Trust vet or second opinion?

[dinkythecat]

Does anyone know if it’s structurally normal for a 4.5ish month old boy, possibly underweight at 5.5 pounds, to have very easily palpable submandibular nodes? They’re not visible to the eye aka not so large that they’re tenting outward, but easily found/palpable and stuck together round masses on each side of his throat? The size is maybe like two large peas/small marbles stacked on top of each other, forming the “8” shape. They float kinda freely, not connected to tissue, so I’m thinking they’re indeed nodes and not salivary glands or something.

He also has some sort of URI, but lots of energy and appetite. Just consistent sneezing (1-3x/hour when alert, not much while resting), runny eyes and nose. This was already happening from the day of adoption a few days ago, so I have no idea how long ago it started. He didn’t improve at all with an antihistamine, which vet recommended.

So yeah, I took him to the vet and she seemed completely unconcerned with the lumps, if she even felt them (I saw her feel for them but you never know), which surprised me because they seem abnormally large. She didn’t comment much on them except to say that he was skinny so they’re more obvious - but I can’t help but think I’d definitely feel those through a pretty good layer of fat on an adult cat, assuming he’s not a morbidly obese cat. Also got a negative dipstick test for FeLV/FIV while there.

So, thoughts? Is this really just normal? Of course the cold virus he seems to have isn’t, but that combined with the really easily palpable, seemingly interconnected nodes is still worrying me. Should I just trust the vet here? Even if they are enlarged, would it likely just be from his cold, or vaccines, or his ear squaring from being a catch and release neuter? Am I worrying for nothing?

Sorry post is kinda all over the place lol, it’s 3am and I love this kitty so much already. Thanks

 

[CindyH66]

aw poor baby.. sounds like he feels icky ! I would say trust your gut and get another opinion. When I first got Bella ( one of my kitties) the shelter vet said she was fine, in fact released her for adoption. she had junk caked on her eyes. was very "mellow". we got her home and I watched her .. I told my husband " I am very concerned about her. I dont think she can breath" ..she was mouth breathing, and avoiding looking at light. I had 10 days to get her to a vet (per contract) and in fact the "free insurance" they gave us didn't kick in for 2 days. In any case, I called my vet who said " bring her in " .. I did. The poor thing was at deaths door ! she had a severe URI , eye infections and ear infections as well ! (they had operated on her to spay her as well..in that shape !) .. the vet said if I had waited days longer to get her there ..she may not have made it ! she came home on 4 medications. took 2 weeks of a LOT of care to turn all that around ! she pulled thru ... (and insurance denied the claim as it had not be 48 hrs when I took her in) but ... point is .. I didn't agree with the vet who told me she was fine when I suspected otherwise. I always think ..err on side of caution. If the second vet agrees with the first ..what's the harm ? if the first one was mistaken and the second makes a better call.. you'll be glad you did. Good Luck !!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. There are lymph nodes in the neck area, and it is possible they could be swollen from his URI, as often happens with lymph nodes (anywhere in the body) when an infection is present. You could look up the lymph node anatomy of a cat to confirm these lumps you feel are where lymph nodes would normally be located.

Is he being treated for the URI? If so, perhaps you will find the lumps reduce in time with his treatment. If not, that would be enough reason to get a second opinion, as your cat really should be getting something more than an antihistamine, IMO. While a URI might be related to some sort of virus, they can easily be the result of a secondary bacterial infection. Also, the fact that the vet didn't even ponder the lumps could be swollen lymph nodes is a bit curious to me.

 

[dinkythecat]

Hi. There are lymph nodes in the neck area, and it is possible they could be swollen from his URI, as often happens with lymph nodes (anywhere in the body) when an infection is present. You could look up the lymph node anatomy of a cat to confirm these lumps you feel are where lymph nodes would normally be located.

Is he being treated for the URI? If so, perhaps you will find the lumps reduce in time with his treatment. If not, that would be enough reason to get a second opinion, as your cat really should be getting something more than an antihistamine, IMO. While a URI might be related to some sort of virus, they can easily be the result of a secondary bacterial infection. Also, the fact that the vet didn't even ponder the lumps could be swollen lymph nodes is a bit curious to me.

Yeah, I’m mostly concerned with the size of the nodes, but her opinion was that it was normal in a cat as skinny as him. She didn’t make much connection between that and the URI, because, as I said, she pretty much disregarded the nodes as part of the equation. So in her mind, she was considering a URI only without many symptoms aside from sneezing and runny eyes and nose. He has lots of playful energy and a big appetite, so she suggested it could just be allergies and not a cold, or just a minor cold. In any case, his symptoms from a behavioral standpoint didn’t necessitate intervention, which I generally agree with, but that’s only when I’m not being paranoid about his nodes, which obviously adds an entire new bit of complexity to it. I hope that makes sense lol.

I’d be interested to know if anyone here with a skinny cat or a kitten are able to palpitate nodes that feel like two large peas kinda connected to each other, about an inch to the left and right of the thyroid area, and particularly easy to find when their head is pointed upward.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Maybe this will help (see article link below). It does state that allergies can be one of the causes! And, under the section labeled "Diagnosis of Lymph Node Inflammation in Cats, it specifically mentions the lymph nodes to which you are referring! There are other reasons, but it would seem your vet might want to go through them one at a time.
Lymph Node Inflammation in Cats - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, Management, Cost (wagwalking.com)

 

[maggie101]

I have taken my cat to 3 vets so far I like the third. First vet would not do a urinalysis eventhough I asked him to or he would say she just having a bad day. 2nd vet the wait was long and he didn't always show up. Just had is helper going in and out the door getting answers to questions. Third vet actually talked to me and not a long wait.

 

[ladytimedramon]

You might consider making your second opinion a "veterinary internist". I had a medical issue with Delilah. 1st vet did nothing. 2nd vet did bloodwork and confirmed the issue, did exploratory surgery and didn't find the actual problem. I called my cousin, also a vet but she doesn't see family, who told me to take Delilah to a veterinary internist. She said the difference between a generalist and an internist is 5 years more training. I took Delilah where she recommended. He looked at the info from before, did a sonogram, found the problem, and referred Delilah to a specialist surgeon who found what the internist directed her to. The problem (ovarian remnant) was finally solved.

I actually wish I had asked my cousin sooner. I could've saved Delilah from the exploratory. If I'm ever in a situation again where one of my girls' problems can't be identified, I'd ask for a referral to an internist.

 

[vansX2]

I have taken my cat to 3 vets so far I like the third. First vet would not do a urinalysis eventhough I asked him to or he would say she just having a bad day. 2nd vet the wait was long and he didn't always show up. Just had is helper going in and out the door getting answers to questions. Third vet actually talked to me and not a long wait.

I would probably do a second opinion if the Veterinarian was alone. If in a clinic setting with more than one Veterinarian probably not.

 

[maggie101]

First 2 vets were had thier own practice which made the wait especially since the second vet did surgery all day, 3rd vet had another in the building so it was easier to make an appointment and could discuss both discuss your cats condition

 

[silent meowlook]

I’ve worked with cats in a Veterinary setting over 30 years. (I’m not a vet).
In all these years I have learned that if an owner ( parent, friend to cat) thinks there is a problem, there is.
Trust your gut. You know your cat better than anyone. Get a second opinion at either a specialist or at least a feline only Veterinarian.
Thank you for being diligent in your cat’s care.

 

[weili]

Does anyone know if it’s structurally normal for a 4.5ish month old boy, possibly underweight at 5.5 pounds, to have very easily palpable submandibular nodes? They’re not visible to the eye aka not so large that they’re tenting outward, but easily found/palpable and stuck together round masses on each side of his throat? The size is maybe like two large peas/small marbles stacked on top of each other, forming the “8” shape. They float kinda freely, not connected to tissue, so I’m thinking they’re indeed nodes and not salivary glands or something.

He also has some sort of URI, but lots of energy and appetite. Just consistent sneezing (1-3x/hour when alert, not much while resting), runny eyes and nose. This was already happening from the day of adoption a few days ago, so I have no idea how long ago it started. He didn’t improve at all with an antihistamine, which vet recommended.

So yeah, I took him to the vet and she seemed completely unconcerned with the lumps, if she even felt them (I saw her feel for them but you never know), which surprised me because they seem abnormally large. She didn’t comment much on them except to say that he was skinny so they’re more obvious - but I can’t help but think I’d definitely feel those through a pretty good layer of fat on an adult cat, assuming he’s not a morbidly obese cat. Also got a negative dipstick test for FeLV/FIV while there.

So, thoughts? Is this really just normal? Of course the cold virus he seems to have isn’t, but that combined with the really easily palpable, seemingly interconnected nodes is still worrying me. Should I just trust the vet here? Even if they are enlarged, would it likely just be from his cold, or vaccines, or his ear squaring from being a catch and release neuter? Am I worrying for nothing?

Sorry post is kinda all over the place lol, it’s 3am and I love this kitty so much already. Thanks

From what you say, it sounds really scary. You shouldn't trust the vet unless they know what they are talking about. From the sounds of it. It sounds like this vet isn't very inexperienced. I have given up with fake doctors in my area. They're all the ones that were probably average in medical school, that's why the came to an average state to get a job. Doctors have been unable to clearly diagnose me and say the cure is 1-3 months. I diagnose my self, the cure is 1-2weeks and no side effects. I have had one really good doctor in California before, but that was because he loves his job and did outside research, instead of just relying on what was learned in school. Those kind of good doctors or vets 3 out of 7 if you are in a good area, not in a good area 0.001 out of 10. The so so doctors can only deal with simple or common illnesses, since their skills and abilities are limited to their own ability.

For now I think you should do your own research, asking around everywhere, if anyone has had experiences. If in the meantime the problem doesn't go away, try finding a better vet somewhere else, even if you have to go to another state. Hopefully you don't have to go that far. I was worried about my kitten having bloating stomach. I figured out it was because I was stupid for giving him adult food. I didn't think much, because one of the adult foods I give him, didn't give him any problem. It was because that adult food bag had more ingredients so it had all the nutrition he needed. The other adult foods didn't so it caused him to have a bloating stomach. It won't be very serious, if you notice the problem earlier and to try to mediate.

 

[weili]

aw poor baby.. sounds like he feels icky ! I would say trust your gut and get another opinion. When I first got Bella ( one of my kitties) the shelter vet said she was fine, in fact released her for adoption. she had junk caked on her eyes. was very "mellow". we got her home and I watched her .. I told my husband " I am very concerned about her. I don't think she can breath" ..she was mouth breathing, and avoiding looking at light. I had 10 days to get her to a vet (per contract) and in fact the "free insurance" they gave us didn't kick in for 2 days. In any case, I called my vet who said " bring her in " .. I did. The poor thing was at deaths door ! she had a severe URI , eye infections and ear infections as well ! (they had operated on her to spay her as well..in that shape !) .. the vet said if I had waited days longer to get her there ..she may not have made it ! she came home on 4 medications. took 2 weeks of a LOT of care to turn all that around ! she pulled thru ... (and insurance denied the claim as it had not be 48 hrs when I took her in) but ... point is .. I didn't agree with the vet who told me she was fine when I suspected otherwise. I always think ..err on side of caution. If the second vet agrees with the first ..what's the harm ? if the first one was mistaken and the second makes a better call.. you'll be glad you did. Good Luck !!

People at the shelter didn't seem to care too much about her to say she was fine. If you care about an animal, you will notice something is wrong. My kitten was whimpering while still being awake. I found it really strange. I moved him to a more comfortable place, and he just gave me an angry expression. I realized something was making him uncomfortable, the collar. He stopped looking angry and was able to sleep calmly. My mom is dense in noticing anything, but when I told her how he was acting or what I was noticing, she felt his angry expression wasn't directed towards me, but due to being uncomfortable. Taking care of animals really tests your ability to read things.

 

[di and bob]

Swollen lymph nodes are very common with a URI. My cats used to get the Feline Herpes Virus quite a bit until I started keeping them indoors when they received a diagnosis of leukemia. This virus is VERY common, especially in a shelter situation where there is a concentration of cats. It takes about two weeks to resolve. it is NOT transferrable to humans. All their URI symptoms resolved and have not returned after starting them on DMG, an immune supplement. It really helped! You might research it.