My cat has panniculitis, but lumps are growing. What's next?

Question

My cat developed a bump on his forehead. After antibiotics did not improve things, the vet removed as much of the lump as possible (it was near his eye) and a sample from his swollen thyroid. They came back non cancerous, but they said panniculitis. We have done predisolone for two weeks and the lump is growing back, and there is another one growing in size on the side of his head. My vet is admittedly unfamiliar with this condition. Could you help me with what to try next? Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 12 years and 1 month old | 17 lbs

Sara Farmer, DVM · Accepted Answer

Nodular panniculitis can be caused by an underlying infectious cause like bacteria or fungal organisms, so it is important to make sure there is no evidence of secondary infection. Mycoplasma is a bacteria that can be difficult to culture and treat and could cause lesions that would look like panniculitis on a biopsy. I believe lesions typically respond to prednisone if there is no underlying infection, but sometimes other immunosuppressive medications like Atopica are also necessary. You may want to ask your vet about referral to either an internal medicine specialist or a dermatologist for further work up.

My cat has panniculitis, but lumps are growing. What's next?

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