What is Lymph Node Inflammation?
The production of too many immune cells at once is what causes the lymphadenopathy. Either a solitary nodule can be effected, or a group of nodules. When this occurs in younger cats, it is generally due to an infectious disease. Swollen lymph nodes are a common finding in many sick cats. Infections and other complications signalled by inflamed lymph nodes need to be treated by a veterinarian as soon as possible for the best results.
Lymph nodes are ducts within the body that are used to collect fluid and return it to the bloodstream. Inside the lymph nodes, lymphocytes (white blood cells) destroy bacteria, fungi, viruses, and cancer cells. When the body faces infection, the lymph nodes located closest to the infection will swell or enlarge. This is referred to as lymphadenopathy.
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Symptoms of Lymph Node Inflammation in Cats
As lymph nodes swell from many different types of infections all over the body, various symptoms can occur. Below are the most common symptoms associated with lymphadenopathy.
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Tender or painful lymph nodes
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty swallowing
- Mouth abscess
- High temperature
- Limping
- Dull hair coat
Causes of Lymph Node Inflammation in Cats
Generally, the cause of swollen lymph nodes has to do with a nearby issue in the body. These issues can range from minor to life-threatening and should be evaluated by a veterinarian. Causes are as follows:
- Bacterial infection
- Fungal infection
- Viral infection
- Parasitic disease
- Allergies
- Reactive Lymphoid Hyperplasia (benign lymph node swelling)
- Cancer of the lymph nodes or nearby organs
- Neoplastic Infiltration (meningitis caused by cancer cells)
Diagnosis of Lymph Node Inflammation in Cats
The first thing that a veterinarian will need from you is your cat's extensive medical history. This can give clues to underlying problems that may have developed to cause the swelling. A physical examination of the cat will be completed to try and locate the affected lymph nodes by feeling key areas of the body. Often this will include the submandibular (where the jaw meets the neck), the axillary (armpit of the front legs), the prescapular (where the front leg joins the shoulder) and the popliteal (on the rear legs opposite of the knee) areas. If there is any pain in these locations, that is an indication of swollen lymph nodes.
The vet will rule out all possible harmless syndromes by assessing all symptoms. Blood work will be done to get an overall picture on the cat's health. A complete blood count will show how many blood cells are present and indicate if cancer is the cause. A biochemical profile will show other substances in the blood. Urinalysis can help detect bacteria that may be causing infection. A lymph node biopsy to collect samples for microscopic examination may be needed if cancer is suspected.
X-rays and ultrasounds can be used to detect tumors or other abnormalities on the lymph nodes. When any lymphadenopathy is present, Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus should be tested for. A fecal parasitological exam may be needed if parasites are suspected. The vet may recommend more extensive testing until a cause has been identified.
Treatment of Lymph Node Inflammation in Cats
To restore lymph nodes to their normal size, the underlying condition that is causing the inflammation needs to be treated. There are a number of different treatments depending on which ailment the cat is suffering from.
Bacterial Infection
The corresponding antibiotic will be prescribed to eliminate a bacterial infection. Antibiotics are often prescribed for 2-4 weeks.
Fungal Infection
Antifungal medication, shampoo, or cream will be prescribed to eradicate a fungal infection affecting the cat.
Allergies
In the case of allergies, tests or the process of elimination will be used to identify the allergen. Once identified, the allergen will be removed from the cat’s environment or diet.
Viral Infections
Most viral infections can only be treated symptomatically. The cat may need to be hospitalized for supportive care while fighting a viral infection. Intravenous fluids may be administered to keep the cat hydrated. Other care may be administered to keep the cat as comfortable as possible.
Cancer
Cancer of the lymph nodes is very serious and needs to be treated aggressively. There are three main ways to treat cancer of the lymph nodes.
- Surgical Removal: This may be possible if the cancer has not spread out of the lymph nodes. If the cat is in good condition, a general anesthetic will be administered and surgery will be performed. Depending on the location of the lymph nodes, the surgery can vary in its overall risk. At home care will be needed upon discharge.
- Chemotherapy: This treatment can slow the progress of lymph node cancer in cats. It should be noted that cats are not treated the same way as humans. If the chemotherapy will drastically reduce the cat's quality of life, it will not be used.
- Radiation Therapy: This treatment is often used in combination with surgery. It can focus on the microscopic occurrences of cancer that cannot be surgically removed.
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Recovery of Lymph Node Inflammation in Cats
Once your cat is home, take care to administer all prescriptions exactly as requested. This can help ensure all infections are properly treated. If symptoms are not going away, further treatment and tests may be necessary to find the root of the issue. A check-up appointment will be needed to gauge if lymph node swelling has gone down.
Once an infection has cleared out of the cat’s system, the lymph nodes should return to their normal size. If the cat has undergone surgery, extra care should be given to keep the incision clean and decrease all stress inducers during the healing process. It should be noted that in cases of lymph node cancer, prognosis is not great, with the maximum survival being about two years.
Lymph Node Inflammation Average Cost
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Average Cost
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Top
Lymph Node Inflammation Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
tabby
Tommy
1 Year
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Lethargic, No Appetite,
My one year old cat just had exploratory surgery. A mass was removed but unfounded for lymphoma. The vet said his GI track has swollen lymph nodes throughout. Liver and spleen normal. Blood work looks good...he had a high fever 105 previous to surgery now he's on two antibiotics and was given 72 hours to improve or euthanasia was suggested. He's not eating or drinking or voidingBM. The vet and interak medicine have ruled out various illnesses. What could be wrong? My mother is a pediatrician for 50 years and thinks viral.
June 28, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Without seeing the mass or knowing more about his surgery, it is very difficult for me to comment on what might be wrong with Tommy, unfortunately. Abdominal masses can be the result of a foreign body, but surgical removal typically makes things better. If he isn't doing well post-operatively, he may have an underlying viral disease that is suppressing his immune system and not allowing him to heal normally. I hope that he recovers normally.
June 28, 2018
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Burmese
Finley
5 Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Swollen Glands Below Jaw Line
I wonder if you could help me please? We have a beautiful red Burmese cat of 5 years of age. He is an indoor cat and is as healthy as an ox however 2 week’s ago, I noticed his glands below his jaw line were both significantly swollen. I took him to the vet, who said it might be tonsillitis and gave him a steroid injection and requested I brought him back a few days later. On this occasion I saw a different vet who said they hadn’t reduced in size so thought it may be an infection and put him on a week of twice daily antibiotics. We went back after the week and she suggested a blood test which we did and he was so very distressed. Anyhow she then said he would need a niopsy to see if it was cancer however I wouldn’t want to put him through chemo and since the results may not even give us a result either way, we have decided to cancel the biopsy. He eats extremely well, fresh steamed fish and cat crunchies and seems lively and happy however has started to lick the walls for some unknown reason. We thought we would keep him happy and wait for changes however are unsure if we are being unduly cruel. Just not sure what to do. Thank you
June 19, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
If Finley has lymphoma, whether you decide to follow through with chemotherapy is your decision, and you just have to make sure that he is comfortable and pain free. If he continues to eat and drink and seems generally happy, you aren't doing anything wrong. If he starts to have problems breathing, eating, or seems depressed, then you may need to make a choice for him. As an aside, the biopsy should give you very accurate results as to whether it is cancer or not, and cats tolerate chemotherapy quite well.
June 19, 2018
Thank you for getting back so quickly, good sage advice which I shall now follow. Thank you again
June 19, 2018
Finley's Owner
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Unknown
Smokey
10 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Weight Loss,
Weight Loss, Enlarged Lymph Nodes
Weight Loss, Enlarged Lymph Nodes,
Female feline, swollen Lymph Nodes under her spine behind her heart. It is forcing her heart to drop down to her upper rib cage. She is eating constantly and gets stressed when I go to bed. She is usually eating soft food. She has lost weight too quickly and keeps losing more weight. We did an Xray and that is what revealed my explanation of what is happening with Smokey. Our Vet does not know what is wrong. Smokey is the runt of the litter she came from. Last year she kept getting conjunctivitis in her left eye. A few years back she developed a bacterial infection under her skin on her neck. One of our Vets did surgery to removed the bacteria. He did a great job. Since then she prefers only soft food. Can you help me understand what I should do next? Thank you. God bless you in Jesus' Name.
June 18, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
One concern with enlarged lymph nodes is cancer, sadly. Another may be an infection or inflammation that she is fighting off. Without seeing her, or being able to examine her, I have a hard time commenting on what you should do next, but if she has not had blood work done, that may give a clue as to the cause for the enlarged nodes. I hope that she is okay.
June 18, 2018
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short hair, brown tabby
Roo
5 Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Lymph Gland
5 yr old male Roo, recent unknown laceration on tail, deep. We have not taken him to vet but have flushed the wound, and used Vetrimycin antimycrobial gel, colloidal silver. He is eating and drinking, urinating and pooping fine. In good spirits and lets us handle him. He gets overwhelmed at the vet and has had a couple of bad experiences. It is the 5th day of the wound and it looks to be healing with no sign of infection, but tonight we noticed a hugh grapesized hard mass which seems to be a swollen lymph gland under his front right leg. He lets us feel it with no indication of discomfort. I'm guessing it is a concentration of some kind of infection and he needs antibiotics but we have had bad experiences with overuse of antibiotics possible not being the type that should have been used. I know testing can be done but we have to watch our money with the amount of testing and dont have a great deal of confidence in our current vet choices. Can you offer advice and not think we are terrible keepers.
June 16, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
It sounds like you are taking good care of Roo's wound, and I am glad that it is healing well. I'm not sure what the mass under his front leg might be, as there aren't any obvious external lymph nodes in that area that would become enlarged singularly. That would not be a location that would enlarge related to his tail injury, either. If he is eating and drinking and acting normally otherwise, you may be fine to monitor the lump and see if it resolves, but if it becomes larger, is painful, or ulcerates, or if he is not acting normally, then it would be a good idea to have him seen to find out what the mass is.
June 16, 2018
Thank you so much for the quick response and reassurance. The lump under his front armpit has slightly reduced in size every day and has almost disappeared. We used a warm compress on the area. Thinking it might be the Axillary lymph or possible the beginning of an abscess. While we are still being vigilant with colloidal silver, So far so good, his tail is healing amazingly well. We have spritzed it with the Vetericyn Plus, (I misspelled it before), 4-5 times a day and are so impressed with the results. We will post a final update once he seems fully healed! Thank you again, your input made a difference in our state of mind and worry, which was invaluable to us at a very scary time.
June 19, 2018
Roo's Owner
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Siamese
Mj
11 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Heart
The vet said my cat has an inflammation but cannot pin point where. Also her lymphocyte count was over 14,0000. When the blood was sent to a pathologist he said he saw the inflammation but does not know where
And that it can be the beginning of leukemia but did not diagnose it as that because the cells are still white. What are the chances it can be cancer and what should I be worried with?
June 7, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
As MJ is an older cat, the possibility of cancer is greater than if she were a young cat, unfortunately. If she is doing well otherwise, your veterinary may be able to recommend general therapy for her, but sometimes it is just time until something happens that gives us a little clue as to where the problem might be. If MJ has any changes in her appetite, attitude, or any lameness or growths, those would be good things to follow up with your veterinarian about. I hope that she is okay.
June 8, 2018
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Unknown
Rebecca
6 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
In Describtion
My cat had swollen neck lymph node on the right side. About 5 cm diameter. Amoxicillin and clavualonic acid for one month resolved the problem. After two months the right neck lymph node grown again 5 cm during one month. Veterinar gave to my cat the same antibiotic for one month and cefalexin for 10 days. After 5 months the neck lymph grown again but on the left side 5 cm. The cat is feeling good. Appetite is regular. Only a little bit hard breathing due to pressure of the swollen node on trachea.
Nobody can understand what is it. Do you have maybe experience with cases like that? What can you suggest to do?
Lymph Node Inflammation Average Cost
From 473 quotes ranging from $200 - $3,000
Average Cost
$850
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