Multiple myeloma is an uncommon form of feline cancer that generally affects older cats. This type of cancer can affect cats of all breeds and male cats are more prone to this cancer than female cats. This is a progressive disease and an affected pet might need to be euthanized within weeks of diagnosis.
Multiple Myeloma in Cats
The white blood cells in the blood help fight infections and protect the body from disease. Plasma cells are specialized white blood cells that produce immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulins are immune proteins more commonly known as antibodies that fight off diseases caused by bacteria or viruses. When plasma cells proliferate and clone themselves repeatedly, they form a tumor due to the clumping together of these cells.
Antibodies released by these cloned plasma cells are released into the cat’s body. It is this overproduction of antibodies by plasma cells that gives rise to the symptoms associated with multiple myeloma.
Cat’s Suffering from Multiple Myeloma
The overproduction of antibodies also causes an abnormal thickening of the blood of the affected animal. This thickened blood prevents the delivery of sufficient amounts of oxygen to tissues and this has the potential to cause heart disease. The tumors consist of a group of cells that have each been produced by the multiple division of a single cell and have the same genetic makeup.
Such tumors form at multiple bone marrow sites and some are even present in the cat’s blood.
Symptoms of Feline Multiple Myeloma
Feline multiple myeloma symptoms include:
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of weight
- Excessive thirst
- Excessive urination
- Bleeding from the nose, gums and retina
- Fever
- Pain in the back and limbs
- Blindness
- Depression
- Seizures
Diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma in Cats
Since the symptoms of this disease are similar to those of several other diseases, diagnosis of multiple myeloma in cats is difficult. A physical exam and a medical history can help the vet reach a diagnosis. Other tests such as a complete blood profile, a urinalysis, X-rays of the vertebra and limbs, an ultrasound to examine internal organs and an ophthalmological exam are also performed.
Treatment of Feline Multiple Myeloma
Chemotherapy, steroids and radiation are used in the fight against multiple myeloma in cats. Chemotherapeutic drugs slow the progress of the disease and kill myeloma cells while radiation helps to shrink the tumors. Hospitalization might be required if there are high levels of calcium and urea in the blood as such levels might necessitate the purification or replacement of blood.
Antibiotics are administered in case of concurrent bacterial infections caused by a weakened immune system as a result of the cancer. If your cat has kidney failure, you might have to make dietary changes. Bone marrow response to chemotherapy has to be evaluated with the help of weekly CBC and platelet count tests for a month. In addition, protein analysis of the blood has to be done on a monthly basis until normal protein patterns are obtained.
Prognosis of Multiple Myeloma
You can expect a pet with multiple myeloma to survive for a period of 15 months.
Although some cats have a good response to the treatment, they should be regularly monitored in order to ensure that there’s no relapse of the condition subsequent to the treatment.