An Update On Bruno

[trinabean]

I thought I'd better move to this forum since it's about a health condition. As per my thread in General, the background story is that Bruno had a lump on his ear aspirated at a specialist clinic and sent for pathology 3 months ago, along with a variety of other tests. Somewhere along the line, someone stuffed up, and the aspiration results were lost /misplaced/ not communicated. I asked about it when I was there last week and the bungle came to light, culminating in a vet phone call to me on Friday afternoon to inform me that the mass was 'full of mast cells' and would need to be removed ASAP.

Bruno had surgery with my normal vet (a very good vet and surgeon) on Tuesday. This afternoon my vet called, and the news is not what I was hoping for (was willing it to be only grade 1, clean margins).

The lump removed from Bruno's ear was a grade 2 mast cell tumour and 'marginal' rather than clean margins. The vet explained that pathologists are always pessimists rather than optimists in their grading. He is confident that he removed all of the tumour, but we need to be watchful, particularly around the surgical site.

If the tumour re-occurs on the ear, Bruno will have to have the whole ear removed. The tumour was right above the main blood vessel that supplies the ear. So the ear skin/tissue can't survive if that vessel needs to be removed as part of a second surgery. And now we have to be vigilant, as Bruno could develop MCT's anywhere on, and in his body.

It's not the worst news, but it's not exactly the best either. And I recieved the news in the midst of a school run and busy afternoon. I held my tears in for 5 hours until I got my kids to bed. I haven't had time to process what this all means, or to look into treatment options etc. yet either.

While Bruno was under GA, the vet looked at his hips/patellas too (he 'skips' one rear leg intermittantly and has a stiffness in his gait). The good news is that his hips and patellas are good, there is no obvious reason for the 'skip.' The vet does think however, that Bruno most likely has some degree of Spondylosis in his spine, -whatever that means.... I'm too tired and devastated to look anything up tonight.

Edited October 15, 2013 by trinabean

[Yonjuro]

Oh dear, I am so sorry to hear this. I hope things get better soon. Wishing you and Bruno the best.

[~Anne~]

Sorry to hear it was Grade 2. Bruno is young too, isn't he?

Boof has only had one that grade 2 and the other 4 were grade 1. We also have the possibility he has a MCT on his spleen. There are many threads in the palliative care section and in here about MCTs. Many of us have experience in this area. It seems it is pretty common.

[CHA]

So sorry, I wish all the very best for you and Bruno and that things just continue to get better than they seem now x

[dogbesotted]

take a deep breath, then remember to breath out. Altho the result was not a perfect outcome.. it is certainly manageable. My girl Lucinda had MCT grade 3 no clean margins and lived a full and happy life for many years after dx, staffyluvs beloved Ollie dog also lived long and well with MCT. worthwhile haveing a chat with her. THis is NOT the beginning of an end.. it is an opportunity to be proactive...

May i suggest consulting with a reputable holistic vet who can put together a complementary treatment plan in conjunction with Brunos vet.

thinking of you both

Helen

[ruthless]

Oh hon *hugs*

Trixie's was Grade 2 as well. Admittedly her margins were clear so it's not exactly the same, but Grade 2 isn't the end of the world.

I've no idea what the other thing is, but I hope it's nothing bad x

[bianca.a]

Huge hugs zooming to you both xo

Not too sure how accurate this is but a quick search :

http://www.pethealthandcare.com/dog-health/spondylosis-in-dogs.html

[westiemum]

Thanks to you TB, Sarah had her op today to remove her lump which the vet said was definitely a tumour of undetermined type. Thanks so much for posting about Bruno - you have helped my Sarah too. The vet said he's confident he got it all and it came out cleanly in one piece with clean margins and without any bits growing into surrounding tissue. But it was surprisingly big - particularly when I compare it with how it felt before removal. So its now gone off to see what exactly what it is - but at this stage the vet isn't too concerned.

So big hugs to you both and thank you - and I so hope all goes well for Bruno.

[MelissaS]

Thanks for update. Got all paws and fingers crossed for you and Bruno xxx

[Jed]

Please consider what Vera Koller suggests. It may help him :) Whatever, I hope he will be ok.

[trinabean]

Sorry to hear it was Grade 2. Bruno is young too, isn't he?

Boof has only had one that grade 2 and the other 4 were grade 1. We also have the possibility he has a MCT on his spleen. There are many threads in the palliative care section and in here about MCTs. Many of us have experience in this area. It seems it is pretty common.

Thanks Anne, and yes, Bruno is only two and a half years old. I'm grateful for the experiences shared by others. I must admit, the palliative care forum is not a place I expected to be searching, while my dog is still this young.

take a deep breath, then remember to breath out. Altho the result was not a perfect outcome.. it is certainly manageable. My girl Lucinda had MCT grade 3 no clean margins and lived a full and happy life for many years after dx, staffyluvs beloved Ollie dog also lived long and well with MCT. worthwhile haveing a chat with her. THis is NOT the beginning of an end.. it is an opportunity to be proactive...

May i suggest consulting with a reputable holistic vet who can put together a complementary treatment plan in conjunction with Brunos vet.

thinking of you both

Helen

Thanks Dogbesotted, I do agree that it is manageable. I hear what you are saying regarding it being an opportunity to be proactive. The thing is, I'm already pretty flat out proactively managing Bruno's atopic dermatitis, colitis and food allergies (and the daily workload that entails). One of my children has some health problems at the moment too, so between the various vets, surgeons and specialists I'm doing a lot of running around. I will get over this hurdle and move on with things. I do find it ironic though that while I was diligently following vet advice and doing my best for Bruno, he was ultimately let down by a vet clinic. All those elimination diets and challenges, immunotherapy and skin treatments amount to diddly-squat, if the clinic lets a cancer result slip through the cracks and go untreated. Ah well...

Oh hon *hugs*

Trixie's was Grade 2 as well. Admittedly her margins were clear so it's not exactly the same, but Grade 2 isn't the end of the world.

I've no idea what the other thing is, but I hope it's nothing bad x

Thanks Ruthless.

Thanks to you TB, Sarah had her op today to remove her lump which the vet said was definitely a tumour of undetermined type. Thanks so much for posting about Bruno - you have helped my Sarah too. The vet said he's confident he got it all and it came out cleanly in one piece with clean margins and without any bits growing into surrounding tissue. But it was surprisingly big - particularly when I compare it with how it felt before removal. So its now gone off to see what exactly what it is - but at this stage the vet isn't too concerned.

So big hugs to you both and thank you - and I so hope all goes well for Bruno.

Hi Westiemum, do let me know when you get Sarah's result. Fingers crossed it's benign.

[trinabean]

And thanks for your thoughts Yonjuro, CHA, Bianca.a, MelissaS and Jed. :)

Jed, I am looking into Vera Koller's suggestions. I think Clemevi may be dropping off some medications to me that relate to the protocol Vera uses. I'll let you know how that goes. I have to work out howit fits with Bruno's current medications.

Bruno's ear seems to be healing well. Apologies for hugeness of image....This is a week post-surgery:

[schnauzer]

Trinabean, I have had three dogs with MC. One Schnauzer had multiple surgeries (as they appeared) over a number of years and lived until 13. Another Schnauzer had one MC - grade 2, never had another one, also lived to 13. My GSD had an aggressive MC, had a large piece of his thigh taken with clear margins and lived to old age. Good luck with your beautiful Bruno.

[Staffyluv]

Wishing you and Bruno all the best with his tumour removal - hopefully removing the tumour is the end of his MCT journey.

Ollie's biggest tumour was grade 2, no clear margins, even after they went back in a second time just three days after the initial operation. He lived 6.5 years after he was diagnosed.

His biggest tumour was on his rump (on the right hand side up near his tail) - his lymph glands close to this site also had active mast cells when they were biopsied. Over the years he had a few tumours removed and they were all mast cell but we didn't bother grading them.

All the reading I have done on MCT over the years, when I had Ollie, one thing stood out more than anything else - dogs with skin issues or allergy issues, seem to be more prone to mast cell tumours. Boxers, Staffs and Schnauzers seem to be the breeds most prone to them.

MCTs can vary in shape, size and colour. Ollie had one that felt like a hard pea under his skin and he had another that was like a clear wart on his toe and yet another was more like an ulcerated sore..

[bianca.a]

His wound looks like it is healing nicely ((((hugs)))) and a gentle smooch for your beautiful boy from me please.

[westiemum]

TB bruno's wound looks very neat and clean in the photo and looks like its healing very nicely. I so hope it's a once off and Bruno does really well. What a lovely boy.

I got Sarah's results results today - a very large epidermal cyst. So benign space occupying lesion and nothing more to be done except to have her stitches out next week.

TB thanks tons again for the thread.

[*Avanti*]

I hope Bruno's surgery remains a success and he is back in full form soon. *Hugs*

[Jed]

Hope bruno needs no further surgery and this intervention is all that is required. fingers crossed.

Is bruno pedigreed and registered, he looks as if he is?

[trinabean]

Trinabean, I have had three dogs with MC. One Schnauzer had multiple surgeries (as they appeared) over a number of years and lived until 13. Another Schnauzer had one MC - grade 2, never had another one, also lived to 13. My GSD had an aggressive MC, had a large piece of his thigh taken with clear margins and lived to old age. Good luck with your beautiful Bruno.

Thank you Schnauzer, it's encouraging to hear that your dogs lived to a good age after MCT. :)

All the reading I have done on MCT over the years, when I had Ollie, one thing stood out more than anything else - dogs with skin issues or allergy issues, seem to be more prone to mast cell tumours. Boxers, Staffs and Schnauzers seem to be the breeds most prone to them.

MCTs can vary in shape, size and colour. Ollie had one that felt like a hard pea under his skin and he had another that was like a clear wart on his toe and yet another was more like an ulcerated sore..

Yes Staffyluv, allergy issues seem to be associated with MCT's in the reading I have done so far. It makes sense. I know Bruno's immune system is under stress from his various allergies.

His wound looks like it is healing nicely ((((hugs)))) and a gentle smooch for your beautiful boy from me please.

Yes, I hope so Bianca.a. Smooch given. :)

[trinabean]

TB bruno's wound looks very neat and clean in the photo and looks like its healing very nicely. I so hope it's a once off and Bruno does really well. What a lovely boy.:)

I got Sarah's results results today - a very large epidermal cyst. So benign space occupying lesion and nothing more to be done except to have her stitches out next week.

TB thanks tons again for the thread.

Westiemum that's such good news. I hope her stitches heal well.:)

I hope Bruno's surgery remains a success and he is back in full form soon. *Hugs*

Thank you LabTested. He seemed to be back in full form about an hour after surgery. I was more phased than him.