On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:14:02 -0500, "MaryL"
-OUT-THE-LITTER wrote:


"Brian Link" wrote in message
.. .
...besides a biopsy, that is.

(I'm currently unemployed, and we can't afford an exam right now for
Tiger, let alone any surgery or testing.)

So while I'm worrying, I wonder whether there's some other way to get
a feel for what the lump could be.

It's about nickel-sized though oblong, above the muscle but below the
skin. It's located next to the spine but not on it, about an inch
anterior to the pelvis. It's "pulpy-feeling", can be moved around, and
doesn't appear to cause any discomfort.

What else might it be? Abscess maybe?

We lost a cat to fibrosarcoma several years back, and from the first
time we located Roy's mass it was very solid-feeling, pretty different
than Tiger's. I've been reading that Vaccination-related FS most often
appears within a few months of vaccination, and it's been a few years
for Tiger.

Thanks for any ideas (and well-wishes). Tiger's around 14 but still
very active and otherwise a picture of health.

BLink
--------------------------

Brian,

This is an impossible question to direct to a newsgroup. There is simply no
way to diagnose a cat this way. Even a vet could not do that. Tiger really
needs to be examined by a vet, and it needs to be done ASAP. If you are
lucky, it will be a cyst that is no problem. If not, you may catch
something in the early stages when treatment is both more effective and less
costly. Somehow or other, you need to find a way to get proper treatment
for a cat that has given you 14 years and hopefully will have many more.
Many vets will let us pay on an extended payment plan, especially if you
have established a long-term relationship. There are also some low-interest
credit cards available. But *please* recognize that evaluation by a
competent vet is not only "desirable"; it is essential.

MaryL

Thanks Mary. That's the kind of feedback I was looking for.

I guess I'll start hitting up family members for some cash - the visit
is only "just" beyond our reach - I need to find out how much they
charge for the syringe biopsy.

Even then though - we had major surgery for Roy, and the sarcoma came
back. After $1000 and a month of rehabilitation, he got only an
additional year before we had to have him put down.

Damn. They're so strong and smart, and really delicate at the same
time.

BLink
"God created all tribes of men, and certainly had a righteous purpose in creating each"
- Geronimo