My senior cat has GI pain. Does cortisone affect lymphoma diagnosis?

Question

My 17 year old cat hasbeen diagnosed with severe arthritis & inflamed bowel. 2 vets have said his bloodwork looked great, however I took him to emergency vet today who said his white cell count was a bit high and he might have lymphoma, but an ultrasound was needed to determine for sure. However, it may not be accurate now because he got a cortisone shot 10 days ago, so I did not do ultrasound. His main sypmtom is it hurts when he eats & since on 2 meds forr pain hasboth constipation and diarea. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

IBD and GI lymphoma can look identical on lab work and ultrasound - the only way to distinguish the two for certain is to do an intestinal biopsy. Steroids can decrease the number of inflammatory cells and make diagnosis more difficult. Both can be difficult to manage, and each cat may need a different treatment plan. Often pain medications, nausea medications, anti-inflammatories, hypoallergenic diets, probiotics, antibiotics, etc are needed.

My senior cat has GI pain. Does cortisone affect lymphoma diagnosis?

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