My cat has liver growths. Why can't they be operated on or drained?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Liver enlargement means that the liver is bigger than it should be. It could be because of liver inflammation due to infection (bacterial or viral) or toxins ingestion. In young cats like Arya liver tumors are very uncommon, but enlargement of one liver lobe could be caused by a liver abscess or a cyst. The best way to assess liver size is ultrasound scan and/or x-ray. Blood test tells about liver function. In other words, it tells if the liver, ,despite being enlarged or diseased, is still able to maintain its function. Blood test also can assess the extent of liver damage. It is hard to say anything about the prognosis without knowing why the liver is enlarged and what are the blood results. In general, liver have huge capacity to recover from any insult, but again it really depends what has happened.

I am so sorry your young cat is so ill. I would have to disagree here and recommend draining the fluid to relieve the pressure and help with your cats comfort. However, this is likely something we are not going to fix just by draining the fluid, it will only buy us a little more time. Unfortunately the image you attached isn’t loading so I am unable to view it. Please repost your question to the forum or request a one-on-one private consultation session with either myself or one of the experts here for a more In depth response about your pets specific medical concerns. If a diagnosis for your cat has not been made, then an abdominal ultrasound and chest rads should be done, if not already. We look forward to hearing back from you soon!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. That mass is in an area that likely can be removed surgically, however it will depend on how deep it goes (does it only involve the skin, or muscle layers below. Also, it looks like it could be more than an abscess and might be a necrotic tumor. Ideally the mass would be removed 'en bloc' with 'margins' (3cm around and 3 facial planes deep). This is obviously a large surgery. The other option is to just remove the mass without 'margins' and send it away for histopathology. If your vet isn't comfortable performing this surgery, as it might become complicated, then I recommend you see a specialist. They might suggest a CT prior to surgery to determine the extent of it. There are options if you wish you pursue them, based on the information you have provided us. Best of luck with Freddy!

Hello. I am so sorry that your pet is so unwell. Depending on the cause of the liver disease ( lipidosis, inflammation, infection, or cancer ), prognosis is extremely varied. If he is showing neurologic issues, this could be an indication that you have developed a form of hepatic encephalitis as the result to toxin buildup in the blood stream. The liver's job is to remove toxins, such as ammonia, but if the liver function is depressed enough, a buildup will occur. In general, subcutaneous fluids should not cause overhydration, but with organ failure, this too is a possibility & now the problem becomes how to manage dehydration without doing more damage. This sounds like a very difficult & complex case, so hopefully you have a very good team of doctors working on the problem. The questions you have asked are all very good ones, but difficult to respond to without having your cat's complete history. Tomorrow, ask to have a consult, or sitdown with the attending veterinarian. Write down all your questions & thoughts and keep asking until you are satisfied with their answers. Hopefully they will be able to at least give you some guidance as to what the next steps are to help your kitty back to health. Good luck & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thank you for your post. It is hard to say while exactly fluids are building up without examining her fist and getting a history and looking at blood work first. Whether or not removing the fluid will help all depends on why the fluid is accumulating in the first place. Liver disease, cancer, bleeding and other reasons can cause fluid build up. You can request a consult with me and we can discuss Charlie's history in more detail and determine if the fluid build up can be drained and whether or not this will be effective. Thank you!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the X-rays, I can see that Mara's abdomen appears to be filled with fluid. It is obscuring his liver and intestines from being seen and there may even be a small amount in his lungs. Unfortunately it is impossible to tell what the fluid is from the x-ray alone. His blood work shows some abnormalities with his electrolytes, which may be if he is not eating or from fluid in the abdomen. Mara also has a high white blood cell count, these are the cells that are responsible for fighting off infections and increase if there is one present. Your vet can run some additional diagnostics, and perform a tap and remove the fluid as well as a blood test to determine if Mara is infected with FIP, a mutated form of a common virus that cats are exposed to. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!