Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Breathing problems from throat and windpipe masses in older cats
By Jakubiak, Martin J et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2005·Bay Area Veterinary Specialists, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Laryngeal, laryngotracheal, and tracheal masses in cats: 27 cases (1998-2003).
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 27 cats, mostly older, were found to have growths in their throat area, which caused breathing problems (dyspnea). Most of these growths were tumors, while a few were inflammatory masses. The best way to diagnose these issues was through a direct examination of the throat and taking tissue samples for testing. Unfortunately, the survival rate was low, with most cats living only a few days after diagnosis, and only a small percentage surviving for a year.
Abstract
Medical records of 27 cats with masses of the larynx and trachea were examined. Six cats had inflammatory masses, and 21 cats had neoplastic lesions. A definitive diagnosis was reached in 22 cats with a single biopsy. The median age of the cats was 12.0 years (range 6 to 20 years). Dyspnea was the most common clinical sign. Accurate diagnoses were best obtained through direct laryngeal or tracheal examination combined with histological examination of tissue biopsies. Kaplan-Meier survival data for all inflammatory and neoplastic lesions showed a median survival of 5 days, with 7.4% of cats alive at 1 year.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16141182/