My senior cat has a growing eye lump. What are non-surgical options?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would agree with your veterinarian that surgery is likely the best option at this point. Another option is to continue draining it on an as needed basis but that may get uncomfortable with time if you have to do it consistently. Anesthesia can be very safe if done appropriately. Unfortunately there is rarely any medical therapy for cysts. Good luck and have a good night!

At her age and the fast pace of which it is growing, it may be a cancer. If surgery is not an option, then you are looking at keeping her comfortable which is very reasonable given her age. As long as she is happy and not in pain and has a good appetite, then just let her keep going as she is. When she no longer wants to eat or no longer seems to enjoy life or the tumor begins to limit her mobility, then it will be time to consider euthanasia.

These could be benign tumors or they could be malignant. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. I'd give Shadow's vet a call next week to make him an appointment. Best of luck.

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Milly. I will typically start with a procedure known as a fine needle aspirate. I use a small needle to collect a sample of cells to evaluate under the microscope. This can help to diagnose the mass. It is not as accurate as a biopsy, but it generally gives a lot of information. The cat needs to hold still and cooperate though. So cats are different to draw blood on awake. This may have been why the recommendation was made to anesthetize her and collect all the samples at once. I hope this information helps!

You are right, there is always some risk with surgery. However, you may want to visit with your veterinarian about the anesthesia monitoring they do. It may surprise you how low the risk is and how much effort is put into safety. As far as the mass goes, I do get concerned anytime a mass is changing. I do recommend surgical removal any time there is a big change to an existing mass. However, there is always the possibility that it could remain quiet and never cause a problem. I would recommend visiting more with your veterinarian and making that decision together. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

This might need to be removed surgically, the best way to find out is to take her to the vet, they will aspirate a small sample with a syringe and needle from the lump, then they will send it to the lab to find out if the tumor is cancerous or benign. if it is cancerous it will need to be removed for sure, but even if it is benign, due to the symptom it causes, your vet might advise surgical removal.