My 8-month-old cat has a swollen neck gland. When should I see a vet?

Swollen glands can be due to a number of things, sometimes they are reacting to an infection, sometimes they swell for no real reason and sometimes it is a cancer called lymphoma. In Albert's case I would not be overly worried as he is so young, but I would definitely have him checked as the vet will know better how much swrlling is significant. He may have an infection that needs treated or the vet may want to sample the lump to get a definite diagnosis.

Poor Little Bit! If it's his lymph nodes that are swollen, he could have an infection in that area causing the swelling. It could also be a virus, immune mediated disease, allergies, and even cancer though that would be rare in a cat his age. This is something that needs to be checked out by the vet, so give his vet a call now to make him an appointment. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

The swollen glands are probably lymph nodes. They enlarge to fight infection. Monkey probably has a dental infection causing the mouth odor and swollen glands. As long as she’s eating and feeling fine you can wait. She may be loosing her baby teeth and will get better on her own. If she’s not eating and seems sick then she needs veterinary treatment. soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Monkey.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Goose. Yes, I do recommend that he sees a veterinarian. He could have an enlarged lymph node, a problem with a salivary gland or even an abscess. His veterinarian will perform an examination and then will likely use a small needle to collect a sample of cells from the swelling. These cells are then evaluated under the microscope to give a diagnosis. I hope this information helps!

This type of swelling could be something fairly simple and harmless such as an ingrown hair or an insect bite, or something more serious such as a localized infection or even a skin tumor of some kind. If the swelling doesn't seem to be bothering her and she is acting normal otherwise, you could wait to see if it goes away on its own within the next week or two. If it doesn't, or if it gets larger or becomes itchy or painful, then I would recommend having her examined by a vet to determine what it is - he/she may prescribe antibiotics or short-term oral steroids to treat the swelling, or may do a simple test called a fine needle aspirate to diagnose the problem if it appears to be a growth of some kind.

Hi. An enlarged lymph node usually is due to infection or inflammation in the area that lymph node drains. The blood and mucous in stool may or may not be related. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian on monday. They will do an exam, a fecal test, an oral exam, and possibly a sample of that lymph node. I would also recommend a feline FELV and FIV test. Good luck

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I cannot tell where the lump is on the photo but most if not all lumps needs to be evaluated by a vet. Especially in Simba's case since the lump has gotten swollen. Your vet will perform a full physical exam and determine if the lump needs to be aspirated. Lumps can be anything from an abscess, mass/growth, hernia etc. Your vet will determine after an exam what the next best steps and treatments are. Good luck!