For the passed four months, we have been trying to heal a wound on our Gus' left ear. After four months of fighting the increasing damaging effects of his scratching and swatting paw on his ear, and noticing that his ear for really deteriorating, I took him to our vet. That was when I discovered that white cats are very susceptible to cancer on their ear tips due to sun exposure. I had NO idea about this.
So, to make a long story short, Gus had his left ear about 50% snipped on Wednesday. He is all shaved and all stitched up and looks a bit lopsided but it is a very good thing that we did this. The vet just called me and she indicated that the lab had indeed determined that Gus had a skin cancer.
So now I have an additional lesson to impart re: cancer and white cats. Though this type of cancer does not usually metastasize, we need to be very watchful of not only the effected ear but also the other ear. In addition, if we notice Gus' nose changing we have the very serious problem of not being able to effectively treat a nose cancer on a cat. And we need to watch for lumps under kitty's chin.
I took a picture of Gus' after ear but have not posted it here. It doesn't look all that bad but I thought it might make sensitive hearts cry. When Kris took Gus out of his carrier, she started crying.
5 comments:
Poor baby kitty. I didn't know this about white cats. At least you got it in time. And symmetrical ears are so average-- any cat can do that. Yours is a special, unique kitty now!
I had no idea that cats were susceptible to skin cancer. Is it only the white cats because of their light skin pigment?
My vet has never mentioned this with our Vincent, but he is quite dark..
Wow! Who knew? Not me. I learned something today. I've promised myself never to have a white kitty again (mine drowned in a stock tank when I was young and it just about did me in, so I won't have another. Too tender about that to have a white kitty again)but it is great information to have and makes sense. I knew you have to be careful of dogs with pink noses, but hadn't thought about cats. Duh! Don't know why not.
No idea about white cats and sun cancer. WOW. Thanks for not posting the photo. I would have cried.
Oh bless, bless bless, the poor little thing, so white cats are prone to skin cancer and white cat's is it with blue eyes are deaf. Poor darlings!
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