Seven year old spayed female has lumps under her skin on her stomach area. They are moveable (so loose) firm and smooth, round or roundish. More than one. Two seem to be attached to each other - a larger one and a smaller one. Then, there at least a third one. Not painful, I think.
Vet appointment for Monday.
Does she need to go in earlier than that? What is it?
Could be anything. Needle aspirate needed. Not an emergency, Monday should be fine. 
Thanks. I wanted to wait for the vet whom I think is the most competent I know of right now, and she’s not available until then. Thank you.
If you can move them around under the skin or within the skin - then most likely they are cysts. If they seem attached to the abdominal wall or under the muscle and the skin moves over them (or not) - then they could be tumours. This is just ballpark rules my vet gave me, but they are not absolute.
Either way, your vet appt for Monday should be fine. IMHO
One caveat: beware of aspirating them. My cat had a small cyst on his neck and my vet wanted to make sure it was a cyst so she drained it. It took on a life of its own. It got bigger and bigger until it was nearly the size of a very large chicken egg. I could drain it every few days but it would return. I finally had it removed. Yes, it WAS a cyst but my vet thought it was the strangest thing ever. (On the day of his surgery it was so big I drew a cat face on it - it gave everyone in the vet office a good laugh.:lol:)
Thank you. These certainly sound like cysts. It’s a good warning about the potential problem with the aspiration, too. I’ll bring that up.
I’ve also seen mast cell tumors that look like that…
Cysts would be a nice answer, though
Sounds like a good possibility of mammary tumors, often present in lumpy chains down one or both sides of the abdomen.
Well, that’s not good:( Of course it is the main fear. She was spayed at 14 months and had no litters. Thanks for the description and information.
Hopefully not mammary tumors but it sounds like a good possibility. Will keep my fingers crossed.
These lumps are quite far back on her stomach area. More like they are between her back legs - quite far back. Is that consistent with mammary tumors?
That would be the causal abdomen, stomach is an organ within the cranial abdomen. Yes, mammary tumors can follow the glands right down to the caudal abdomen. It could certainly be something else but mammary tumors in cats isn’t necessarily going to be a grave prognosis…many are benign. Whatever it is, have a vet check it out
Uhh…caudal abdomen I mean not casual abdomen!
The appointment is Monday morning. This is the most competent vet I know of in my area - she’s good, so we’ll see. I’ll let you all know what we find out. She feels fine and hasn’t lost any weight - is of good weight. But, this certainly fits the description:(
My foster-fail pibble had 3 of them removed (which were suspected tumors) when she went in to be spayed. All 3 were cysts. Since her spay, 3 more (different locations) have popped up. Vet believes we have more cysts, so we’re just watching/waiting.
I’ll admit that I was rather worried. I’m currently farm-sitting and one of the beagle mixes here had a mast cell tumor removed in…May, I think. It was most definitely “attached” versus the cysts which were floating loose. Again, it can certainly vary. Beagle’s surgeon was able to get clear margins so he’s good to go for now.
Sending major jingles and (((hugs))) because waiting is so stressful. I hope you get great news very soon.
Major jingles. I have a cat who had a mast cell tumor removed a couple of months ago. It was too deep, and the vet could not get clean margins. So, I know the anxiety you are feeling, and I have every finger and toe crossed that these are cysts.
Update? Good news? My parent’s cat had mammary tumors…
Just returned from the cat specialist so came here to post. I had gone to my normal vet this morning. My old great vet (retired) used to send me to the cat specialist for certain things. So, I decided on the way home from regular vet to do a follow up with the specialist. She had given me a list of potential courses of action.
Long, unhappy story short, she has advanced, aggressive, metastasized cancer that does not warrant surgery, or any other treatment. He provided a lot of detail.
There is a clinical trial going on at a vet school in Cincinnati, but this vet has not been able to join that group, and there is no way to get her in.
I’ll call just to see, but it is not something that is likely to happen.
So, any alternative therapies, or better yet, any contacts with Cincinnati?
I was pretty sure after reading Squishthebunny’s first post that it was mammary cancer, but hoped that surgery would be an option. This vet is all about the cat’s best interest.
I am so terribly sorry, Coyoteco
So very sorry Coyoteco. Was hoping for better news at least. Where has the cancer spread to? If they’re calling it metastatic because it’s in multiple places on the mammary chain, a full chain mastectomy could be curative.
What vet school in Cincinnati? OSU is in Columbus, I know several people who have gone there.
I’m so sorry, Coyoteco. I, too, was hoping for better news.
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