My cat has lung cancer. Is a second opinion on X-rays recommended?

I'm sorry to hear that Mittens has not been doing well. I agree that Mittens' chest x-rays appear to be progressing over the past 2 weeks. At this point, either pneumonia is less likely or the bacteria causing a possible pneumonia are resistant to her current antibiotic therapy. Cancer is absolutely a suspicion due to the x-ray progression. Consider asking your vets if they have considered performing either endotracheal or transtracheal washes on Mittens, which would be able to obtain a sample of fluid or cells in the lungs. These samples could be analyzed for cytology (which may be able to diagnose cancer) or culture (to determine if bacteria is present and an appropriate antibiotic). There is a chance that Mittens may not be stable enough to undergo sedation for this procedure, but your vets will be able to examine her to determine if the risks are worth the benefits. I hope that all goes well!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is difficult to make the diagnosis from the picture you posted but the rounded, egg-shaped area in the central part of the abdomen looks abnormal. Also, a part of the kidney is surprisingly dense, which could be a sign of a disease. I would not be able to make a diagnosis without having Coco fully examined and receiving full clinical history. However, I am concerned about the large shadow in the abdomen and the dense part of the kidney. The chest looks normal for a cat of her age. If you have more x-rays of Coco (ideally a view called dorso-ventral) that would be very helpful if post them on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am so sorry to say but these x-rays are highly suggestive of an intestinal tumor. I would have an ultrasound done next to confirm and then go forward with treatment for suspected intestinal lymphoma, especially if she is symptomatic (i.e. vomiting, decreased appetite, etc). I wish you all the best moving forward with Fluffy. Best wishes and take care.

Respiratory and cardiac diseases may be responsible for this chronic cough and must be differentiate/diagnosed and treat properly. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Radiographs of the chest will be needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that Kan is having a problem. This could be tricky but the next step would be a CT scan or MRI Scan. Not sure if ultrasound would be helpful but maybe. A fine needle biopsy or aspirate of the mass or a surgical biopsy would hopefully be able to obtain some tissue from the mass to determine what it is. I cannot make out much on the xrays due to the quality over the internet. Possibilities of a mass always fall into some broad categories including an abscess (pus filled pocket from infection), a granuloma or collection of inflammatory cells), a seroma of fluid fulled sac, a hematoma or pocket of blood, or a tumor which could be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Kan is very young to have a tumor but it must be on the differential list. What else could it be? A very congested lung lobe from multiple things, a lung lobe torsion where a lobe of the lung turns on it's axis and is out of place, an area of calcification, etc. I hope this helps and I hope Kan does really well for you. I'm hoping for the best for you two.

I'm sorry to hear that you are having trouble with Loki. It is always best to interpret X-rays along with physical exam findings and not just going by the picture alone. It is best to have your veterinarian give you their opinion based on the X-ray and the exam findings, but -in my opinion- this is not a normal appearing chest X-ray for a kitten. The white densities visible in multiple lung lobes may represent consolidation which may indicate pneumonia. This may be due to a bacterial infection or fungal infection or lung parasite. I would definitely recommend further discussion with your veterinarian to start a new course if treatment- whether that is another antibiotic or another type of medication would be based on your vet's recommendation.

An X-ray shows abnormalities like those Edie has in her lungs. They do not give a diagnosis. More tests need to be done to determine if this is pneumonia or cancer. They will look at the white blood cell count for infection and they can do cytology on the bronchial discharge to see if it’s infection or if cancer cells are present. If you want you can take Edie to a specialist to complete the additional tests needed to get a definitive diagnosis. Once there is a diagnosis then they can treat her appropriately. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Edie.