Author Topic: Mast Cell tumor- any experience?  (Read 11347 times)

Offline imogen

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Mast Cell tumor- any experience?
« on: June 19, 2005, 06:23:32 pm »
Hi all,

I was supposed to go and meet my new grey Radar on the weekend, however, on his 'final' vet check-up it was discovered he may have a Mast Cell Tumor.

The vet is going to remove the lump and send it off for testing but I'd love to know if anyone has had any experience with this kind of cancer?

I hope he is okay and his foster mum isn't too stressed by all this either!

Imogen

Offline poofynewfy

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Re: Mast Cell tumor- any experience?
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2005, 07:24:47 pm »
Oh goodness! I have no experience with tumors of any kind, but send you and your new dog my prayers!

Offline mastiffmommy

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Re: Mast Cell tumor- any experience?
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2005, 02:47:28 am »
Imogen, I have not had a dog with this kind of tumor myself, but know of dogs who have.

First I want to say that I hope and think things will be totally okay with your new doggy.

Mast Cell tumors, are cancerous proliferations or mast cells. They can spread throughout the body, But I think you concider the biggest risk being from secondary damage, that is caused by a chemical they produce and release. They are very hard to recognize and need a biopsy, they can vary a lot in apperance, not like your "regular" tumor where you say it will most likely be hard and fixed, these ones are way trickier. They can be fairly innocent or aggressiv and malignant.And they are very common in dogs.

There are as with all kinds of cancer very little knowledge to why it starts, they have done lots of studies and I could go on for ever about it, but certain breeds tend to be more prone to mast cells and mast cell tumors. They have suggested that it can develop with chronic immune over stimulation that occurs in dogs with allergies amongst other things. Or there may be environmental factors or virus, it is also age associated, older dogs tend to get it more often than young ones.

The vet is removing the tumor and it is in for biopsy, they will also need to do quite a bit of test work to determin the grade of the tumor and how aggressiv the cancer seems to be and how big of a "hold" it got in the body.

The tumors are staged and graded, meaning it is decided how aggresive it is and how far it has spread. there are different treatments depending on what "scor" the tumor gets. surgically remove is always done, then it depends on the tumor some are being treated with radiation, some with prednisone or even chemotherapy

Okay this was a long and boring post. I am afraid I probably didnt do much good either, you are probably more nervous now than you were before and I am totally sorry for that, I did not mean to do that, only give you some facts. The good thing is, if and when it is cought early the prognosis are very very good.

I could go on a lot longer here, but Ill spare you'll hehe

Please let us know how he is doing and what the biopsy says. Give big huggs and slobbers and a big good luck to you,

Marit
what the lion is to a cat, the mastiff is to a dog

Offline imogen

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Re: Mast Cell tumor- any experience?
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2005, 05:16:07 pm »
Thanks for the posts!

I'm not sure what stage the tumour is at yet as there hasn't been a biopsy done. Apparently there is a preliminary test that will be done (small needle sucks out some goobies to see if there are cancerous cells there) and I think that is being done today.

I heard that if the tumour is at stage one, there is a good chance that it will be cured by removing it. If they don't pop up again in the following 6 months, its pretty much gone... however, that isn't always the case.

There is also a SLIM chance that the tumour isn't even a cancer. I'm hoping its just a lump of fat... but thats a long shot!

I'm scared to think of what might happen. The rescue lady who is fostering him is looking after all the vet arrangements at the moment and keeping me up to date. She said she'd understand if we decided not to take him and all of my family and friends are telling me not to. Our last dog had a good life, 16 years old but she died of mammory  tumours. It was very upsetting and I'm not sure I want to risk it again! I'm torn as to what decision to make.

Any opinions or more information on the tumours?

Imogen

Offline imogen

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Re: Mast Cell tumor- any experience?
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2005, 06:03:43 pm »
Great news!

It turned out to be a  cluster of fatty globs... pretty yucky but I'm happy!

Here's a pic of the little guy I'm going to ppick up in around ten days!

Offline mastiffmommy

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Re: Mast Cell tumor- any experience?
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2005, 12:33:43 am »
I am sooooooo happy for you and puppy, I have been thinking about you and hoping it would come out negativ (the tumor I mean lol) you say cluster of fatty globs, is it like a lipoma?

He is adorable, looks like a real charmer, youll have a hard time saying not to that one hehe, he will have you around his paw in no time.

Congratulation s and you just must post pics when you have him home

Marit
what the lion is to a cat, the mastiff is to a dog

Icerotti

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Re: Mast Cell tumor- any experience?
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2005, 09:13:26 am »
Hello,
Hugs and prayers to your puppy.
I just lost my Katie girl to a mast cell tumor on her front leg at age 9, 1 month ago. Hers was very aggressive. She was diagnosed 9 months prior with bursitus(sp?)inher right front elbow. I think in hindsight it was the beginning of the cancer. There was alot of swelling at the site and she was limping too. We began managing it with Metacam for pain.
Just stay on top of it with the tests and be persistant if you have to be. Best of luck with everything .
Michelle

Offline Moonhawksowl

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Re: Mast Cell tumor- any experience?
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2005, 10:47:55 am »
I'm very sorry about your beautiful Rottie,
Conan, Magicks father had a mass sist removed a year before we found out he had bone cancer, the sist was on his front left leg a big thing too, they removed it all and found no cancer, a year went by and he was doing finebut I notice that he was collecting fluid in that same place, in be tween He got a limp on his rear right leg, Now this boy went after rabbits! he'd kill them I swear by scaring them to death:) never toar one apart just brought it to the porch to show me he was ptotecting my vegtable garden, so I and the vet thought he strainded his leg his front leg had just plain fluid they drained funny that never showed cancer, or they never checked! Conan never complained during the rest of the winter and had no meds. now he was walking on this back leg there were times we thought hey it looks good, then he had problems again with it I took him back in on april 1st they checked his front leg were the sist was and that was fine, I told the vet he was limping on his rear leg more and for him to check it, he took an x-ray came back to show me what was really wrong, there was more than two inches missing from his upper bone,  and the vet said I would only haves two weeks with him. He send me home with pain pills for conan.
I don't really know how I drove home I could hardly see for cryining so hard, this was a shock!
or a really bad april fools joke. A few days passed, yes still had a bit of a headache from crying, But that day I sat with conan watching Magick play with the kitty, I looked into Conans eyes and a Peace & calm came over me, he was the one sick but he was helping me. That evening I told my husband that on July on the weekend of the 7th conan will want to be put down, Tim thought I was just being emotional, but Conan wasn't ready to leave till he felt things were ok, and  teaching his son. Conan was fine he had no pain because of the meds, but the vet saw him a few times in between and said he looks great, such a will. But Conan New his time and told me and perpared me for over two months, he taught me to live everyday, on Saturday July 7th 11:a.m. I called the vet and they were waiting for us, Tim & I had to help Conan out of the house and into the car he couldn't move his back legs at all, but the night before he was fine walking around, ate a good meal,and we all laid on the bed together watching a movie and fell asleep. Conan was an old Soul, he walked in to the vets office, he would not go on the strecher. we got into the room I sat on the floor and Conan Laid right on me and I was holding his head, My thoughts went back to Magick, because when we took Conan out of the house have carrying him, Magick started to howl, not a whine, yipping, barking, but like a Wolf for a pack member he knew.
The vet asked if we need More time to say good by, I said give him the shot, I held him tight till he was gone, I could feel him pass thru me as he left his body. At 12:30 p.m. Conan crossed over. But to this day he still is a part of us, He left me a presious gift Magick!:)
A Girls Best Friend Is Her Rottweiller:)& Horses!!