Tess had her surgery today to remove the mast cell tumor. We decided to not have the surgery on her ACL. The vet said they got the tumor and got good margins on it. She is groggy, but recovering from her surgery nicely. The tumor was sent off for testing and we are hoping for the best on that.
Mast Cell Tumor and ACL Tear
- Thread starter MikeKrug
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Hobbes
Boxer Pal
At one of Napoleon's vet visits last year, I had brought to the attention of my vet that Napoleon had a growth in one of his arm (paw) pits. The vet said it looked like a skin tag, but to keep an eye on it. If it grows or changes color to bring him back. Me, being the worrier I am, went back 2 months later because I felt it had gotten bigger/longer.
We decided to have the vet remove the growth. Turned out it was a skin tag and it was removed no problem. But while Napoleon was under, the vet did notice another growth on his flank. It was more irritated looking and he thought it should be removed while the dog was already under.
It was sent out for testing and it came back as a mast cell tumor. Tumor, you instantly think cancer and what are we going to do. I researched them and asked a million questions of my vet. The work on the tumor showed it to be a borderline grade 1/2 mast cell tumor. The vet recommended chemo. Something didn't sit right with me that this vet was trying to push this on me and not really being a little more compassionate/understanding about it and discussing alternate options. I did a little research on the vet and found that other pet owners felt the same way about this particular doctor at this vet practice...that he just pushed additional treatments, etc...
I got a second and third opinion from recommended vets and the other 2 vets based on all the bloodwork results and operative reports felt that the potential side effects of chemo outweighed just being more observant with Napoleon's skin. We actually switched vets to one of the ones that gave us a second opinion because he thoroughly discussed with me mast cell tumors, specifically in boxers. What the vet community thought of them a few years ago and advances in studies and where the vet community is with mast cell tumors now. He also discussed all treatment options from chemo to just being more vigilant in spotting them early on. This put me at much more ease and we decided that we were just going to keep a better eye on Napoleon's skin and bring him in for vet visits every three months instead of every 6 months.
From the time when he had the first one removed until just about a year later, we check Napoleon's skin everynight while he's getting comfy in bed and he has been tumor/growth free for almost a year.
We decided to have the vet remove the growth. Turned out it was a skin tag and it was removed no problem. But while Napoleon was under, the vet did notice another growth on his flank. It was more irritated looking and he thought it should be removed while the dog was already under.
It was sent out for testing and it came back as a mast cell tumor. Tumor, you instantly think cancer and what are we going to do. I researched them and asked a million questions of my vet. The work on the tumor showed it to be a borderline grade 1/2 mast cell tumor. The vet recommended chemo. Something didn't sit right with me that this vet was trying to push this on me and not really being a little more compassionate/understanding about it and discussing alternate options. I did a little research on the vet and found that other pet owners felt the same way about this particular doctor at this vet practice...that he just pushed additional treatments, etc...
I got a second and third opinion from recommended vets and the other 2 vets based on all the bloodwork results and operative reports felt that the potential side effects of chemo outweighed just being more observant with Napoleon's skin. We actually switched vets to one of the ones that gave us a second opinion because he thoroughly discussed with me mast cell tumors, specifically in boxers. What the vet community thought of them a few years ago and advances in studies and where the vet community is with mast cell tumors now. He also discussed all treatment options from chemo to just being more vigilant in spotting them early on. This put me at much more ease and we decided that we were just going to keep a better eye on Napoleon's skin and bring him in for vet visits every three months instead of every 6 months.
From the time when he had the first one removed until just about a year later, we check Napoleon's skin everynight while he's getting comfy in bed and he has been tumor/growth free for almost a year.
CrazyCharlie
Completely Boxer Crazy
Glad everything went well! I hope the testing comes back with good news!!
Hi everyone,
I was waiting to post again until I got the test results back. The result was a grade 1 tumor. My vet to keep her on Benadryl and keep an eye on her. He is confident that he got all of the tumor and hopefully if we are vigilant, we can catch anymore that may happen. He didn't recommend chemo or anything. He says we caught this one early, so hopefully things will be okay. I am going to check her every night for other tumors. Thanks to everyone that posted and any opinions that anyone has to try and prevent these would be greatly appreciated. I know there is really no sure fire way to do so, but any suggestions may help.
Mike
I was waiting to post again until I got the test results back. The result was a grade 1 tumor. My vet to keep her on Benadryl and keep an eye on her. He is confident that he got all of the tumor and hopefully if we are vigilant, we can catch anymore that may happen. He didn't recommend chemo or anything. He says we caught this one early, so hopefully things will be okay. I am going to check her every night for other tumors. Thanks to everyone that posted and any opinions that anyone has to try and prevent these would be greatly appreciated. I know there is really no sure fire way to do so, but any suggestions may help.
Mike
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