Skip to content
Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Weight loss in a cat

Sonopath Forum

-12 year old cat

-3 pound unexplained weight loss, no real clinical signs

-Mesenteric lymphadenopathy, FNA came back as reactive

-Dilated bile duct, no obstruction

-Generalized hyperechoic liver

-I thought I saw something in the caudal thorax, viewed through the liver.  Radiographs didn’t show anything so I was likely mistaken.  Am I just seeing some combination of artifacts there?

 

-I am assuming the most likely diagnosis is IBD or triaditis.  Any other thoughts?

 

Suzanne

 

-12 year old cat

-3 pound unexplained weight loss, no real clinical signs

-Mesenteric lymphadenopathy, FNA came back as reactive

-Dilated bile duct, no obstruction

-Generalized hyperechoic liver

-I thought I saw something in the caudal thorax, viewed through the liver.  Radiographs didn’t show anything so I was likely mistaken.  Am I just seeing some combination of artifacts there?

 

-I am assuming the most likely diagnosis is IBD or triaditis.  Any other thoughts?

 

Suzanne

 

Comments

EL

Not seeing anything through

Not seeing anything through the diaphragm but i would fna the LN and culture after fna with a touch of salinge in the syringe. Length to width ratio is conserved in the LN so more likely reactive. Assess maldigestive panel a lot of triad cats go that route instead of neoplasia. Chest rads and full cns exam to assess for occult disease causing weight loss.

randyhermandvm

Any labs?
Is hepatic

Any labs?

Is hepatic lipidosis a possiblity here?

smbrowndvm

The liver really looks that

The liver really looks that way doesn’t it? 

 

Hepatic enzymes are normal and the cat continues to eat although the owner is a little unsure how much.

 

Suzanne

 

randyhermandvm

I believe that FNA of

I believe that FNA of mesenteric LN in the cat often come back reactive- even if they have lymphoma. Maybe others can give their experience.

EL

yeh thats’s a can of worms

yeh thats’s a can of worms question but if I have an fna like this then I keep it ready to go to CSU for PCR for LSA. I send all ours telecytology through sonopath and this, in addition to being sure my guy reads it, I and my techs have the slide in hand to scan more if needed by the pathologist or ready to drop fedex to CSU.

proactively ready for the scenario of maybe could be lsa if thats an issue. But combining my sonographic read wiht Larry’s cyto read we can combine the image sets and come to a concluison that makes sense and eventually send for PCR of need be.

 

Also the length to width (egg shape vs distroted golf ball shape) ratio is conserved which fits with reactive LN… so wihtout a shooping spree of bx we try to gather as many probables togetehr to reach an empirical concluison… occasionall these guys are dry FIP and MCT cases too and they don;t respond to empirical tx well or at least not long term. If small cell lsa or moderate/severe IBD then pred leukeran is as good as anythign. So empirical pred leukeran may be in order on some of these guys.

rlobetti

Lipidosis usually have

Lipidosis usually have elevated liver enzyme activity with ALP often higher than ALT. From the history and US, my bet would be on IBD. Would keep an eye on the lymph nodes – if lymph nodes will progressively enlarge.