Ally has a lump. What does that mean?

lawguy

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I was petting Ally and felt what feels like a lump 1cm that goes into her. I'm not sure whether to call it a papule or nodule, but given her size, it seems more likely that it's a nodule.

She's only 4 months old.

Any ideas? It doesn't cause her pain and is round.
 
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lawguy

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Actually, it's probably a papule. No coloration or redness. No pain, it's on her right side near her right hind leg.

I don't think it was there yesterday or I would have felt it.

Maybe a mosquito bite or just a bruise from hopping around? She seems too young for it to be anything else.

I take it I should monitor it for a few days and if it either doesn't go away or gets bigger (or she starts to show other symptoms of something), take her to the vet?
 
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lawguy

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Could it be a fibrosarcoma from a shot maybe? Maybe a lipoma from kitten food having lots of fat?
 

nekochan

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Was she vaccinated recently? Sometimes cats develop swelling at the vaccination site.
 
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lawguy

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She had her last vaccination 2 weeks ago, but I thought they give those around the shoulder of the front legs?
 

snake_lady

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Originally Posted by LawGuy

She had her last vaccination 2 weeks ago, but I thought they give those around the shoulder of the front legs?
My vet vaccinates in the area you described near the hind legs.....(antibiotic shot went in between the front shoulder blades)
 
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lawguy

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If it's from the vaccination, does it just go away on its own?

I'll call the vet on Monday and ask what to do. She's scheduled to get spayed April 13. If it needs to be removed or have a needle stuck in it to suck something out, perhaps they can do it then while she's anesthetized.
 

ut0pia

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It will most likely go away if it's from the vaccination. The fibrosarcoma takes a long time to develop, I wouldn't bet on it being there just 2 weeks after the shot. I think what happens is first there is just a swelling, and then it turns into a cancer after years..That's what I read once when I was worrying over shot reactions and such..
 
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lawguy

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I hope it goes away. I'll call the vet though anyways on Monday and maybe take her in for a visit just to be safe.

In the meantime, I'm keeping a close eye on it.
 

skimble

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Originally Posted by ut0pia

It will most likely go away if it's from the vaccination. The fibrosarcoma takes a long time to develop, I wouldn't bet on it being there just 2 weeks after the shot. I think what happens is first there is just a swelling, and then it turns into a cancer after years..That's what I read once when I was worrying over shot reactions and such..
My youngest male had a small lump under the skin on the leg after the rabies vaccination. The vet told me essentially the same thing. The one on my Moses took about 6 weeks to subside.

I took him in to be neutered a few weeks later and got them to do a needle aspiration while he was sedated. Of course it was nothing and the lump went away. Vet said it takes a long time for a sarcoma to develop.
 
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lawguy

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ok.... what about the possibility of it being a lipoma, cyst, or abscess?
 

bmw kitty cat

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Most likely its just from the vaccines. This happened to my Kuki after he got his vaccines.
Don't freak out, just stay on top of it to see if it doesnt go away.
 
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lawguy

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Will do. I'll call the vet on Monday still though to ask if that's where they gave her the rabies shot.
 

Willowy

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June got a lump from her vaccines. It took about 3 weeks to go away. So, yup, just keep an eye out, give the vet a call, and I hope it goes away soon! It's so scary finding lumps on our babies
.
 

rang_27

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My Levi had a lump on his back leg after getting his rabies shot at his 1 year appointment. The vet said that it was a normal reaction, and that it would go down & gave me a time frame (can't remember how long). I think it developed after about a week & took another couple of weeks to go down. Definatly worth mentioning to the vet & hopefully they do a good job of documenting such reactions so that if there is a trend they can watch it over the years.

I want to add between your two babies you must be exhausted, but it sounds like you are doing a wonderful job!
 

twstychik

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It amazes me how differently people react to similar situations. I found a lump on Wickett right after having him at the vet. The lump was no where near his injection site but he was scheduled to go back in 3 weeks to have his teeth cleaned. I was lectured, guilted and chastised for not contacting my vet immediately. When I did call my vet I was again lectured because he told me that unless there were changes it could wait until his next visit in 3 weeks. For me, it was in a spot that I don't pet with any concentration so I have NO idea when it developed. It's about the size of a pea and even my hubby can't always feel it... but I can now if I'm looking for it.

All that said, he was in for his cleaning last Friday and the vet said it was probably scar tissue, to continue to keep an eye on it and call them if I find any changes in size, location, mobility, or pain. I'd keep a very close eye on it and her. If anything chanes between now and the 13th then I'd call... if not, I'd just wait it out.
 

abbycats

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Originally Posted by twstychik

I was lectured, guilted and chastised for not contacting my vet immediately. When I did call my vet I was again lectured because he told me that unless there were changes it could wait until his next visit in 3 weeks.
I don't think anyone lectured, guilted and chastised you. I know I posted to you about my Scottish fold who died from a cancerous sarcoma, and she started out with a pea sized tumor in her rear leg. It was one of the most heartbreaking things I had to go through in my life. If I can pass on my experience as to what happened to me then maybe her death will help save somebody else the heartache I went through. If I had been more agressive with the vet when I found the lump maybe she would have lived longer than 6 years old. I still cry over the long ordeal we had to go through to try and save her life. Sometimes it's not very easy to post about experiences like this because it does bring up sad memories.
 
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