Why is my cat struggling to swallow with a throat lump and sinus?

Oh goodness. I bet you are very concerned about her. I would be concerned that the lump could be an abscess, or fungal infection, or even a tumor. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. They will be able to give you a better idea about what they think the lump maybe when they are able to feel it. They may recovery a biopsy to help decide how to best help SweetPea. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

A huge lump on his neck could be an abscess, a blicked salivary duct, inflamed or infected salivary gland, a cyst, a tumor, or a swollen lymph node. This needs to be examined by your veterinarian who will likely want to take a bit of tissue or check if and what kind of fluid is in the lump. He will do this with a very thin needle (painless) to determine what kind of mass or lump there is. Not eating is dangerous for a cat as this can cause liver disease in cats in addition to the original cause. Please take your kitty to a veterinarian for an exam today.

Sometimes a viral upper respiratory infection can affect the back of the throat and cause swelling that could affect your cat’s ability to meow. Difficulty swallowing can also occur when something is lodged in the esophagus or if there is a problem with a tooth. I’m glad Lily ate some chicken, but if her normal appetite does not return soon I’d recommend seeing your vet for an examination.

This lump under the incision area could be a local tissue reaction to the internal sutures. If it isn't bothering Mimi, not getting bigger, and you don't see any signs of infection, I would not be too worried about it. Keep an eye on it, and if it gets bigger, the area appears infected, or it doesn't go away in a couple of weeks, I would have her checked out by the vet. The sneezing and coughing could be due to a respiratory infection. First, you can try starting her on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If she's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing her into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. Should the coughing and sneezing get worse, or she develops other signs such as anorexia and/or lethargy, have her seen by a vet. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

The thyroid gland in cats is normally not palpable. The lump may be localized infection, inflammation, fatty tumor or a cyst just to name a few possibilities. You can monitor it for rapid change or growth. See your veterinarian for an exam if it causes discomfort or impedes motion, breathing or eating. A fine needle aspirate can be done in the clinic to collect a sample for pathology if necessary.

You'll want to visit you local Veterinarian as soon as possible. It could be that your pet has a cyst, abcess, or tumor that's affecting her sinus cavity. The sooner the better. The sinus region is delicate and can be difficult to heal.

Poor Sneakers! If she is having persistent sneezing and nasal discharge even after treatment with antibiotics, and you are also seeing a bump of some kind inside her nostril, I would be concerned that she may have a nasal tumor or foreign body of some kind in her nose. If your veterinarian does not have any suggestions for further work-up at this point, I would recommend asking for referral to a specialist for rhinoscopy (looking at the inside of the nasal cavity with a small camera), as well as other testing if needed such as a bacterial or fungal culture, biopsy of the lump, etc. to try and get a diagnosis.