My 6 1/2 week pregnant cat had an x-ray today. It showed 2 kittens and a gray mass. Vet says it could be a third kitten that has died and could be reabsorbing. They want me to wait until she delivers to see if she passes an underformed kitten. Has anyone had this a gray mass show up on an x-ray before?
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X-Ray has a gray mass
- Thread starter cslenker
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I haven't ever even really had an x-ray for my fosters, but it's definatly a good thing you found that!
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- #3
I have a 15 month old cat who is about 6 1/2 weeks pregnant. The vet x-rayed her yesterday and there are 2 kittens plus a gray mass. The vet suggests that it could be a kitten trying to reabsorb and wants to wait and see if she passes an underformed kitten at delivery. If not then just watch to see if she developes any problems. I'm just wondering if anyone else has encountered a gray mass on x-rays.
I been doing a bit of research for you, and do have her checked for leukemia. Foetal resorption (the word is resorb not reabsorb) is usually tied to the disease but there are other causes - malformed foetus, placental misplacement, low taurine presence in the diet are among the causes. Resorption is a frequent cause of failed pregnacies in all species.
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most vets will not spay at this point in the pregnancy, this vet evidently thinks it safe to proceed to term... Of course the OP can spay her shortly after delivery and bottle feed the kittens
I do agree with getting the tests now if able
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Yes reabsorb is a very common cause of failed pregnancies... Are you feed a high quality kitten food?
I have encountered many gray masses ... NONE in a pregnant cat or dog... Most were air and a few were tumors ...
I don't even dare address the shadow/mass on the radiograph, they can be anything from air to fecal matter to something far more serious - certainly not something to take a stab in the dark about.
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very true... could be a lot of things.. I forgot fecal matter too...
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The cat's vet has access to all of the cat's records, x-rays, and the cat herself, and so is in a much better position to say whether there is "no reason not to get her spayed". None of us do, and are therefore not in a position to make such a statement.
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- #12
All of my cats are FeLV/FIV negative. They had done an ultrasound on her March 22 and don't recall it being there then. They did say she was pretty full of fecal matter. I do not want her spayed during pregnancy because of increased risk of complications as well as my beliefs on abortion. If it's medically needed then of course i'd do it. The vet that I use has been her vet since she was 5 weeks old (she was a rescue) so they have all of her records.
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Bless this little kitty mama's heart. I hope she will be okay. Keep us posted.
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Okay, I understand why you don't want to do a spay/abort, and of course your vet does know what's best for her health.
But if you've had this rescue since she was five weeks old, why on earth hasn't she been spayed long since?
These kittens never should have been in existence in the first place, and now this cat's life and health are in danger. I don't get it.
But if you've had this rescue since she was five weeks old, why on earth hasn't she been spayed long since?
These kittens never should have been in existence in the first place, and now this cat's life and health are in danger. I don't get it.
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She is the youngest of 4 girls that I have. I like to wait for them to go into their first heat before spaying (I keep them inside during their heat). As soon as they finish the first heat they get fixed (not having time to have their second heat). It has worked just fine until this one. She never showed ANY signs that she was in heat so I didn't know until she came up pregnant. I have a dog who pees in her sleep and after having her tested (with nothing being wrong with her) I found out it's because she was spayed before she had time to mature on the inside. This is why I like them to go through one heat first. She is my first animal to become pregnant and will be my last. ALL of my animals are rescues (7 cats, 3 dogs), I know there is a problem with unwanted animals. I have no intentions of adding to the problem. The 2 kittens she has will most likely spend their lives with us.
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Thank you for explaining. For future reference, dogs are not the same as cats.
Cats do not need to let their organs mature before spaying. In fact, some think the earlier you spay them, the better their chances of not getting certain diseases and cancers.
Also, cats go into heat as early as 4 months. Some have silent heats. Waiting over a year for a heat to come, why didn't you just take her to the vet to find out WHY a heat hadn't come. Your vet could have told you she's most likely been having silent heats, and got her spayed right away.
Also, until an animal has been altered, she or he should be kept inside ALL the time. You cannot predict when a heat will come, or when a male will become sexually mature.
However, it is done now, and of course I hope everything turns out all right for mother and babies. You'd better have her tested for diseases too, since she's been out roaming.
I'm glad you will keep the kittens too, and hope they will be spayed/neutered early. And...the mother can go into heat at any time after the kittens are born, so please, keep her inside until she has been spayed.
Good for you for adopting rescue animals!
Cats do not need to let their organs mature before spaying. In fact, some think the earlier you spay them, the better their chances of not getting certain diseases and cancers.
Also, cats go into heat as early as 4 months. Some have silent heats. Waiting over a year for a heat to come, why didn't you just take her to the vet to find out WHY a heat hadn't come. Your vet could have told you she's most likely been having silent heats, and got her spayed right away.
Also, until an animal has been altered, she or he should be kept inside ALL the time. You cannot predict when a heat will come, or when a male will become sexually mature.
However, it is done now, and of course I hope everything turns out all right for mother and babies. You'd better have her tested for diseases too, since she's been out roaming.
I'm glad you will keep the kittens too, and hope they will be spayed/neutered early. And...the mother can go into heat at any time after the kittens are born, so please, keep her inside until she has been spayed.
Good for you for adopting rescue animals!
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- #17
I'm not a breeder but thought that you all may have an answer for me. I have a pregnant cat that is around 48 days. I had her checked on March 22 and they palpitated her as well as an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy. We thought she was about 1-2 weeks farther then she is so we did on an x-ray on April 1 but it didn't show any kittens but the vet could still feel them. On April 12 we did a second x-ray that showed 2 kittens and a gray mass. The gray mass was not present on the ultrasound or first x-ray. Vet thinks it may be a failed kitten trying to resorbe. Has anyone else had this before? Any ideas if it is a kitten or something else? The vet said he can feel the kittens moving around inside of her. I haven't tried to feel because I don't want to hurt her or the kittens.
This is not good - I don't like the "gray mass" - if its a dead kitten, this may pose a problem with the rest of the kittens. You still have about 20 days. Keep a close eye on things - if the mass stays there, it will poison the mother and the other babies and you could lose everyone.
I'm sure the cat would probably need a c-section. Maybe schedule another x-ray in 10 days if nothing bad happens.
I'm sure the cat would probably need a c-section. Maybe schedule another x-ray in 10 days if nothing bad happens.
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- #19
Is it possible that it could be a slightly younger kitten then the 2 that showed? I have read that they could get pregnant from different matings so could she just have mated again maybe a week later and that be why there is a mass but not showing the skeleton? I think having another x-ray done would be a great idea. If nothing else it will allow us to keep and eye on it.
Sharky - re: "bottle feed the kittens" - I'm getting from what you wrote, you mean to bottle feed IF the mommy has leukemia ??
I'm asking because I know that the feral mommy I had spayed continued to nurse her two kittens well until they were 4 or 5 months after her surgery.
Also, asking if the leukemia would be a danger to the kittens if they nursed ??
thx,
g
