PetCaseFinder

Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Synovial cyst causing swelling on a cat's fifth toe

By Hittmair, Katharina M et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2010·Diagnostic Imaging Clinic·View original on PubMed

PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →

Original publication title: Synovial cyst of the fifth digit in a cat.

Species:
cat

Plain-English summary

A 15-year-old cat was brought to the vet for swelling and pain in the left front paw. X-rays showed severe arthritis in the joints of the affected digit, and an ultrasound revealed a cyst. The vet amputated the digit to remove the cyst, but unfortunately, it came back three months later in a different location on the paw. The cat's condition highlights the challenges of treating synovial cysts, especially in older pets with arthritis.

People also search for: cat paw swelling · cat arthritis treatment · cat cyst on paw · why is my cat limping · cat digit amputation recovery

Abstract

A synovial cyst of the fifth digit of the left forelimb in a 15-year-old cat was diagnosed. Radiographs showed severe osteoarthritis of the interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints with soft tissue swelling. An ultrasound examination of the digit revealed a cystic structure. Following amputation of the digit, the cyst recurred 3 months later palmar to the carpus and metacarpus. The aetiology of synovial cysts is discussed.

Find similar cases for your pet

PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.

Search related cases →

Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19879787/