lump (not really very scientific) 2) the client's feeling about the patient, lump and testing (not very scientific either, but important) 3) the risk of anaesthesia (more scientific) 4) finances (not scientific but potentially limiting) 5) the possible differentials and their relative liklihoods (this can be very scientific) 6) How easily the lump might be sampled and the relative risks of sampling vs leaving it alone. Because I don't know how your vet has assessed these risks, it is not really my place to comment on this particular case. However, they are all things that your could talk over. I believe that a good question for vets is, 'If this were your pet, all things considered, what would you do next?' However, be aware that your point of view may differ and that as long as an animal is free from suffering and pain, this may be OK.