Feline lymphoma is a disease that targets lymphoid tissue. Since this type of tissue is found throughout your cats body, lymphoma can damage a wide range of organs. The disease commonly affects cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus or feline leukemia virus. It usually affects cats around 10 years old.

Forms

There are three forms of feline lymphoma. They include mediastinal, alimentary, and multicentric. The mediastinal form commonly occurs when the cat is infected with the feline leukemia virus. It affects the chest, thymus, and surrounding lymph nodes.

The alimentary form of this disease affects the digestive tract and associated lymph nodes. The last form of lymphoma in cats is multicentric. Like the mediastinal form, it usually affects cats infected with feline leukemia. It can cause problems with multiple organs and lymph nodes.

Symptoms

Feline lymphoma can cause vague and non-specific symptoms. The most common include lethargy, weight loss, and decreased appetite. Other symptoms depend on the organs affected by the disease. These can include vomiting, diarrhea, and breathing difficulty.

Treatment

The most common method to treat lymphoma in cats is chemotherapy. This is the only treatment method if the disease has spread to multiple areas. Chemotherapy medication is usually administered via injection, but some can be given orally. If the cancer is localized in one area, your cat may receive other forms of treatment. They include surgery, laser treatment, and radiation.

Prognosis

Success of treatment for feline lymphoma depends on various factors. They include the location of the tumor and how quickly the disease was detected and treated. Also, cats with feline leukemia virus have a lower survival rate than cats that are not infected. Most cats survive an average of six months, while others have survived for more than two years.