What is the test for feline cancer?

by Anonymous

My 8-year-old male Siamese was vomiting quite a lot, but was still eating. Blood work at the vet showed he was severely dehydrated. No other major issues.

He is being treated for parasitic infection, which I doubt because he never goes outside. The vet mentioned the possibility of cancer, but said he didn't have the resources to perform such a test.

My thoughts: I'm sorry to hear your cat is sick. My understanding is there is no single, definitive blood test for cancer in cats.

There are screening tests that can be done to look for markers, but I believe the exact type of testing they would do is going to depend on the type of cancer suspected. Other tools, such as X-rays, MRIs, and biopsies may be used.

Even with a biopsy, it's not 100%. I remember when Teddie had a lump under her skin. My vet took a sample of the tissue and sent it to the lab for analysis. It came back negative for cancer, but my vet said it was impossible to be sure unless they removed the entire mass. So that is what we did, and the mass was tested again. Fortunately, it came back negative and she needed no further treatment.

Your vet should be able to give you a better indication of what tests might be necessary, and what to expect. If not, certainly any vet your current vet refers you to would be able to tell you.

I hope that helps and please let us know how it goes with your kitty.
-Kurt