Cost for tumor removal? My husband needs information....and I am sad and scared...

Hi - We found a rather large lump on our 9 yr old cat's shoulder this
weekend, and took her to the vet today. Five minutes, $42, and a quick
pinch of the lump and the vet said we needed surgery to remove it, and
probably a biopsy. We also need pre-op bloodwork due to her age.

I used to be a vet tech for awhile, so I know that this tumor doesn't
feel great and is not an abscess or lipoma. It's a hard mass, and not
especially regular. It almost feels like a smaller mass with a larger
one around it. It's fairly deep beside the shoulder blade and may
extend into the muscle (or more). To me, 'though they are rare, it
really sounds like a vaccine related sarcoma.

Either way, we want to do the best for our cat. Should we insist on a
biopsy prior to the surgery? Can anyone give me a ballpark on what the
surgery will cost? My husband is sure it will be $5-10,000 and I am
thinking more like $750. It would help my home be a more peaceful
place tonight if someone has an idea, however rough, on the cost of
one tumor removal surgery with bloodwork. If it helps, the tumor is a
few inches in diameter from what I can feel.

Thanks so much for anything you can offer....we're saying lots of
prayers tonight for our special feline friend.

annabanana

hi
I'm not sure on how much it would cost but probably be based on the area,
particular vet and the size and position of it and how hard it would be to
be removed. You could phone the vet that you took your cat to and ask for
an estimate and they should be able to give you a ballpark figure. I know
when I have taken in my cat's before that needed surgery the vet would give
an estimate.

"Annabanana" wrote in message
m...
Hi - We found a rather large lump on our 9 yr old cat's shoulder this
weekend, and took her to the vet today. Five minutes, $42, and a quick
pinch of the lump and the vet said we needed surgery to remove it, and
probably a biopsy. We also need pre-op bloodwork due to her age.

I used to be a vet tech for awhile, so I know that this tumor doesn't
feel great and is not an abscess or lipoma. It's a hard mass, and not
especially regular. It almost feels like a smaller mass with a larger
one around it. It's fairly deep beside the shoulder blade and may
extend into the muscle (or more). To me, 'though they are rare, it
really sounds like a vaccine related sarcoma.

Either way, we want to do the best for our cat. Should we insist on a
biopsy prior to the surgery? Can anyone give me a ballpark on what the
surgery will cost? My husband is sure it will be $5-10,000 and I am
thinking more like $750. It would help my home be a more peaceful
place tonight if someone has an idea, however rough, on the cost of
one tumor removal surgery with bloodwork. If it helps, the tumor is a
few inches in diameter from what I can feel.

Thanks so much for anything you can offer....we're saying lots of
prayers tonight for our special feline friend.

annabanana

hi
I'm not sure on how much it would cost but probably be based on the area,
particular vet and the size and position of it and how hard it would be to
be removed. You could phone the vet that you took your cat to and ask for
an estimate and they should be able to give you a ballpark figure. I know
when I have taken in my cat's before that needed surgery the vet would give
an estimate.

"Annabanana" wrote in message
m...
Hi - We found a rather large lump on our 9 yr old cat's shoulder this
weekend, and took her to the vet today. Five minutes, $42, and a quick
pinch of the lump and the vet said we needed surgery to remove it, and
probably a biopsy. We also need pre-op bloodwork due to her age.

I used to be a vet tech for awhile, so I know that this tumor doesn't
feel great and is not an abscess or lipoma. It's a hard mass, and not
especially regular. It almost feels like a smaller mass with a larger
one around it. It's fairly deep beside the shoulder blade and may
extend into the muscle (or more). To me, 'though they are rare, it
really sounds like a vaccine related sarcoma.

Either way, we want to do the best for our cat. Should we insist on a
biopsy prior to the surgery? Can anyone give me a ballpark on what the
surgery will cost? My husband is sure it will be $5-10,000 and I am
thinking more like $750. It would help my home be a more peaceful
place tonight if someone has an idea, however rough, on the cost of
one tumor removal surgery with bloodwork. If it helps, the tumor is a
few inches in diameter from what I can feel.

Thanks so much for anything you can offer....we're saying lots of
prayers tonight for our special feline friend.

annabanana

(Annabanana) writes:

Either way, we want to do the best for our cat. Should we insist on a
biopsy prior to the surgery?

Has the vet explained why she wants to skip the biopsy?

Can anyone give me a ballpark on what the
surgery will cost? My husband is sure it will be $5-10,000 and I am
thinking more like $750. It would help my home be a more peaceful
place tonight if someone has an idea, however rough, on the cost of
one tumor removal surgery with bloodwork. If it helps, the tumor is a
few inches in diameter from what I can feel.

One of my cats had a major surgery to remove a big lipoma from his
chest a couple years ago, and I think it came to around $800 or $900.
At the vet's suggestion, he also got a dental cleaning while he was
already sedated for the surgery, so that was included in the price,
too.

-Sandra

(Annabanana) writes:

Either way, we want to do the best for our cat. Should we insist on a
biopsy prior to the surgery?

Has the vet explained why she wants to skip the biopsy?

Can anyone give me a ballpark on what the
surgery will cost? My husband is sure it will be $5-10,000 and I am
thinking more like $750. It would help my home be a more peaceful
place tonight if someone has an idea, however rough, on the cost of
one tumor removal surgery with bloodwork. If it helps, the tumor is a
few inches in diameter from what I can feel.

One of my cats had a major surgery to remove a big lipoma from his
chest a couple years ago, and I think it came to around $800 or $900.
At the vet's suggestion, he also got a dental cleaning while he was
already sedated for the surgery, so that was included in the price,
too.

-Sandra

Either way, we want to do the best for our cat. Should we insist on a
biopsy prior to the surgery? Can anyone give me a ballpark on what the
surgery will cost? My husband is sure it will be $5-10,000 and I am
thinking more like $750. It would help my home be a more peaceful
place tonight if someone has an idea, however rough, on the cost of
one tumor removal surgery with bloodwork. If it helps, the tumor is a
few inches in diameter from what I can feel.

Thanks so much for anything you can offer....we're saying lots of
prayers tonight for our special feline friend.

annabanana

I hope your kitty will be okay. I certainly don't think it will be anywhere
near 5-10 thousand dollars. I would definitely think that your guess is much
more likely, possibly 1,000 with bloodwork, etc. I have not had this done on
any of my cats, tho, so I also am guessing. Good luck to your kitty and keep
us posted.


Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

Either way, we want to do the best for our cat. Should we insist on a
biopsy prior to the surgery? Can anyone give me a ballpark on what the
surgery will cost? My husband is sure it will be $5-10,000 and I am
thinking more like $750. It would help my home be a more peaceful
place tonight if someone has an idea, however rough, on the cost of
one tumor removal surgery with bloodwork. If it helps, the tumor is a
few inches in diameter from what I can feel.

Thanks so much for anything you can offer....we're saying lots of
prayers tonight for our special feline friend.

annabanana

I hope your kitty will be okay. I certainly don't think it will be anywhere
near 5-10 thousand dollars. I would definitely think that your guess is much
more likely, possibly 1,000 with bloodwork, etc. I have not had this done on
any of my cats, tho, so I also am guessing. Good luck to your kitty and keep
us posted.


Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

Either way, we want to do the best for our cat. Should we insist on a
biopsy prior to the surgery? Can anyone give me a ballpark on what the
surgery will cost? My husband is sure it will be $5-10,000 and I am
thinking more like $750. It would help my home be a more peaceful
place tonight if someone has an idea, however rough, on the cost of
one tumor removal surgery with bloodwork. If it helps, the tumor is a
few inches in diameter from what I can feel.

My cat had a small tumor which costs around $400 to remove, including biopsies.
Vet fees will vary according to where you live, but I'm fairly certain it
isn't going to cost anywhere near $5,000.

Sherry

Either way, we want to do the best for our cat. Should we insist on a
biopsy prior to the surgery? Can anyone give me a ballpark on what the
surgery will cost? My husband is sure it will be $5-10,000 and I am
thinking more like $750. It would help my home be a more peaceful
place tonight if someone has an idea, however rough, on the cost of
one tumor removal surgery with bloodwork. If it helps, the tumor is a
few inches in diameter from what I can feel.

My cat had a small tumor which costs around $400 to remove, including biopsies.
Vet fees will vary according to where you live, but I'm fairly certain it
isn't going to cost anywhere near $5,000.

Sherry

"Annabanana" wrote in message
m...
Hi - We found a rather large lump on our 9 yr old cat's shoulder this
weekend, and took her to the vet today. Five minutes, $42, and a quick
pinch of the lump and the vet said we needed surgery to remove it, and
probably a biopsy. We also need pre-op bloodwork due to her age.

I used to be a vet tech for awhile, so I know that this tumor doesn't
feel great and is not an abscess or lipoma. It's a hard mass, and not
especially regular. It almost feels like a smaller mass with a larger
one around it. It's fairly deep beside the shoulder blade and may
extend into the muscle (or more). To me, 'though they are rare, it
really sounds like a vaccine related sarcoma.

Either way, we want to do the best for our cat. Should we insist on a
biopsy prior to the surgery? Can anyone give me a ballpark on what the
surgery will cost? My husband is sure it will be $5-10,000 and I am
thinking more like $750. It would help my home be a more peaceful
place tonight if someone has an idea, however rough, on the cost of
one tumor removal surgery with bloodwork. If it helps, the tumor is a
few inches in diameter from what I can feel.

Thanks so much for anything you can offer....we're saying lots of
prayers tonight for our special feline friend.

annabanana


We brought our cat in for a biopsy on what we expected to be a vaccine
associated sarcoma..... a lipoma (1 cm) popped up after she cut through the
fat layer, so she removed it. She charged about $150 and the biopsy was
$68. We lucked out this time. I hope the same for you.
Linda