Does this look like skin cancer or just a scab?

[ty3535]

Hi,
Enzo has what looks like a scab on his nose, but I also know cats can get skin cancer where one of the more common areas is the nose. I‘m wondering if anyone can give me a suggestion about what it might be. He just had his 6mo checkup last month which cost $300, so if it’s just a scab I cant really afford to take him again so soon, but if resembles skin cancer I’ll find a way. Thanks so much!

 

[fionasmom]

It was not there last month so the vet did not see it? It looks scabby, but that does not necessarily make it any easier to guess. TBH, if you brought the cat back in there might not be much of a charge as many skilled vets and doctors can tell by looking if something is cancerous and that might be the end of it for the price of an office visit. I don't know if a skin scraping or aspiration would even be that much. My dog did have melanoma, but it was solid black, round, and more inflated looking. If it were to come off on its own, watch for its return which would definitely mean a vet visit.

 

[neely]

Since one of the most common causes of skin cancer is exposure to the sun does Enzo go outdoors? This article from Cornell gives a thorough explanation: Squamous Cell Cancer: Dangerous

Since you mentioned he recently had his 6 mo. check up can you send the vet one of the above pics and ask whether he needs to be examined? Please keep us posted either way.

 

[ty3535]

It was not there last month so the vet did not see it? It looks scabby, but that does not necessarily make it any easier to guess. TBH, if you brought the cat back in there might not be much of a charge as many skilled vets and doctors can tell by looking if something is cancerous and that might be the end of it for the price of an office visit. I don't know if a skin scraping or aspiration would even be that much. My dog did have melanoma, but it was solid black, round, and more inflated looking. If it were to come off on its own, watch for its return which would definitely mean a vet visit.

No, the vet didn’t see it or if she did she didn’t mention it, which I highly doubt she would do. Unfortunately the clinic I go to is notoriously expensive so I’m sure they’ll charge me for the vet visit but it’s definitely something I’ll bring up. My initial though was scab but then when I got a better look I saw it was raised which made me worry.

 

[ty3535]

Since one of the most common causes of skin cancer is exposure to the sun does Enzo go outdoors? This article from Cornell gives a thorough explanation: Squamous Cell Cancer: Dangerous

Since you mentioned he recently had his 6 mo. check up can you send the vet one of the above pics and ask whether he needs to be examined? Please keep us posted either way.

He’s not an indoor/outdoor cat but he has a huge catio that he’s in a lot, and I take him in our fenced in yard. So he does spend time outside. The only reason I’m not totally freaking out is I read if it’s caught early the cat will be fine. I think I might just take him and figure out the finances because I’m just going to worry until I know what it is. I will definitely give an update when I have one, thank you so much!

 

[fionasmom]

Look, let's hope it is some crazy little scab and that is the end of it. My dog is still alive 4 years after his melanoma dx, so this can be treated if it is some form of a skin cancer. Please do let us know what you find out.

 

[ty3535]

Look, let's hope it is some crazy little scab and that is the end of it. My dog is still alive 4 years after his melanoma dx, so this can be treated if it is some form of a skin cancer. Please do let us know what you find out.

I’m so relieved to hear they recover! Did your dog need chemotherapy or did they just removed the tumors and that’s all?

 

[fionasmom]

We did immunotherapy which caused absolutely no distress to him at all. It was high up on his leg, well under his somewhat long fur and was not possible to remove with clean margins, so he did lose his leg which is not as bad as it sounds. If this is skin cancer, it appears that you have a number of things on your side. You have seen it very early, it looks small which means that is possibly not that deep and there is a good prognosis. neely 's article gave treatments options with radiation and cryotherapy both of which are very successful nowadays.

Here is something else I wonder....you take the cat in, vet sees something on his nose and says nothing to you. To me, that would seem as if it is probably not anything or she would have had a responsibility to call your attention to it, even if for no other reason than it would have meant another procedure.

 

[ty3535]

We did immunotherapy which caused absolutely no distress to him at all. It was high up on his leg, well under his somewhat long fur and was not possible to remove with clean margins, so he did lose his leg which is not as bad as it sounds. If this is skin cancer, it appears that you have a number of things on your side. You have seen it very early, it looks small which means that is possibly not that deep and there is a good prognosis. neely 's article gave treatments options with radiation and cryotherapy both of which are very successful nowadays.

Here is something else I wonder....you take the cat in, vet sees something on his nose and says nothing to you. To me, that would seem as if it is probably not anything or she would have had a responsibility to call your attention to it, even if for no other reason than it would have meant another procedure.

That’s an excellent point about the vet. She’s always been great and we’ve even seeing her for over 8 years. I’m mostly worried because it’s raised. If it were flat I would definitely just think it was a scab from accidentally scratching himself or something.

 

[ty3535]

Well, some of it has fallen off! I picked him up to brush him and noticed 90% of it is gone, but there does seem to be some yellow stuff so I think I’ll still take him to make sure it’s not infected. But, because it fell off I assume I’m in the clear and it was just scabbed over for some reason.

 

[ty3535]

The vet really didn’t know what to make of it Since it had fallen off but she was confident it wasn’t skin cancer, so yay! Thank you all so much. I did find out that he has an ear infection again. she gave me animax so hopefully it’ll help. Thank you again!