Pet of the Month! Coco!

Coco is a nearly 8 year old British Shorthair who is currently being treated for a High Grade B Cell Lymphoma.

Lymphoma can be present in many parts of the cat's body, as the lymphatic system is spread throughout many organs. Disease present mostly in the peripheral lymph nodes, which can be felt as enlarged lumps in the neck, in front of the shoulder blades, and behind the knees, is much less common in cats than in dogs. The disease can also be found in internal lymph nodes, in the chest cavity (mediastinal lymphoma), the liver, spleen, kidneys, nasal cavity, eyes or central nervous systems.

Depending on where the lymphoma is present, initial signs can range from nonspecific problems such as:

  • Weight loss

  • Poor appetite

  • Lethargy

  • Concerns such as difficulty breathing

  • Nasal discharge

  • Masses on the skin

  • Seizures

    If lymphoma is suspected, the ailing animal will undergo a thorough physical examination  and testing designed to either confirm or exclude a tentative diagnosis of the disease.

We asked Coco’s owners a few questions about her!

1.    What is Coco’s favourite thing to do?

She loves to be out in the garden, mostly sitting in my plant pots!

2.    Does Coco have a particular daily routine?

Yes; it starts at 5am with her running back and forth across the bed until someone wakes up and gives her a few biscuits! Then she needs to nip outside briefly. When I work from home she spends the morning in the garden before retiring upstairs to sleep on the bed for the whole afternoon. After dinner it is the garden again until the humans want to go to bed.

3.     What do you enjoy the most about Coco?

The cuddles. When she wants a cuddle she is all in.  She pushes right up against you, purrs loudly, throws herself on her back for a tummy rub and her paws move back and forth making biscuits in the air. Really gratifying to see that, she was a rescue and spent a good few years being very timid and not wanting much attention. Now she demands you follow her out to the garden to have a cuddle which is her favourite place to be. Also, when she sleeps in her bed or on the back of the sofa her front paws splay out in front of her as if she has just flopped. It is super cute.

4. How did you first notice that Coco was unwell?

She stopped sleeping on our bed at night. Then she started to get a very runny nose and just wanted to be alone. Went off her food. She just wasn’t herself at all.

5. Did you research further into her diagnosis?

Yes. The team at Horner Vets did lots and lots of investigating. None of us thought it could possibly be cancer as she is so young. She was referred to Blaise for a scan. Then I researched the different methods of treatment and success rates. 

6. What advice would you give to other pet owners?
You know when you pet isn’t right. They can’t tell you and especially with cats their instinct is to hide any weaknesses. Regular check ups and if you are slightly concerned just get in touch with the vets.

Pet of the MonthLouise Ryan