How to Treat a Sebaceous Cyst on a Cat

How to Treat a Sebaceous Cyst on a Cat: cyst removal and how to treat a cat cyst at home #catcyst #cathealth #catcare #catslover To Learn More Visit: https://ourfitpets.com/health/how-to-... Have you been snuggling with your kitty and found a strange growth or bump under her skin? This can be frightening, especially since our feline fur babies can develop skin cancer, just like us. However, the issue could be caused by a sebaceous cyst. If you hop on the Internet to look for pictures similar to what you found on your feline companion, you’ll quickly learn that a sebaceous cyst often looks like skin cancer. However, don’t panic. Just be sure to call the vet and take your fur baby to be checked out. A sebaceous cyst, also known as an epidermal inclusion cyst, is a benign tumor of the skin. In fact, these are the most common type of skin tumors on cats. These bumps with the funny name are made of sebum, which is a thick, cheesy, yellow substance. Sebum is secreted by the sebaceous gland, which is made of fat and cellular debris. It works to keep your kitty’s skin protected and lubricated. The sebaceous glands are found at the end of each hair follicle. The cyst forms when the follicle is blocked, which leads to a build up of sebum. The cat sebaceous cyst rupture can result from an untreated cyst that has burst, which can lead to infection. This is why your fur baby needs to see the vet. If the cyst is somehow damaged by constant trauma, such as excessive licking or chewing, then it can become inflamed and/or infected. This type of cyst can develop on cats of any age, breed or sex. The bumps can appear anywhere on your cat, but are most often bound on a cat’s chest, sides or legs. Cats don’t seem to be bothered by these cysts; however, when not treated, the cyst can continue to grow and rupture. In the beginning, a sebaceous cyst may resemble a small red, raised area on your kitty’s skin. The bump may even be difficult to find when it first develops. Your fur baby’s fur is thick and may make it difficult to even see the cyst. When the cyst grows, it will become readily apparent. And if your cat finds the cyst and constantly licks or chew it, the bump will become bigger and swollen. It may also have a reddish color. Other symptoms of sebaceous cysts can include: Raised, fluid-filled bumps on a cat’s skin Excessive itching, biting or scratching of the area Oozing or ruptured bumps A DVM should be consulted by cat owners as soon as something unusual is visible on a cat’s body. You cat health may require you to use an Elizabethan collar to make your cat isn’t gonna create inflammatory issues on the cyst area. A follow-up with a vet will ensure that your cat’s immune system is normal and that raised bumps or a scab on parts of the body will not require sutures to avoid a bacterial infection. Your vet will ask you questions about the cyst, such as when you first noticed it, has it broken open or gotten bigger, etc. The vet will then give your kitty a physical examination and check her skin for any other bumps and skin issues. Sebaceous cysts can appear in multiples, along with different sizes and numbers. Your vet will determine how many cysts your fur baby has, and then will be able to determine the best treatment for her. One thing to keep in mind is that sebaceous cysts can resemble skin cancer, so the vet may want to perform a biopsy of your kitty’s cyst to make sure it’s benign (not cancerous). The term for this type of procedure is a fine needle aspiration and biopsy. Your precious fur ball will not need to be sedated for this procedure. The vet will insert a sterile needle into the cyst, and then take some of the fluid and tissue, which will then be sent to the lab for testing. The vet may do this with each cyst. Treatment of sebaceous cysts on cats can vary. It depends on how many cysts a cat has, if they’re causing problems, etc. For instance, where the cyst hasn’t changed in size, is causing no discomfort, and doesn’t appear to bother the cat, the vet may choose to leave sebaceous cyst intact for now. This may also be the recommended treatment for cats who aren’t comfortable at the vet’s or that are not very friendly, and easily managed. In this case, the vet will recommend that you monitor the cyst and bring the cat back in for an appointment if the cyst changes or you find additional cysts on your kitty. If the biopsy has come back with no sign of cancer, then the vet may decide to drain the cyst. This is done using a needle that’s placed into the cyst, and then withdrawing the fluid. This procedure generally doesn’t hurt your fur baby and doesn’t generally require that she be sedated. If the fluid is very dense, the vet may need to lance the cyst in order to drain it. For this procedure, your cat will receive a local anesthetic. Once that takes effect, the vet will cut into the cyst and drain the fluid.