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Lymphadenitis in Cats

Lymphadenitis in Dogs and Cats

Swollen Lymph Nodes

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Updated on September 26, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
The term lymphadenopathy refers to enlarged lymph nodes. Lymph nodes can be enlarged for many reasons including infection and cancer. Lymphadenitis is the term used to describe a non-cancerous condition of the lymph nodes which are enlarged due to infection or inflammation.
SEVERITY:
Severity is moderate to severe
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Requires a diagnosis by a veterinarian
  • Time to Cure
    Resolves within weeks after treatment in some cases
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian and by the pet parent
  • Prevention Icon
    There is no known prevention
  • Spread Icon
    Some infectious causes of lymphadenitis may be transmissible to other animals or humans but most are not.
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires physical exam, fine needle aspirate and cytology of lymph nodes, lymph node biopsy, and often blood testing
VERY COMMON IN
Pets of any breed, age or gender can develop lymphadenitis.

Symptoms & Signs

Enlargement of one or more lymph nodes is the most common sign of lymphadenitis. Pet parents may notice a bump on their pet when they are petting them. It may be possible to see the enlarged lymph node under the fur. Enlarged lymph nodes can be found most often under the jaw, in front of the shoulder blade, behind the armpit, in the groin and behind the knee. If the lymphadenitis is due to infection, the pet may have a fever or act lethargic or not want to eat. Other symptoms may be displayed depending on the area involved. Enlarged lymph nodes under the jaw or throat may cause drooling, excessive swallowing, decreased appetite or a cough. Infections often travel toward the heart, so if an infection occurs in a foot, the lymph nodes further up the leg can be enlarged due to the infection fighting cells being stimulated. Infections and inflammation can be very painful, so limping or licking at affected areas may occur. Swollen lymph nodes are painful and muscle movement increases discomfort, so the pet may not be as active as usual. Seek veterinary care ASAP when you detect a new lump or your pet is painful, lethargic, or does not want to eat.

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will begin with a physical examination of your pet. He or she will palpate the different locations where lymph nodes are found and check for enlargement. If an enlarged lymph node is found, your veterinarian needs to determine whether this enlargement is due to lymphadenitis, which is not cancerous, or to a cancer such as lymphoma. They will perform a fine needle aspirate of the lymph node with a tiny needle and obtain a cell sample for cytology, which is. evaluating the cell sample with special stains under a microscope. This helps differentiate lymph node enlargement from infection (lymphadenitis), from sterile inflammation, and from enlargement due to cancer such as lymphoma. If the cytology is not diagnostic or if there is concern for cancer, a biopsy may be needed. During a biopsy, a section of the lymph node is taken under heavy sedation or anesthesia and is submitted to a laboratory for histopathology . Your veterinarian may also recommend running blood tests to check for signs of infection.

Causation

There are many lymph nodes in the body. Lymph nodes are a type of gland and play a key role in the immune system. The function of a lymph node is to filter the blood and lymph and present foreign material such as bacteria, fungi or viruses to the infection fighting cells located in the lymph node. These cells then become activated and multiply as well as start releasing inflammatory enzymes and antibodies, causing the lymph node to become enlarged. This is called lymphadenitis.. The lymph nodes that drain an affected area become enlarged. For instance, if a pet has an infection in the gums, the submandibular lymph nodes (located under the jaw) will be enlarged as the blood and lymph from that area drain into these glands. . Sometimes lymphadenitis occurs due to an overreaction of the immune system, especially in dogs, and immunosuppressive therapy such as steroids are needed. 

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
Administer medications as prescribed by your veterinarian.
icon SUPPORTIVE CARE
Depending on the cause, your pet may need IV fluid therapy, IV medications, and sometimes pain medication or compresses.
icon MEDICATIONS
Treatment for lymphadenitis is targeted at the cause for the inflammation. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections; antifungal medications are used to treat fungal infections. Some viral infections can be treated with antiviral medications, others can only be treated with supportive care. Sterile lymphadenitis (no infectious cause present) usually is treated with anti-inflammatory steroids.
icon SPECIALISTS
A general practice veterinarian can diagnose and manage most cases of lymphadenitis. Some cases may be referred to a specialist in veterinary internal medicine.

Cost Of Treatment

The cost of treating lymphadenitis is generally under $1000. This may include exam, diagnostics and treatment(s).

Recovery

Lymphadenitis secondary to an infection or inflammation usually improves or resolves within days after starting appropriate medical treatments.

Monitoring

Follow-up depends on the cause of the infection or inflammation and your pet’s progress, but may involve additional examinations or laboratory testing..

Prevention

There is no known prevention for lymphadenitis; however, keeping your pet’s vaccines up to date and limiting contact with other animals may reduce the chance of developing some infections that cause lymphadenitis.

Questions about Lymphadenitis

My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

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My puppy had parvo virus. If I bring a fully vaccinated dog here, can it infect the new dog? Is there still a risk?

If they new dog is a year old and you are completely sure that that it is 100 percent vaccinated there is a very minimal risk that it will be infected. However, that being said, vaccines are never 100 percent effective so there is always a 0.09 percent chance that the new dog could get the virus. But you should be safe bringing the new dog home. I would make sure that the home environment has been cleaned as thoroughly as possible (this means with bleach to all surfaces) and make sure that the outdoor surfaces have been cleaned as well. Parvo can live in the environment for an annoyingly long time (up to 6 months) so it wouldn't hurt to apply a safe mixture of bleach product to your yard as well. This is probably going completely overboard, but you know how scary parvo can be!

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I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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Can I reapply flea treatment early? It’s been 2 weeks with no results.

A [flea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/fleas-life-cycle-anatomy-disease-transmission) infestation on your pet or in your home can be [difficult and frustrating](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-are-fleas-so-hard-to-kill) to deal with. Yes, if after two weeks the [flea preventive you applied isn't working](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-reasons-your-flea-prevention-isnt-working), you can reapply flea treatment early, or switch to another brand. I recommend using Advantix or a chewable prescription product from your vet, like Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, or Credelio. This recommendation is unrelated to Petco or PetCoach. If you are seeing fleas on Mia now, you can give her Capstar ([Nitenpyram](https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/nitenpyram)). It's a one time pill that starts killing adult fleas in 30 minutes and is safe to use with a topical treatment. Use a monthly preventive on all pets for at least 3 consecutive months to break the flea life cycle. Year round use is preferred. You will also have to [treat the environment](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas). Wash all bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. Discard of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Use a spray, such as Indoorex or Knockout ES, in the house and to prevent reinfestation.

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.