Mason Was Just A Kitten That Survived Outside During A Derecho, A Friend Asked Me To Take Him And The Sucker I Am (we) Said Yes. Mason Was Diagnosed In November 2014 At The Age Of 2 With Congenital Cataracts. He Had Limited Vision That Got Worse As He Got Older. He Also Had Asthma And Had His Own Special Inhaler, And Was Given Treatments 2x A Day To Keep It Under Control. He Also Had A Rescue Inhaler For Emergencies.He Was Dealing With Upper Respiratory Issues Frequently, And At One Point It Seemed To Not Go Away With Meds, So The Vet Investigated A Little Further. They Sedated And Scoped Him And That's When They Found The Growth That The Vet Thought Was More Than That. Barley A Month Later After The Biopsy, Mason Passed At Just Age 9 From Nasal Lymphoma. Pet Parent- Charity
What is a feline nasal lymphoma?
Nasal lymphoma is a cancer of a type of white blood cell called a lymphocyte. It is a unique type of lymphoma in that the tumor often remains confined to the nasal cavity. Thus, unlike other forms of lymphoma where systemic chemotherapy is the treatment of choice, nasal lymphoma often responds well to local radiation.
What are the clinical signs of nasal lymphoma?
Cats with nasal lymphoma often develop chronic nasal discharge, sneezing, and loud breathing. You may also notice a bulge or bump forming over the bridge of the nose. One or both eyes may become red or painful.
How is nasal lymphoma diagnosed?
A CT scan and biopsy are required to diagnose nasal lymphoma. In addition, about 20% of cats with nasal lymphoma have or develop lymphoma elsewhere in the body. Thus, prior to radiation treatment for nasal lymphoma, full staging with chest x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, and possibly samples of lymph nodes are required. *
* Source: Iowa State Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center- Feline Nasal Lymphoma
Feline Cataracts
The lens in a feline eye—like the lens in a human or canine eye—is a small, translucent structure that adjusts its shape as needed to focus incoming light rays on the retina, a light-sensitive tissue that lines the interior surface of the eyeball. When the retina receives light impulses that have passed through the lens, the impulses are instantaneously transmitted to the brain as visual information via the optic nerve, which is attached to the back of the eye. A cataract is a condition in which the lens becomes cloudy or totally opaque. When this happens, incoming light is impeded, if not totally prevented, from passing through the eye to the retina.
In some cases, the affected area of the lens may be tiny, and the resulting impairment in vision will be inconsequential. In other cases, however, the entire lens may be opaque, in which case total blindness will result in an affected eye. Cataracts, moreover, can be either unilateral or bilateral—affecting either one or both eyes. *
Feline Asthma
You can read about Feline Asthma here
More Information
Long-term management of a cat with nasopharyngeal lymphoma
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8288734/
Nasal Tumors | VCA Animal Hospital
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/nasal-tumors
Nasal Cancer in Cats
https://petcureoncology.com/nasal-cancer-in-cats/
EveryCat Health Research Library- Nasal Lymphoma
https://everycat.org/education/cat-health-research-library/?_sf_s=nasal%20lymphoma
