Fatty cats are rare. Such neoplasms on the skin are more characteristic of dogs. In animals of the Feline family, lipid metabolism occurs very quickly, so fatty tumors rarely appear. But there are times when cats experience metabolic disturbances. This causes the appearance of wen. In veterinary medicine, such neoplasms are called lipomas. How dangerous are they and how to get rid of them? We will consider these issues in the article.
What is a wen
A fatty tissue is a benign soft formation on the skin in the form of a cone. It is filled with excessively overgrown fat. There are also lipomas containing connective tissue, they have a more dense structure.
Do cats have wen? Lipoma on the skin can form in any type of domestic animal, as well as in humans. After all, such a neoplasm grows from subcutaneous fat, which is found in all mammals. The appearance of such a tumor indicates a disorder of lipid metabolism in the body.
A photo of the cat's wen can be seen below.
Is it dangerous
Lipoma is a painless formation. However, a large wen can cause a lot of inconvenience to the animal:
- Lipoma on the neck can compress blood vessels and the trachea. This leads to respiratory failure and brain hypoxia.
- Fat on the legs can make walking difficult.
- A large neoplasm on the body can put pressure on the internal organs and disrupt their work.
The fat of a cat grows very slowly. But under adverse conditions, it can degenerate into a malignant neoplasm - liposarcoma. Most often this occurs with trauma to the lipoma. Therefore, the area of the skin with a wen should be protected from rough mechanical influences and friction.
Causes
The main cause of the appearance of wen in cats is a lack of lipid-breaking enzyme in the body. Because of this, the metabolism is disturbed in animals. Adipose tissue grows excessively and lipoma appears on the skin.
It is widely believed that such neoplasms are found only in animals with excess weight. However, it is not. Fat can also occur in a cat with a normal or thin complexion. The following factors can provoke the appearance of lipomas:
- hereditary predisposition;
- hormonal disorders;
- chronic endocrine pathologies;
- low animal mobility;
- excess fat in the diet.
More often lipomas are found in cats of advanced age. After all, elderly animals often have metabolic disorders. However, adipose can occur in young pets, and even in kittens.
Symptoms and types of lipomas
Veterinary specialists distinguish the following varieties of wen in cats:
- Simple or non-infiltrative lipomas. Such neoplasms are localized only in the subcutaneous tissue and do not penetrate into other tissues. They have clear boundaries. Simple wen can be easily removed surgically. They rarely undergo malignancy (malignancy).
- Infiltrative Wen. This is a rather dangerous type of neoplasm. The tumor affects not only the subcutaneous layers, but also grows into the muscles and blood vessels. It has no clear boundaries and is growing rapidly. Such wen are most often degenerated into sarcoma.
Lipomas can be either single or multiple. With a large number of fatty tumors in an animal, veterinarians diagnose lipomatosis.
Fat for cats can occur anywhere on the skin. Most often, these neoplasms do not cause a deterioration in the well-being of the animal. However, in some cases, the following additional symptoms may be noted:
- Difficulty breathing. If a lipoma forms in the cervical region, then it can interfere with the animal breathing freely.
- Lethargy. Apathy in cats is more often observed with infiltrative lipomas that grow into the blood vessels. Due to chronic hypoxia, the pet becomes lethargic and drowsy.
- Lameness. If the fatty tumor is located on the legs or in the armpits, then it can create inconvenience when walking.
- Neurological disorders (convulsions, unsteady gait, severe weakness). These are very alarming signs that can be observed with the growth of a wen on the head of a cat. Large lipomas in the area of the skull can compress blood vessels that carry blood to the brain. This can lead to severe CNS hypoxia and death of the animal.
In addition, after injury, lipomas can become inflamed and suppurate. Zhirovik increases in size, becomes red and painful. In this case, the animal rises in temperature and the general condition worsens.
Unlike dangerous tumors
How to distinguish a tumor from a wen in a cat? This question is often of interest to pet owners. It should be noted that lipoma is also a tumor, but benign. It is possible to differentiate it from dangerous malignant neoplasms by the following signs:
- A cancerous tumor usually has a tuberous surface and fuzzy edges. Lipoma looks like a smooth bump with clear boundaries.
- Malignant neoplasms grow rapidly. Non-infiltrative wen increase in size very slowly.
- Lipoma has a soft consistency, as it consists of fat. The structure of dangerous tumors is usually solid and elastic.
It is important to remember that infiltrative lipomas can be very similar to malignant tumors. Such wen are characterized by rapid growth. Therefore, it is very difficult to make a diagnosis at home. Lipoma can be distinguished from dangerous formations only with the help of laboratory tests.
What can not be done
Most often, when stroking a pet, the owner accidentally discovers a wen in a cat. What to do in this case? First of all, you do not need to try to fight lipoma on your own. Self-treatment can lead to disastrous results.
In no case should you squeeze or puncture a wen. Any trauma to the tumor can lead to suppuration or malignancy. It is impossible to remove a lipoma at home in any way.
If a cat wen is found, the veterinarian should be immediately shown the pet. Only a specialist can distinguish a lipoma from malignant neoplasms and conduct qualified treatment.
Diagnostics
The veterinarian examines the animal and palpates the tumor. A biopsy is done to determine the nature of the neoplasm. Using a puncture needle, the contents of the neoplasm are taken for analysis. The biomaterial is sent for cytological examination. This allows you to accurately establish the benign or malignant nature of the tumor and determine its structure.
With infiltrative lipomas, CT or MRI examination is additionally prescribed. This allows you to determine the degree of germination of the wen in the vessels and muscles.
Treatment
If the lipoma is small, grows slowly and does not cause particular inconvenience to the animal, then dynamic observation is recommended. In this case, you must regularly show the cat to the veterinarian. The doctor will monitor the change in the size of the neoplasm.
If the wen is a danger to the health of the animal, it is necessary to remove the tumor. It is important to remember that it is impossible to cure a lipoma with medicines or folk remedies. You can get rid of a fatty tumor only with the help of surgery.
Surgery to remove lipoma requires preparation. The day before the operation, you must stop feeding the cat. During this period, the animal can only be given clean water. It is also necessary to inform the surgeon about all the preparations that the pet takes.
Zhirovki are usually removed under local anesthesia. However, in operations on very large neoplasms, general anesthesia is used. With non-infiltrative lipomas, surgery is easy. The doctor makes a small incision on the skin of the animal, removes the tumor and sutures the wound.
With infiltrative adipose, more complicated surgical intervention is required. It is necessary to remove not only the lipoma itself, but also the part of the muscle tissue adjacent to the neoplasm. With suppuration, it is necessary to drain the tumor cavity.
Rehabilitation
The duration of the rehabilitation period after surgery depends on the nature of the lipoma. Restoring the health of a pet after removing large infiltrative lipomas can take a long time. During this period, the cat needs special care.
It is very important to monitor the condition of the seams. At the slightest suspicion of inflammation, the animal should be shown to the veterinarian. After the operation, you need to put on a special protective collar on the cat so that the pet does not lick the wound.
It is also necessary to ensure that the postoperative dressing fits snugly against the body. If the bandages are loose or dirty, then dressing must be done.
After removing the wen on the cat’s stomach , a special bandage should be used. This will help protect the postoperative suture from infection.
Is the operation effective
Can lipomas appear again after surgery? In 70% of cases of recurrence of neoplasms is not observed. Veterinary experts found that the removal of wen contributes to the overall healing of the body and prolongs the life of the pet for several years.
The situation is somewhat complicated if the cat suffers from multiple lipomas (lipomatosis). In this case, after the operation, it is necessary to revise the pet's diet. You may need to follow a lifelong diet with a restriction of fats, as well as medications that normalize lipid metabolism. This will help prevent the re-formation of lipomas.