A lump on the nipple is a serious threat to the life of a cat!

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Any signs of disease in cats should be investigated, both serious and insignificant at first glance. For example, such as if a cat's nipple is swollen. Because these animals are patient and are ready to put up with the fact that something is going wrong in their body. They only begin to be capricious when the disease takes on serious forms, and nothing can be returned back.

That is why, if you just notice that your cat’s nipple is swollen, sound the alarm: collect information, analyze the cat’s recent behavior, whether there are other signs, perhaps the other nipple is swollen, or ulcers have appeared, etc. Whatever it is, it’s worth noting all this and going with your cat to the veterinary clinic for a detailed examination as soon as possible.

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What could be a sign that the nipple is swollen and red? What actions are needed?

Causes

Before you grab your cat and run with it to the veterinary clinic, you need to find out what could trigger the appearance of black spots on and around the animal's nipples. There may be several reasons, and we will consider each of them in detail:

1. Banal pollution.
2. Pregnancy.
3. Increased activity of the sebaceous glands.

Let's start our conversation by considering the first reason.

Symptom

Cats have four pairs of nipples on the anterior abdominal wall. Most often, pathology develops in the last two pairs of nipples. One nipple (rarely several) increases in size. Along with the nipple, the mammary gland also swells. What diseases can this occur in?

Pollution

On cat lovers' forums there are often questions about black spots on the nipples of pets. These points appear regardless of the sex of the animal and its age. Owners react differently: some panic and ask what to do, some ask absolutely calmly what these points are, and others immediately move on to the question of whether this is fatal for the cat.

More experienced owners, judging by the number of emoticons, slightly laugh at such alarmists. And they advise you to wet a cotton pad with warm water or skin tonic, gently wipe your nipples or the area adjacent to them and admire the results of your labors. A few black dots on a cat's nipple are not a reason to bury your pet prematurely. This may be the most ordinary, most banal contamination, easily removed using the method described above.

Pregnancy

When an animal is expecting offspring, loving owners are ready to blow off specks of dust from it. And any, even the most insignificant problem, one way or another related to the health of the animal, causes a panic attack. Some owners immediately grab the expectant mothers and run to the veterinary clinic. And others, not wanting to injure an already nervous pet, besiege the “cat breeders” forums with questions.

The most popular question among owners is the appearance of black dots around the cat’s nipples. This phenomenon frightens owners, especially newbies, and they ask what to do. Is it worth calling a veterinarian or taking your pet for examination or will these points pass? Experienced owners reassure newcomers: there is no need to be afraid of such rashes. Everything is not as terrible as it might seem at first glance.

The fact is that a pregnant cat’s hormonal levels “play.” And as a result of this, various changes occur, including those characterized by the appearance of black dots on the nipples of expectant mothers. Closer to the birth they will disappear, but now the owners can only be happy for the pet. This phenomenon, especially in the early stages of pregnancy, when the belly has not yet appeared, indicates that the pet is definitely expecting offspring.

Diagnostics

To differentiate the form, as well as the type of pathology, the treating veterinarian, in addition to examination and palpation, based on the need, prescribes the following diagnostic measures:

• Blood analysis. Often these are general and biochemical. They allow you to assess the pet’s condition and, if there are other pathologies, identify them;
• Ultrasound and chest x-ray. With their help, the exact localization of the main tumor is revealed, as well as the presence of metastases and from the location;
• Biopsy, or fine-needle aspiration of pathological tissues and lymph nodes for cytological examination;

A histological examination of biopsied tissues can also be used to identify the exact type of formation that affects the cat. Due to this, the appropriate treatment for the tumors is selected.

Acne

Everyone knows what it is. Acne, or blackheads, occurs in both humans and animals. It occurs due to improper functioning of the sebaceous glands. Acne looks quite ugly, it spoils the face, which is the subject of complexes among teenagers. Especially for young representatives of the fair sex.

As for cats, they don’t have a complex about acne, because they don’t know that it spoils their appearance. The main areas where acne appears in cats are the chin, nipples and the area around them. This phenomenon is due to the fact that the hair in these places is the shortest or absent altogether. And where there is no hair, there are more sebaceous glands, which work very well. Sometimes blackheads appear on the inside of an animal's ears.

Types of neoplasms on the chest in cats

Tumors in the mammary glands can be benign or cancerous. Benign formations, such as an adenoma or cyst, can reach impressive sizes. They cause inconvenience to the animal, but do not pose a threat to life.

Malignant tumors often cause death in cats. They can invade areas outside the gland and grow into neighboring organs and tissues. These tumors metastasize, which complicates treatment.

Benign tumors most often arise due to hormonal imbalance caused by the use of hormones or cessation of feeding the offspring. In addition, neoplasms can appear after injury to the mammary glands. Another common cause of cystic glandular lesions is genetic predisposition.

Breast cancer in a cat

The vast majority of tumors in cats are malignant. Breast cancers, such as carcinoma and sarcoma (see photo), grow rapidly and affect other organs. Malignant tumors are difficult to treat because they usually manifest themselves in the later stages of the disease.

Features of acne

Does your cat have black spots around his nipples? Try washing them off as we advised above. If it doesn’t work, it’s possible that it’s acne. They can appear not only due to an excess of sebum secreted by certain glands. The reasons for their occurrence look something like this:

• Unsanitary conditions in which the cat is forced to live. Her bowls are never washed, her litter box is cleaned once a week, and her diet consists of leftovers from the master's table? Because of this, the animal’s hormonal levels are disrupted, causing the appearance of black dots near the nipples of a cat or cat.
• Allergy to filler is another factor in acne.
• Contact with a sick animal, oddly enough, will give rise to the fact that your furry pet will develop black spots in the most vulnerable areas of the body.
• When an animal has problems with the central nervous system, various diseases cannot be ruled out. It’s not for nothing that they say that all diseases are caused by nerves. This phrase can also be applied to our smaller brothers. The body reacts sharply to what is happening around it, receiving incorrect information from the environment. More precisely, the information is correct, only the dendrites cannot transmit it along the nerve fibers correctly. And it reaches the brain in a distorted form. He begins to panic, giving various physical reactions, including the appearance of acne on the cat’s body.
• If a pet suffers from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or liver, it needs a certain diet. Otherwise, food will not be able to be absorbed as it should be, because the gastrointestinal tract cannot cope with its job. The side effects of this factor is the appearance of black spots on the nipples, chin and ears of the pet.
• Regular stress is very difficult for cats to tolerate. The body tries to protect itself from it, and nervous and psychological disruptions occur. The consequences are various mental and physical diseases. Blackheads are one of these consequences.

Preventive measures

Owners of domestic cats should carefully monitor the condition of their pet's nipples, since tumors in them are most often malignant. If even small balls appear under the skin, it is necessary to urgently show the animal to a veterinarian. To protect your pet from this terrible diagnosis, you need to follow the recommendations of specialists:

• Sterilize a nulliparous female before puberty. Many scientific studies have shown that spayed females have a reduced risk of developing malignant tumors on the mammary glands.
• Do not use hormonal contraceptives. During the period of female heat, people usually use veterinary drugs that neutralize its symptoms. These medications contain hormonal substances that disrupt the activity of the animal’s own gonads.
• Use quality feed. Cheap food with a large number of additives and carcinogens is one of the reasons for the development of cancer in animals.

If the nipple is swollen due to mastitis or mastopathy, then the prognosis in this case will be favorable. However, mastitis also causes a lot of trouble for the animal, so it is better to try to prevent it. Prevention of this disease includes the following measures:

• regular antiparasitic treatment;
• eliminating the possibility of your pet getting injured and hypothermia;
• preventing stagnation of milk in the breast of a nursing female, applying kittens to all nipples;
• frequent change of bedding for a female with kittens;
• trimming babies' claws if they damage the skin on the mother's chest;
• the use of special ointments for cracks in the areolas and nipples.

Should you go to the vet?

If a cat has a black dot on its nipple that cannot be washed off, it is clear that this is not dirt. If your pet is properly maintained and pregnancy is excluded, you should contact a veterinarian. After all, acne is a disease. And it is categorically not recommended to treat it yourself. You can only make the problem worse.

In advanced cases, the appearance of blackheads will not be limited to the main zones. They can be found on the elbows, near the genitals, on the skin between the fingers and the inner thighs.

Mastitis

Mastitis usually develops in a nursing cat, although it can occur in a pregnant cat. It is due to the fact that milk stagnates in the mammary glands. And this stagnation is accompanied by infection. In this case, the mammary gland looks swollen, painful, it is fused to the skin, and the vascular pattern is clearly visible. The nipple is dense, hot, covered with small cracks. The cat avoids touching the belly, but she licks the sore nipple more often than others. When you press on the nipple, you can see a cheesy discharge.

Because treatment, which includes vitamins, antibiotics, immunostimulants.

How to treat?

Attention! This section is for informational purposes only. Treatment can only be prescribed by a veterinarian; we provide this information so that the owner knows what is ahead of him and can calculate the approximate costs of the drugs.

In the case of the primary manifestation of the disease, “light” medications are used. The main emphasis is on treating the affected areas of the body with products that include chlorhexidine. By the way, it can be purchased in its pure form. The drug is called: chlorhexidine solution.

Take a cotton pad, soak it in the solution and carefully treat the black spots on your pet’s nipples. Then wipe with a dry cotton swab, removing any remaining liquid, and cauterize with iodine.

Your veterinarian may prescribe an ointment. As a rule, this is “Vedinol”, which has proven itself in veterinary medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent. The drug also promotes rapid wound healing very well. Before applying the ointment to damaged areas of the cat's body, it is necessary to treat them with chlorhexidine.

An alternative to Vedinol are ordinary human ointments, which include Sintomycin and Flucinar.

For secondary acne, antibiotics are used for external use. They are prescribed only by a veterinarian, sometimes he recommends oral medications.

When the rash has not yet become inflamed, this stage of the disease is considered the initial stage. No medications are needed here, just a cosmetic lotion to remove makeup is enough. You need to choose one that has disinfectant properties.

Mastopathy

Mastopathy is an inflammation of the mammary gland, accompanied by the appearance of cysts and other lumps. A disease without treatment and constant veterinary control can become an impetus for the formation and proliferation of cancer cells.

Mastopathy is more common in individuals who have given birth and is practically not diagnosed in cats that were sterilized at an early age (before a year or a little over a year).

The signs of the pathology are in many ways similar to the symptoms of mastitis:

• the cat's chest is swollen;
• bleeding appeared;
• the glands are visually enlarged;
• touching causes pain to the female.

Timely identified mastopathy responds well to treatment - cats tolerate medications and injections well. The disease at the initial stage is treated with drugs containing iodine and immunomodulators.

In advanced cases, when ulcers appear on the skin, conservative therapy is ineffective. Serious lesions require surgery, during which the affected glands, as well as the uterus and ovaries, are partially or completely removed. The animal will require long-term rehabilitation.

Disease prevention

In order to avoid acne on your pet’s nipples, it is necessary to follow preventive measures:

• If you feed your cat natural food, it should be fresh. An animal’s bowl, like its body, is not a garbage can into which waste can be dumped.
• Keep bowls and the area where they are kept clean. Wash them daily and prevent food from drying out and sticking to the bowls.
• The cat's water should be fresh; do not allow mucus to appear in the bowl, especially if it is plastic.
• Change the filler in a timely manner. Remove the used one, add a new one.
• Do not allow your pet to come into contact with homeless or unfamiliar animals.