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Mast Cell Cancer


Staffyluv
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He had some blood taken and we will get the results next week.

The vet went all over him and tested the big lump in his tummy that I thought was a lipoma and it is just that - a lipoma. However he is concerned with the size of it - he said if it gets bigger he would like to remove it. I asked if he was worried about putting Ollie under because of his age and he said NO because he is bascially as healthy as a horse.

Such good news - we are reducing his carafate medicine to two a day for two weeks and then one a day for a couple of weeks - if he is fine with that we can then take him off it completely. We are going to do the same with the maxalon - he thinks he may only need one day now. He still has to have his thyroid meds and the omprezole for his tummy.

I showed him a couple of other lumps that I believe are MCT but we decided against testing because I am not going to put him through any operation unless it was life saving. In saying that the vet believes they may be MCT but feels it would be easier to remove them while they are this small - I don't see the point. We know his cancer is systemic and has invaded his lymph system, so he is always going to get more. I am not really for it.

I think he was pretty impressed with the boy and how he is doing.

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He is doing well at the moment thanks. He is still in remission - this must be the longest remission in the history of dogs (he does still have tumours they are just not doing anything and I will leave well enough alone at this point).

Thanks for thinking of us rmc

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Hi Staffyluv

Was just reading your posts and wanted to let you know that it definitely brought a huge smile to my face. Your little man Ollie sounds like an absolute legend and I just wanted to send you both my best best wishes.

Me and my pups have been on a bit of a roller coaster ride over the past month. My 8 yr old staffy x lab Charlie was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I was a mess when I first heard this and wasn't really sure what this meant or how serious it was.

Because of the location of the tumor surgery was not an option, he was diagnosed on the Friday and was in having his radiation treatment on the Wednesday. It was very hard leaving him at the vets and what was even harder was not seeing him for another 13 days which was when his radiation level was ok for him to come home.

I was so excited when I got the call to go pick him up...... I got there that quickly that they didn't even have a chance to wash him. Saying he was happy to see him mummy was is an understatement. I have another two pups, Millie who is 11 and Spud who is 3. Millie and Charlie have been together since he was 9 weeks old.

He has been home for the past 2 weeks and he is looking fantastic. I changed all of their diets ASAP to all raw etc and took him to see a holistic vet for his supplements, nutrition etc.

I am so glad that there was something that I could do to help him and love my little man to bits.

I was hoping that you might be able to offer some info on the Mast Cell Tumors.......................................

Last week we noticed a lump on my other pup Millie, it was just behind her left armpit. Took her to the vet as we have done so many a time whenever we have found lumps but unfortunately this time the asperide came out with blood which is has never done before. Talk about being speechless........................................... I'm absolutely gutted....................................................

I'm a pretty positive person but this has made me pretty angry and sad. I was sooooo happy that Charlie was doing so well and now this.................

My little girl is booked in to have the lump removed on Monday and I wanted to ask for your advice. If they remove it all and it doesn't appear to have spread, what happens next???? Will she need radiaiton, chemo or other treatments ????And is this a tumor that will come back?????

I cannot believe that within the same damn month both of my pups have had this happen to them........ I am so trying to be positive and will do anything I have to do to keep them all healthy.

I love them with all of my heart and want to give them best chance possible.

Many thanks

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Hiya Kirsty,

First of all, thanks for reading our story - if it makes just one more dog owner get a lump tested and a life saved (if the lump is malignant) then my job is done :rolleyes:

One MCT can look different to another. Ollie had a few lumps to begin with - some of which felt soft and spongey (these turned out to be fatty lipomas). One looked like a clear wart - this turned out to be the problem MCT because it was on his toe and once removed, there were no clear margins and mast cells had already invaded the local lymph nodes. The other one, felt like a hard pea under the skin - like marble hard, not soft in any way. When this was originally removed, they took a lot of tissue around the tumour but did not get clear margins on it either, so they went back in three days later and took as much of his fatty tissue as they could (this one was on his left rear rump). Sadly, still no clear margins. As for the one on his toe, there was no point removing his toe because it had already spread to the lymph nodes in that area.

He has another on his right hip and another near his throat still but I am not prepared to put him through anymore major surgery. He also has a couple of big lipomas that we are watching, in case they have to be removed (hopefully not, I am not sure I would go through with it unless the vet could promise me he would come out OK).

OK, we NEVER had blood come out with a needle aspiration. I don't know what this means to be honest. Did the vet not tell you the results of the aspirate when he looked at it.

Whenever Ollie had a needle aspiration done, the vet took it straight out the back and came back and told us what it was and if further investigation was required.

It is good that you are using a fresh food diet - I am a big believer in the better the food, the better they stay for longer. We use a lot of organic stuff I get from the markets but I also cook Ollie's food (he won't eat anything raw except for some veges). I honestly don't think it makes that much difference (cooking to raw), as long as the ingredients are premium and no crap is given.

Good luck with both your dogs, I hope they get well soon and are around for you for a long time.

Start a thread for them and keep us updated. The palliative care section is a great support for those of us with terminal animals.

Jodie

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Hi Jodie, thanks for the reply.

It was my mum who took Millie to the vet when she had the needle aspiration done. When she saw the blood come out and heard the vet say that this is 'not good' she was in shock a little and I don't think she heard all of what the vet was actually saying to her, bless.

The vets are back on Monday which is when she is going in for her surgery so I will have a good chat with them then.

Both Charlie and Millie both have had a few fatty lumps over the years. am pretty vigilant with my dogs and if I notice something is not right I always take them to the vets to be on the safe side.

I took your advice and have started a threat called 'My beautiful pups, Charlie & Millie' here I will give updates and progress reports on how they are both doing.

A huge tummy tickle goes out to your brave little man Ollie, I wish you both the very very best x

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  • 2 weeks later...

We went out for dinner last night and when we came home Ollie was lame and could not get up.

I am pretty sure it is the same joint infection that he had a few months ago, so I am waiting for our vet to open at 4pm today.

The little lad is a bit better this morning and can get up but I am still taking him up to the vet at 4pm.

He is also favouring the leg with the cruciate ligament injury, so I am not sure if we are going to have to bite the bullet and get that done for him.

Will write up what the vet says later today once we have been.

Wish up luck - it has always worked in the past.

J

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Hi Jodie

Just a quick email to say that the pups and I are wishing you and Ollie all the very best.

Super pup Charlie has also had both of his cruciate ligaments done - typical...... he couldn't just have done the one leg...... Oh no he had to go and tear the other one!!!!!!!!!!! My pup has expensive taste like his mum......................

Take care and let us know how you go.

Kirsty x

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Thanks Kirsty,

It looks like Ollie has damaged his other rear leg cruciate ligament also - he may end up needing both of them done.

I am going to rest him for a week and see if I can get him back to where he was before this last set back. Hopefully with rest he will not need the operation at the moment.

I am really hesitant to put him through surgery, he was 11 in June and even though his blood work comes back clear, I can see the tumours that he does have are growing.

Will see how he goes in the next week.

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