Horn paw (possibly) worth sedation?

[Saltsl307]

Hello, one of my cats has a growth on her paw pad (I’ll include pictures) she has had this happen once before and the vet just cut it off when I had brought her in for her shots and annual check up. I was glad that it was no big deal and that it had been removed, however, I noticed a week or so ago that it had grown back. My cat is deaf and she completely loses her shit when we have to go to the vet and has to be sedated. It’s awful and is extremely stressful for her until they are able to get her sedated and then there’s the recovery from the anesthesia and it’s just a terrible day for her and I both. That being said our vet and I decided that it’s best for my Chinchoo if we try and put as much into each appointment as we can. I know that might sound bad but it’s more like if we have an emergency visit and her vaccines aren’t due for 3 more months still we go ahead with them anyways to prevent having to put her through the stress and sedation a second time 3 months later. So my question is well I have 2 actually.. the first being after looking at the picture do you think that her growth is on a weigh bearing part of her paw pad? She doesn’t show any signs of discomfort while walking around nor does she limp or favor that paw in anyway that I’ve noticed. My second question is would it be worth putting her through the sedation and anxiety and stress of the vet visit to have it removed? I’ve been going back and forth and worrying about it since I noticed it and I just want an outside opinion. I don’t want her to be uncomfortable or god for bid in pain everyday because of this thing but I also know the dangers of sedation and how hard it is on her when we have to go in so I’m not not sure what to do….

 

[Caspers Human]

Generally speaking, cutaneous horns are benign and mostly harmless, provided they don't get injured, infected or cause discomfort.

If they need treatment, they can be excised (cut off) or just trimmed. Trimmed cutaneous horns will grow back. You aren't treating the cause. You're just managing its appearance. Even so, horns can also grow back after they have been excised.

If you can't get her to the vet, you can just keep on doing what you have been. Keep an eye on it to be sure it's not hurting the cat, getting injured or infected. If everything stays steady, there's no reason why you can't wait until your next regular appointment.

One thing to mention... You have an all white cat, the same as our cat, Casper.
Our vet told us that white cats are more susceptible to skin problems from exposure to sun and UV radiation. We were advised to discourage Casper from spending too much time in the sun and to use cat safe sunscreen if we need to. The vet said that the nose, eyes, ears and paws are the most sensitive places.

I also remember reading an article which suggests that cutaneous horns are more prevalent when a cat gets too much UV/sun exposure. I might suggest that you ask your vet what their opinion is.

I don't think this is a big problem but it's worthwhile talking to your vet. Unless something changes, I don't see why you can't hold on until your next regular appointment but there isn't any reason why you shouldn't call your vet and ask them over the phone.

Any good vet should be happy to give you five minutes on the phone to help you decide whether to take the cat in or wait until later.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi and welcome!
Can you also talk to your vet about possibly something to give her ahead of the vet visit to help calm her?

 

[FeebysOwner]

. Have you tried gabapentin at home before a vet visit? You can ask the vet about it and then test it at home to see what dosage would calm her down. No harm in trying, and if you find a correct dosage for her maybe no other, additional sedation would be needed once you reach the vet's office.

 

[Saltsl307]

. Have you tried gabapentin at home before a vet visit? You can ask the vet about it and then test it at home to see what dosage would calm her down. No harm in trying, and if you find a correct dosage for her maybe no other, additional sedation would be needed once you reach the vet's office.

I haven’t tried anything at home. Is that something you need to get from the vet? I had asked my vet about pre-medicating being a possibility and was told that they don’t really give out that type of medication for at home use…

 

[FeebysOwner]

I haven’t tried anything at home. Is that something you need to get from the vet? I had asked my vet about pre-medicating being a possibility and was told that they don’t really give out that type of medication for at home use…

Gabapentin does require a vet prescription. I am quite surprised about your vet's response as there are so many vets that even suggest it for calming in advance of a vet visit. It isn't really for at home use if it is being given in advance of a vet visit to help a cat cope. What does your vet propose you do then?

You can try OTC products like calming treats, sprays, and diffusers just to see if they would help any.

 

[Saltsl307]

Generally speaking, cutaneous horns are benign and mostly harmless, provided they don't get injured, infected or cause discomfort.

If they need treatment, they can be excised (cut off) or just trimmed. Trimmed cutaneous horns will grow back. You aren't treating the cause. You're just managing its appearance. Even so, horns can also grow back after they have been excised.

If you can't get her to the vet, you can just keep on doing what you have been. Keep an eye on it to be sure it's not hurting the cat, getting injured or infected. If everything stays steady, there's no reason why you can't wait until your next regular appointment.

One thing to mention... You have an all white cat, the same as our cat, Casper.
Our vet told us that white cats are more susceptible to skin problems from exposure to sun and UV radiation. We were advised to discourage Casper from spending too much time in the sun and to use cat safe sunscreen if we need to. The vet said that the nose, eyes, ears and paws are the most sensitive places.

I also remember reading an article which suggests that cutaneous horns are more prevalent when a cat gets too much UV/sun exposure. I might suggest that you ask your vet what their opinion is.

I don't think this is a big problem but it's worthwhile talking to your vet. Unless something changes, I don't see why you can't hold on until your next regular appointment but there isn't any reason why you shouldn't call your vet and ask them over the phone.

Any good vet should be happy to give you five minutes on the phone to help you decide whether to take the cat in or wait until later.

Yeah my vet is really great, I am extremely happy with them and how they care for all three of my cats. They had removed a smaller one from her pad at her last visit and they mentioned it might grow back. When I’ve got my girls out in the yard with me I’ve noticed that my Choo seems to enjoy the shade more than my other two. I had assumed that she is a little more sensitive to sun exposure but I had thought that maybe it had something to do with her having two different colored eyes. I will definitely be doing more research into other possible effects of UV exposure. Being that it’s winter none of my girls will be going outside for a couple more months still, but they all love to hang out in the windows and watch the birds at our feeders so she does still get some sun exposure. I will continue to keep an eye on her and make sure that her foot isn’t bothering her or causing any discomfort, I just worry that she’s hurting and I haven’t noticed or that she is doing a good job of hiding her discomfort from me. I appreciate your advice!

 

[Caspers Human]

It sounds like you've got the situation, pretty much, under control. Good to hear!

Do be aware that UV levels can actually be higher in the winter because of sunlight reflecting off all the snow. Depending on conditions, daytime in the snow can be as bad as a day at the beach. If the cats aren't going outside, it's better but, still, there will be some UV exposure even if the cats are just sitting on a window sill.

A white cat with blue eyes or "odd eyes" is more sensitive to light but not simply because of the eye color. White cats have less melanin in the skin and eyes than non-white cats. Because melanin protects an organism from sunlight, white cats don't have the protection that other cats might. This is different than albino cats which don't have ANY melanin. Albinos have pink or very light colored eyes. They don't have any protection from the sun and they have to be looked after for that reason. Your white cat needs more protection but not as much as an albino would need. If it was me, I'd keep an albino indoors 100% of the time. With an ordinary white cat like Casper, we just try to remain mindful. I'd say the same for your cat. Just account for the fact that having a cutaneous horn is an indicator that the cat is probably getting too much sun.

Just keep the cat inside as much as practically possible, don't let her spend too much time on the window sill if there's strong sun coming in and consider asking your vet about getting some cat-safe sunscreen for days when it's extra sunny.

Beyond that, it sounds like everything is on the level. Keep doing what you have been doing and I think everything will be okay.

Just keep in contact with your vet, just in case.