Metastatic digital carcinoma in the cat: A retrospective study of 36 cats (1992-1998)

Thirty-six cats with bronchogenic carcinoma metastatic to the digit were id entified. The mean age was 12.7 years, with no breed or sex predilection, R ecords from 19 cases were available for review. These cats presented with a primary complaint of lameness that involved primarily weight-bearing digit s and the third phalanx. None had respiratory signs, despite the presence o f pulmonary carcinoma. Course of disease was consistent in the 19 cases, wi th a mean survival time of 58 days from initial presentation. Amputation of affected digits was rarely palliative due to development of lesions in oth er digits and progressive nonrespiratory disease.