Case Story: Bailey’s Tail: A Little Shorter, Just as Sweet
Bailey, a handsome 10-year-old domestic longhair, came to see us at the end of last year after his owner noticed a lump on his tail which was slowly growing and getting inflamed.
The lump appeared like an inflamed cyst, so we initially trialled a course of anti-inflammatory medication.
When Bailey came in for his senior clinic a few weeks later the lump had grown further, so we took fine needle aspirates of the lump.
The needle aspirates didn’t reveal an obvious diagnosis but did show some possible concerning cancerous cells so a surgical biopsy was carried out under anaesthetic.
This confirmed the diagnosis of a soft tissue sarcoma which is a malignant cancerous mass. These masses can grow anywhere on the body and while they don’t tend to spread to other structures until much further on, they can grow rapidly.
Sadly, because of the location of the lump we had no other option but to amputate the end of Bailey’s tail to remove it. We are pleased to say that we were able to remove all the cancer cells and this should prove curative for Bailey.
Bailey’s tail fur has since grown back nicely and despite sporting a slightly shorter tail you wouldn’t know anything had happened!
Bailey’s case highlights the importance of checking your pets regularly for lumps and bumps and if your pet has a new or changing lump then always book a consultation with a vet.
