Removal or biopsy of a mass may be performed for several reasons:
- To eliminate pain and discomfort.
- To prevent complications such as infection or bleeding.
- To determine the cause and whether additional treatment is indicated.
Your veterinarian may recommend submitting the mass to a laboratory to determine the cause; this is especially important if there is a concern that it may be a type of cancer.
The risk of complications following biopsy or removal of a mass is small and typically easily managed. Risks include bleeding, infection, and discomfort. You should contact us if you are concerned about your cat after surgery.
Your cat will require sedation or general anesthesia for the procedure.
General anesthesia means putting a patient into a sleep-like state with a combination of medications. Medications are often given in a sequence so the patient transitions smoothly from fully awake, to drowsy and relaxed, to fully unconscious. Medication is also given to manage pain. Depending on the type and length of procedure, a breathing tube (endotracheal tube) may be placed once the patient is unconscious to deliver oxygen and an inhalant anesthetic drug. At the end of the procedure, all medications are stopped. Medications may be given to reverse the effects of some drugs. If a breathing tube was placed, it is removed just as the patient returns to consciousness.
A patient's vital signs are monitored carefully during sedation or general anesthesia. Equipment is used to monitor vital signs such as breathing rate, heart rate, temperature, oxygen levels, etc. During recovery, patients are closely monitored and vital signs such as breathing rate and heart rate are measured manually until the patient fully returns to consciousness. You should call us if your cat has prolonged sedation or if you notice anything that concerns you.
Sedation is a temporary state of reduced consciousness where patients feel sleepy and relaxed and they are not aware of what is going on around them. Patients under sedation can breathe on their own so no breathing tube is necessary. Patients are sedated by giving certain drugs, or drug combinations, intravenously (via an intravenous catheter) or intramuscularly (injection into a muscle). Cats under sedation are monitoring by a veterinary technician under the supervision of a veterinarian.
Cats typically recover from sedation within a few hours of returning home. Until they do, they may be quiet or sleepy and they may or may not want to eat and drink. For some drugs, a reversal agent is available and may be used once the procedure is finished to help your cat recover from sedation faster. Your veterinarian will determine the most appropriate and safest drugs for your cat. You should call us if your cat has prolonged sedation or if you notice anything that concerns you.
You should be sure to discuss all your questions and concerns with your veterinarian before the day of the appointment.
PLEASE NOTE: if the tissue is submitted to a laboratory for analysis, it will be several days before we receive the result. Your veterinarian will contact you as soon as the result has been received and reviewed.
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