Logan's Mast Cell Tumor

[Boxer_21]

On 9/8/14 I brought Logan in to have a couple of lumps looked at. One I thought might be a bug bite and the other I was certain was a lipoma. Well, the vet aspirated both and told me what I did NOT want to hear. The bug bite was clean, but the “lipoma” was actually a mast cell tumor. Surgery was immediately scheduled for Thursday, 9/11.


On Monday the lab results came back. Please bare with me as I’m not familiar with the language so I may use the wrong terms here. The tumor was subcutaneous so apparently can’t be graded like the other tumors are. They did however get clean margins and the mitotic index showed no differentiated cells. Hope I said that right. So all signs were good that it did not spread. The game plan now is to keep an eye on it for signs of regrowth. Hopefully he'll be one of the lucky dogs and only have one throughout his life.

This happening so soon after losing Mason really gave me a kick in the pants to learn more, MUCH more about holistic approaches. I set up an appointment (10/20) to see a holistic vet for titers, and will be working with them to figure out how to manage him long term. From what I’m gathering, MCTs are usually caused by an allergy of some sort? So if that’s the case I need to figure out if it’s dietary (he is fed raw) or environmental somehow. I have no idea how to go about this. For now I’m giving him 50mg of Benadryl twice a day. Any other advice on any supplements or anything else I can do to help him would be appreciated.

Moderator note: text edited, please read the rules.

 

[RockTheBoxer]

I can't offer any advice but am so sorry that you are going through this with Logan, especially so soon after Mason's passing. Please keep us updated on his progress. I'll keep good thoughts for you!

 

[Jan]

I think you are doing the best thing, by feeding a raw natural diet. No more vaccinations is a good strategy too.

Hopefully he will never have another Mast Cell Tumour!

 

[Boxer_21]

Thanks! I'm doing everything I can to try to help them. It seems like every boxer I own I experience a different health issue with them. Riley was ARVC, Mason was Insulinoma, Logan's is mast cell tumors, so far Abby has been good. Hopefully she's not hiding anything up her sleeve!

Sorry to the mods about that snippet I left in my post too. I had a hard time finding the rules and had typed that message up in advance and saved it to post later. I posted in the Contact Mod forum to see if I could mention it and forgot I left it in there when I posted. :(

 

[Boxer_21]

Well, I feel like a dope now! I just noticed the rules are actually the first link on the forum. I honestly have no clue how I missed it there. I spent most of my time looking in the FAQ page and somehow over looked it. Again I apologize. Apparently my eyesight is going with my age.

 

[Linda/NJ]

I have no advice. I am sorry to hear Logan needed surgery and fingers crossed that it never comes back.

 

[Cami]

So sorry for what you and your guy are going through.
A couple of things that might help....
"Subcutaneous" just means under the skin. A large portion of MCT's originate there. Coming back with no grade would put the tumor at a grade 1. It really does HAVE to have a grade based on the test results (low mitotic index).
Clean margins are fantastic news and you couldn't hope for better.
Currently there is no known cause for MCT's. Allergies don't cause them specifically but it is almost like the chicken and the egg. Which came first?
Traditionally a dog with allergies might go on to develop MCT's in their lifetime. A dog with a MCT sans allergies might go on to develop them *someday*.
The most we can hope for is to do whatever we can to control the allergens once we figure out what they are and help the symptoms via whatever means necessary.
Allergies, MCT's, thyroid and cardiomyopathy seem to have some sort of connection. I hope and pray that someday this is determined and becomes common knowledge. Until then we can just thank our lucky stars that BoxerWorld is here and boxer lovers from around the world can share our experiences.
The Benadryl is a great addition and can greatly reduce the amount of histamine in the body (MCT's contain histamine). Possibly the reduction in histamine might help to ward off a future MCT (who knows) or keep the one removed from returning (again, who knows)? Depending on weight - 50mgs, twice a day might be a bit too much for a "maintenance dose". I am not a vet just making an observation. My girl Cami was on 25mgs twice a day for many years while battling MCT's. She also had heart issues and that dose was a compromise between oncologist and cardiologist. She was 60-ish pounds. She had allergies which we were able to avoid as much as possible so didn't "treat" the allergies with medication....meaning the 25mgs twice a day for her weight *probably* would not have helped to alleviate her allergies.
Another common addition would be Pepcid (or similar), to lower the histamine in the tummy. MCT's wreak havoc on their tummies.
Fish oil should also be given daily to help lower the amount of inflammation in their bodies (it also helps in other ways).
A grain free, low carb-gluten free, cancer starving diet is suggested as well.
Vitamin C is a biggie too.

 

[Boxer_21]

Thanks everyone!

Cami, Logan is 64lb. The vet said to give him 1mg per pound twice a day so going by that I'd actually be slightly under dosing him. This was before surgery though. She actually said I could stop giving it to him, but all of the research I've done says to keep giving it to him so I am at least until I talk to the holistic vet.

I'm reading up on supplements like fish oil, krill oil, coconut oil, vit C, raw honey, etc to see which ones may suit him best. Again, we'll be going over all of this with the holistic vet.

I'm very excited to be taking these steps towards a more natural approach. I'm hoping it'll help to prevent more MCTs. Time will tell I guess.