Your physician may identify a lump as a cyst by physical examination, but many physicians confirm the diagnosis by mammography or ultrasound examination. The physician may then perform a fine-needle aspiration as the next step in diagnosing the cyst. This procedure involves guiding a very fine needle into the cyst and drawing fluid from it. This procedure also serves as the treatment for this condition, as once the cyst is aspirated, it collapses and disappears.

Cysts are large (sometimes over 5mm in diameter), hard bumps below the skin surface. They are similar to nodules, with only one exception – they are pus-filled. They can be painful and long-lasting. They may cause scars, especially if they are popped. In such situation they become more painful and the inflammation lasts longer than when they are left alone.

Yes. However, cysts in non-Persian cats are relatively rare, regardless of the cause. So the current theory is that almost all cysts found in Persians and related breeds will be PKD cysts. Dr. Biller will be conducting research to help establish exactly how frequently cysts are found in non-persian cats. This study should help us understand the frequency of non-PKD kidney cysts in Persians, and possibly even provide clues about how they can be differentiated from PKD cysts using ultrasound.

There are two medications that are most often prescribed to treat epilepsy, Phenobarbital and potassium bromide. These two drugs used either alone or in combination with each other control seizures in 80 to 95% of all dogs. For dogs who are not controlled with these two drugs, there are other medications that aren't as consistently helpful but may be the perfect medication for an individual dog.