My cat has an eye growth, antibiotics failed, could it be cancer?

I would have Bailey seen by another vet for a second opinion. Without seeing him in person, there's no way I can say if this growth can be removed or not, or if it is cancerous or not. One way to diagnose a growth as cancerous is a test called a fine needle aspirate. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. This would be useful to have done as whether or not the growth is malignant will inform treatment options for Bailey. I'd recommend taking him to another vet sometime this week. I hope this helps!

Hello. This is very likely a benign tumor. I have a personal cat that has almost the exact same tumor on his chin that I am watching, too. But this is awful close to the eye, & if it gets any bigger, it may rub on the cornea. If you were my client, I would recommend removal. At 13, if your cat is relatively healthy with no underlying problems seen on bloodwork, then the surgery should go very smoothly. I would consider having it removed soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. That looks like a growth, not a sty. It may be benign or malignant, but due to the close proximity to his eyelid margin, it would be best to consider surgery to remove it. If it continues to get larger, it may cause issues with the eye or tear glands. Please have your veterinarian examine your cat and discuss surgical options. Thank you

Without knowing the nature of the lump it is impossible to advise - some masses are abscesses and respond to antibiotics but with many tumors surgery or chemotherapy would be recommended. A full check up and possibly a needle biopsy would be recommended

Hi Linda! I certainly understand your concerns for Bugger and am sorry that he has such a large cancerous mass. The challenge in this situation is that it's difficult to know which treatment options would be best since the type of cancer is unknown. The ideal situation would be to take Bugger to an oncologist, as they would be able to advise you as to whether or not he would be a good candidate for chemotherapy and/or radiation. If that isn't something you're interested in pursuing (which is completely understandable), then unfortunately, there likely isn't anything that can be done to treat the cancer itself aside from gently cleaning the area and making sure that his eye is comfortable. If Bugger's eye is unable to blink normally, it could become dry and ulcerative, which is quite uncomfortable. You can very gently clean the eye area with a sterile eye wash solution (available in most drugstores), and you may want to ask your vet if they have concerns about his eye comfort. It's possible they may recommend eye lubricants and/or oral pain medications. While it sounds as though Bugger is still loving life now, the growth of this tumor is undoubtedly starting to affect his quality of life. This page has some helpful food for thought when it comes to assessing a pet's quality of life at home: https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf. I'm wishing you and Bugger all the best!

I would definitely have this swelling on Colby checked out by a vet. While it could be another mast cell tumor, it could also be a cyst. It could have ruptured internally and then grew back. Cysts often reoccur, and they may need to be removed surgically to prevent that from happening. The vet can diagnose what is causing the swelling, and can discuss treatment options with you.

I recommend taking Brody to your veterinarian for an exam. The lump could be an infection or it could be a tumor. Tumors can be benign or cancerous. Your veterinarian can take a sample of the area and decide if an infection is present or if it is something that needs to be removed surgically. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope the issue resolves quickly for Brody!