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Cats + Surgical Conditions

  • Tumours of the medulla of the adrenal glands may be hyperplasias (non-cancerous cell overgrowths) or be cancerous. Few are diagnosed until late in the disease because, unlike tumours of the adrenal cortex, medullary tumours do not produce clinical signs.

  • These are tumours arising from structures within the eye. They tend to result in an increase in the internal pressure (glaucoma), which then leads to blindness.

  • Melanocytic tumours are formed by abnormal melanocytes. Melanocytoma is a benign (non-spreading) melanoma. Malignant (spreading) tumours are sometimes called melanoma or more specifically malignant melanoma or melanosarcoma.

  • Fibrosarcoma is a tumour originating from the fibroblasts of the skin and subcutaneous connective tissue. The feline sarcoid is a subtype of tumour that is caused by a papilloma (wart) virus.

  • Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine (hormonal) disorder of cats. It is most common in older cats, rarely seen in cats under eight years of age.

  • This is one of many similar tumours that arise by disordered growth of the hair follicles. These tumours are almost all benign and can be permanently cured by total surgical removal.

  • Tumours of the intestinal epithelial lining include non-cancerous polyps, benign adenomas and malignant epithelial tumours (adenocarcinomas).

  • The term jaundice describes a yellow discoloration of the skin. This can most easily be appreciated by looking at the whites of the eyes, and the mucous membranes (ie the third eyelids and gums).

  • Cancers of the liver cells are called hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas.

  • The liver has a massive blood supply so many cancer cells from elsewhere arrive within it and start to grow. In dogs metastatic tumours are three times as common as primary tumours and over 30% of malignant cancer is said to metastasize to the liver.