One of the most common diseases in furry animals is cancer, and among them one of the most malignant is lymphoma, as it directly affects the immune system of animals. And of course, when your health weakens, there are many opportunistic microorganisms that can complicate your situation.
For this reason, when the veterinarian diagnoses this disease in our feline friends, the first question we ask ourselves is what the life expectancy is for cats with lymphoma ; after all, nobody likes to see their best friend suffering. Let's find the answer to this dreaded but intriguing question.
What is lymphoma?
First of all, it's important to know what lymphoma is. Well, it occurs when there is an abnormal number of lymphocytes , which are immune system cells found mainly in the lymph nodes but also distributed throughout the rest of the body's tissues.
Any cat of any age can suffer from it, hence we have to be very aware of the furry ones and their routine to take them to the vet as soon as we notice that something is wrong.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms can vary from cat to cat, but the most common are :
- Appearance of lumps on the legs, face, or any other part of the body
- Weight loss
- Anorexia
- Difficulty to swallow
- Trouble breathing normally
- Increased or decreased appetite
- Frequent diarrhea and vomiting
- Runny nose with traces of blood
How is it diagnosed and treated?
Once we suspect that something is wrong with the cats, we will take them to the specialist where they will have imaging tests (x-rays, ultrasounds or endoscopies), and they may also have blood tests.
If the diagnosis is confirmed, and it was detected early (meaning the symptoms are not severe), chemotherapy treatment will allow them to continue living a normal life , and may even help them overcome the disease. Otherwise, chemotherapy will be palliative.
What is the life expectancy of cats with lymphoma?
It will depend on when the diagnosis was made. If it was made early, the cats will live as long as they are meant to, but if their organs are already severely damaged, their life expectancy will be from a few months to a year.
I hope this post has been useful to you.