How upset should i be about this

Hello,

Took my cat to the vet to have her teeth cleaned, they shaved her left leg to put her under, when i went to pick her up they indiicated thats  she had what appears to be a tumor on her leg.which they did not seem to be concerned about. A month later I ask if there was a test they could do to determine what the mass was. They used a  needle and drew out some fluid for testing. The test came back indicating some sort of cancer (spinal cell i think). Anyway they recommeded a vet hospital north of Pittsburgh.

Took her there for a consulation and based on the Test Results they were pretty sure it was cancer.....even recommeded amputating her leg. I told them to cut the mass out and send for a biopsy. Got the resutls last week turns out it was bb pellet in her leg.

I am grateful that she is well and doesnt have cancer but had someone did an x-ray i dont think (i could be wrong) that the surgery would not be so evasive and expensive..............any thoughts.............i take her today to get stiches out just wondering if i or you would ask more questions.

I'd be pissed. A bb pellet is very different from cancer. Your cat's leg could have been amputated for nothing. Good thing you went with your instincts. I ended up taking my sick cat to an expensive vet specialist who wanted to charge me more for cancer testing even though my cat had been diagnosed with pancreatitis elsewhere. I'm glad I told her no and took my cat home after an overnight stay with her appetite medication. She recovered just fine.

A bb pellet is alarming. Someone evil in your area aimed a bb gun at your cat. Can you keep him indoors?

Thans for the response

Not sure when it happened, I have only had her for (2) years, she use to be my neighbors cat until i took her in.  She is now appox (9) years old and may have had this bb in her leg for quite sometime.

It may be partly my fault because when I looked at  the mass i swore i saw something in it (probably the bb) , therefore i should have said something and  had an  x-ray 

I think I'd be upset too.  No, actually, I KNOW I'd be upset!  How can you mistake a BB for cancer?  They tested it and the results were pretty conclusive that it was cancer?  In what universe?  I'd ask them EXACTLY what test that did that YOU paid for and have them explain it to you thoroughly,, and if you're not satisfied, ask for your  money back for that visit, then perhaps do the same for the next one. 

Thank goodness you had the good sense to say "no" to amputation

I'd like to know how they drew fluid out of the bb myself to do the test that showed cancer.

What fluid did they test?  Usually it is inserted into the tumor itself and cells drawn, or into a cystic mass and fluid drawn.  I wonder just what the heck they tested.

If it was any decent lab or test, it would have distinguished inflammatory cells (maybe around a foreign body) rather than saying it was a cancerous specimen.

If you ask, please update, I'm really curious about that initial test!!

i am trying to find my copy of the test results, maybe it is partly my fault cause when i looked the mass i though i saw something "metal" in the center of the mass...........so i am thinking it may have been as easy  as lacing the mass to get the bb out..........will post the report when i find it

Thanks

ps Bailey is doing well now and the cone is now off after almost (3) weeks 

I am a human doctor, not a vet and my advice is that that you should ask the vet whether the biopsy findings were diagnostic of a cancer. Cancer is too serious to leave without confirmation.

With best wishes,

Geoffrey

G Geoffrey has a good point. Hopefully, it was just the bb.

i didnt see a copy of the biopsy report but the surgeon assured me she is cancer free

DANZ857 said:

 
i didnt see a copy of the biopsy report but the surgeon assured me she is cancer free

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Good!  It sounds now as if the lump had to be inflammatory following the removal of the  foreign body.  If this is so, then you don't have much to worry about as long as the wound is healing  - as most abscesses settle down after they have been drained. 

In the event Bailey is very lucky that you have saved her leg from amputation!

With regards,

Geoffrey

Was the BB made of lead?  One BB might not be a concern but then cats are not very big.  I don't imagine any bloodwork done tested for lead levels, maybe you should ask about that.

ETA:  BBs and other pellets are sometime left in the body if the surgery to remove them would be disfiguring or too invasive.   Such is the case with a neighbour man who was shot in the face and neck by his buddy when they were turkey hunting.

DANZ857 said:

 
i didnt see a copy of the biopsy report but the surgeon assured me she is cancer free

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If it was me, I'd ask for a copy of all the reports for my files.  

thank you all for you relies and concerns, since her incision has healed up nicely (much better than mine when i had sugery to repair a shattered heel bone) is there is anything else i need to worry about such as high levels as noted by PC

Thanks again

Dan

I just remembered prior to the sugery on bailey they performed a blood test not sure if they would check for high levels of lead,