When Mocky the cat’s miaow went awry and her purring became distorted, her concerned owners knew something was wrong.
Further investigations revealed the cause was a large mass which had grown under her neck and was pressing against some delicate structures. Local vets tried draining the mass but it grew back almost immediately, so 14-year-old Mocky was referred to us for expert care.
Diagnostic imaging specialist Dr Ian Jones, immediately performed a CT scan which revealed the mass was multilobulated, meaning it had three parts and was associated with the cat’s right thyroid gland.
Dr Jones said: “The great news for Mocky was that the mass was well encapsulated, meaning it could be removed with surgery and there were no signs of distant spread.
“Surgery was recommended before the mass got any bigger as it was already pushing on her wind pipe and esophagus, leading to her voice changes and difficulties in swallowing.”
LVS head of surgery and soft tissue specialist Dr Janet Kovak McClaran and surgical intern Dr Beatrice Hertel took over to carry out the delicate operation.
Dr McClaran explained: “Neck surgery can be tricky, as there are many important blood vessels and nerves that must be identified and protected. “Fortunately, the mass was quite large and was not invading into any deeper structures, so it was possible to remove.
“We performed a right-sided thyroidectomy and lymph node removal with both sent to an external laboratory to check if the tissue was benign or malignant.
“Mocky recovered very well from her surgery, remaining here at the hospital for a short stay to provide her with pain medications and round the clock monitoring.
“She was eating just a day after surgery, her miaow is back and the best news of all is that the mass was a benign thyroid adenoma, with no spread showing anywhere in her system.”
Mocky’s owners were delighted and full of praise for the specialist care at LVS, saying: “If you want a vet that truly cares about animals and is concerned with providing the best possible care then LVS is the place to go!
“As owners, they gave us great peace of mind with excellent communication at all stages of consultation, surgery and aftercare. If I ever need any further veterinary care I would not hesitate to return.”