Bad News...
- Thread starter jgrock
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Cindy Creel
Boxer Insane
We are sending all the positive vibes and prayers you need.
boxers4life2001
Boxer Insane
I'm sorry about the bad news. My boy has had 6 mast cell tumors removed in the span of his life so far, he will be 8 in Dec. The last mast cell tumor was just removed two weeks ago and the margines are supposedly clean but it extended very close to the margines. He had his first mast cell removed when he was only around three years old. One thing you will need to be is very observant for any new tumors and get them checked asap.
Is there a possibility of maybe amputating the toe since there is not enough skin to just remove it w/clean margines?
Good Luck with your baby, let us know how the aspiration goes. You all will be in my thoughts and prayers!!!!
~Carrie~
Is there a possibility of maybe amputating the toe since there is not enough skin to just remove it w/clean margines?
Good Luck with your baby, let us know how the aspiration goes. You all will be in my thoughts and prayers!!!!
~Carrie~
Thanks so much for all the good vibes and well wishes. It means so much to have everyone's support. I haven't heard anything yet about the aspirations on his lymph nodes. I will post the info as soon as I get it.
Carrie- Thank you so much for your info. Knowing that your baby has lived five years... well, it just helps me feel better.
I asked about amputating the toe-and vet said that because of the location of the tumor it probably wouldn't help (surgeon agreed). The tumor was at the very top of his toe where it joins his foot. The surgeon even suggested amputating his entire hind leg! I said no way. Amputating a hind leg on a large dog is just too traumatic (for him as well as me).
I will continue to check him for lumps and hope for the best.
Thanks again,
jgrock
Carrie- Thank you so much for your info. Knowing that your baby has lived five years... well, it just helps me feel better.
I asked about amputating the toe-and vet said that because of the location of the tumor it probably wouldn't help (surgeon agreed). The tumor was at the very top of his toe where it joins his foot. The surgeon even suggested amputating his entire hind leg! I said no way. Amputating a hind leg on a large dog is just too traumatic (for him as well as me).
I will continue to check him for lumps and hope for the best.
Thanks again,
jgrock
I hope you get good results from the biopsy.
I co-owna bitch who's going strong almost 3 years after having a Gr. II mast cell tumor removed from her leg. Her vet was a hysteric, urging amputation or a month's inpatient radiation hours away at the state university vet school.
We passed on that
A couple of things we learned from dealing with it.
a) Some experts will actually mentally subtract a grade from the pathologist's impression when a boxer is involved, because a boxer with a Grade 2 will do better than other breeds with a Grade 2.
b) Nobody EVER really gets clean margins, particularly when you're dealing with the legs and feet. This is not a death sentence.
c) if everything comes up normal now, do the chest xrays and bloodwork to follow up, and keep a keen eye out for other lumps and bumps, but don't live paranoid.
Also, as a side note, dogs do VERY well on three legs. Seriously. They can run just as fast, and enjoy their lives just as much. If you're too squeamish to consider it, I can understand and respect that, but the dog would be just fine. I don't know that I'd do an amputation for a mastcell that hadn't spread (or one that had), simply because if the dog had limited time left I would not want it to go through the major surgery.
But when an otherwise healthy young dog is injured or otherwise damages just the one leg, it honestly is something they can cope very well with.
I co-owna bitch who's going strong almost 3 years after having a Gr. II mast cell tumor removed from her leg. Her vet was a hysteric, urging amputation or a month's inpatient radiation hours away at the state university vet school.
We passed on that
A couple of things we learned from dealing with it.
a) Some experts will actually mentally subtract a grade from the pathologist's impression when a boxer is involved, because a boxer with a Grade 2 will do better than other breeds with a Grade 2.
b) Nobody EVER really gets clean margins, particularly when you're dealing with the legs and feet. This is not a death sentence.
c) if everything comes up normal now, do the chest xrays and bloodwork to follow up, and keep a keen eye out for other lumps and bumps, but don't live paranoid.
Also, as a side note, dogs do VERY well on three legs. Seriously. They can run just as fast, and enjoy their lives just as much. If you're too squeamish to consider it, I can understand and respect that, but the dog would be just fine. I don't know that I'd do an amputation for a mastcell that hadn't spread (or one that had), simply because if the dog had limited time left I would not want it to go through the major surgery.
But when an otherwise healthy young dog is injured or otherwise damages just the one leg, it honestly is something they can cope very well with.
I have two dogs that have had mast cell tumors. One had a grade 2 on the prepuce (male dog sheath) that was removed with dirty margins. He was only 1 year old at the time. The other had a grade 1 removed from her left shoulder area. She was also young when this happened -- only 3 years old. Neither of these dogs are boxers -- they are a Boston Terrier and Pug respectively. However, these breeds, like boxers, also often exhibit a "less malignant" variety of the mast cell than other breeds.
The grade 2 on the prepuce had 21 daily radiation treatments to clean up his margins. This anatomic location is considered to be more malignant, or associated with more aggressive tumors, than other parts of the body, so that's why we opted for radiation -- that, and the fact that he was only a year old and it offered the best statistics in terms of long-term control. He finished his radiation treatments just about a year ago and continues to do really well (knock on wood). He has had some more suspicicious growths pop up, but all have been aspirated and none have been mast cell tumors. He goes to the veterinary oncologist every 6 weeks for a physical exam.
The grade 1 on the shoulder was removed surgically with very wide margins. That was also a year ago -- they happened at the same time to unrelated dogs -- different breeds even!! Can you believe that? Anyway, she is doing well too. She has also had a couple of odd lumps and bumps here and there and all have been aspirated and have come back normal. She also goes to the veterinary oncologist every 6 weeks for a physical exam.
I agree that if the nodes are clean and the x-rays are clean, then just careful monitoring for tumor recurrence at the same site or new tumors elsewhere is the best thing to do. I have heard that dogs that have had mast cell tumors in the past are more likely to get more. By the way, if they do spread, mast cell tumors usually spread to the lymph nodes, liver and spleen,not the lungs, so chest radiographs are not always the most helpful in these cases.
What I have found is that most mast cell tumors, if caught early, are really quite treatable unless they are grade 3's. Those are usually quite aggressive. Fortunately, most of them are grade 1's and grade 2's. I wish you the best of luck because I absolutely know how scary the diagnosis can be and making decisions for another living creature's life without their input can be very difficult to do.
You are definitely in my thoughts and prayers.
The grade 2 on the prepuce had 21 daily radiation treatments to clean up his margins. This anatomic location is considered to be more malignant, or associated with more aggressive tumors, than other parts of the body, so that's why we opted for radiation -- that, and the fact that he was only a year old and it offered the best statistics in terms of long-term control. He finished his radiation treatments just about a year ago and continues to do really well (knock on wood). He has had some more suspicicious growths pop up, but all have been aspirated and none have been mast cell tumors. He goes to the veterinary oncologist every 6 weeks for a physical exam.
The grade 1 on the shoulder was removed surgically with very wide margins. That was also a year ago -- they happened at the same time to unrelated dogs -- different breeds even!! Can you believe that? Anyway, she is doing well too. She has also had a couple of odd lumps and bumps here and there and all have been aspirated and have come back normal. She also goes to the veterinary oncologist every 6 weeks for a physical exam.
I agree that if the nodes are clean and the x-rays are clean, then just careful monitoring for tumor recurrence at the same site or new tumors elsewhere is the best thing to do. I have heard that dogs that have had mast cell tumors in the past are more likely to get more. By the way, if they do spread, mast cell tumors usually spread to the lymph nodes, liver and spleen,not the lungs, so chest radiographs are not always the most helpful in these cases.
What I have found is that most mast cell tumors, if caught early, are really quite treatable unless they are grade 3's. Those are usually quite aggressive. Fortunately, most of them are grade 1's and grade 2's. I wish you the best of luck because I absolutely know how scary the diagnosis can be and making decisions for another living creature's life without their input can be very difficult to do.
You are definitely in my thoughts and prayers.
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