Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with swollen lymph nodes and fever treated successfully
By Lecot, L et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2025·Dé, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Steroid-responsive generalised sterile necrotising pyogranulomatous lymphadenitis in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 1.5-year-old neutered male cat was brought to the vet with a fever, loss of appetite, tiredness, and swollen lymph nodes for four days. After testing and a biopsy, the vet found a rare condition called necrotising pyogranulomatous lymphadenitis, but no infections or other diseases were identified. The cat didn’t improve with antibiotics, but treatment with a steroid called prednisolone helped completely resolve his symptoms. Seven months after stopping the medication, the cat was still healthy and doing well.
People also search for: cat swollen lymph nodes treatment · cat fever and lethargy · prednisolone for cats
Abstract
A 1.5-year-old neutered male cat was presented with fever, inappetence, lethargy and marked generalised lymphadenopathy of 4 days duration. Excisional biopsy of peripheral lymph nodes revealed necrotising pyogranulomatous lymphadenitis. Extensive investigation failed to identify an underlying infectious [bacterial (Bartonella, Mycobacteria, Mycoplasma, other Gram-positive or -negative bacteria), viral (feline infectious peritonitis), protozoal (toxoplasmosis), or fungal], neoplastic or inflammatory condition. No improvement was observed with short-term antimicrobial therapy with amoxicillin-clavulanate. Treatment with an immunosuppressive dosage of prednisolone resulted in complete resolution of clinical signs. Seven months after prednisolone withdrawal, the cat remained in good general condition. This is the first description of a steroid-responsive necrotising pyogranulomatous lymphadenitis in a cat, and this entity might be considered in cases with generalised lymphadenopathy and fever.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40235075/