Guest KikeM Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I adopted Luna in May 09. She had just had a spay and though the sutures were out, there was still some healing time at home. I'd check the incision site everyday, since it was still red and tender. At that time I noticed a black dot on her chest that I assumed was either a black-head, or a scab from a kind of puncture wound... something like a needle, since it was very small. A few weeks went by and she still had this scab, but it was starting to look dry on the edges, so i picked it off, and to my surprise it started bleeding more than I expected. I put neosporin on it and have left it alone since. But the thing has never gone away. Recently it has started to worry me, so i took to looking up on the net and found that it might be Hemangiosarcoma. Does this look familiar to anyone here??? And this is the culprit, so you can see her and not just the scary scab thingy... -KM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macoduck Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 My Wally has had something very similar. Sometimes they scab up, bleed if scratched, fall off, come back. Some we've had biopsied. The cancerous and non-cancerous thingies like this are very similar looking so let your vet check her. Quote Freshy (Droopys Fresh), NoAh the podenco orito, Howie the portuguese podengo maneto Angels: Rita the podenco maneta, Lila, the podenco, Mr X aka Denali, Lulu the podenco andaluz, Hada the podenco maneta, Georgie Girl (UMR Cordella), Charlie the iggy, Mazy (CBR Crazy Girl), Potato, my mystery ibizan girl, Allen (M's Pretty Boy), Percy (Fast But True), Mikey (Doray's Patuti), Pudge le mutt, Tessa the iggy, Possum (Apostle), Gracie (Dusty Lady), Harold (Slatex Harold), "Cousin" Simon our step-iggy, Little Dude the iggy ,Bandit (Bb Blue Jay), Niña the galgo, Wally (Allen Hogg), Thane (Pog Mo Thoine), Oliver (JJ Special Agent), Comet, & Rosie our original mutt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cvtga1 Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Not to sound smart but is it a nipple? Sometimes when we clip the surgical area the nipples get cut and can form little scabs like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kydie Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 You would feel better if you had it checked, right, please keep us posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KikeM Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Not to sound smart but is it a nipple? Sometimes when we clip the surgical area the nipples get cut and can form little scabs like that. I don't think you're trying to be smart... now that i look at the pic, it looks like a nipple! LOL! But I'm pretty sure it isn't because all 10 of hers are accounted for, and that thing is almost over the sternum. In the picture i was stretching the skin towards the light with my hand so we could take a decent pic. This is actually very small, and when it falls off (which has happened at least twice that i know of) it leaves a hole. Do you guys know about how much a biopsy would run? Should i do pet insurance??? My boyfriend was recently laid off, so we're operating with half the income.... This thing makes me really nervous.... -KM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kydie Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Cost is so different from area to area, just check out the dental thread, in my area of the country, I'm sure it is much less than in very urban areas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundgang Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 my opinion (based on hundreds of greyhounds passing thru my home): - not a hemangiosarcoma - never seen one looking like that looks like something that is a little inflamed, and is scabby. i'd just leave it alone and let nature do what it will. if you would feel better going to a vet, do that. You don't need a biopsy. it'll just be a vet visit cost. my guess would be nipple also. claudia & Greyhound Gang Quote Claudia & Greyhound Gang100% Helps Hounds GIG Bound! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopeForHounds Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Peanut just had something exactly like that removed from her toe. Like you I thought it was a scab, but when I soaked it it was still there. Our vet removed it and the histopathology result was hemangioma. Totally benign, but they have their own blood vessels so they can bleed profusely. Quote Casual Bling & Hope for HoundsJanet & the hounds Maggie and Allen Missing my baby girl Peanut, old soul Jake, quirky Jet, Mama Grandy and my old Diva Miz Foxy; my angel, my inspiration. You all brought so much into my light, and taught me so much about the power of love, you are with me always.If you get the chance to sit it out or dance.......... I hope you dance! Missing our littlest girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawthorn Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Both of mine have had lesions that looked exactly like that. I had them both removed and they were cutaneous hemangiomas: benign but could turn into the malignant form, cutaneous hemangiosarcoma if left. I'd get it removed and biopsied asap. Quote When a relationship of love is disrupted, the relationship does not cease. The love continues; therefore, the relationship continues. The work of grief is to reconcile and redeem life to a different love relationship. ~ W Scott Lineberry Always Greyhounds Home Boarding and Greyhounds With Love House Sitting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJane Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I would recommend taking to the vet and doing the biopsy if the vet recommends it. Things like this are usually easier (and cheaper) if treated aggressively at the beginning rather than waiting to see if it gets worse (and more expensive or impossible to treat). I understand that having one of you unemployed makes it difficult to manage expenses right now -- is there a chance that you could borrow money from relatives? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trevdog Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I'd get her checked out. Even a biopsy of it shouldn't be terribly expensive. My Trevor had one of those and it was benign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Energy11 Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I would get it biospied, too. RE: Pet Insurance, I am about to get it, as I have FIVE and cannot find a job at a vets here to save my life. Pet insurance DOES NOT cover pre-existing conditions, so if you ARE going to get it, I'd get it ASAP, and THEN have the biospy done. If you have the biospy done now, they will NOT cover anything to do with it. I think Trupanioin is the best insurance I personally can find, but there are many out there. I am not sure what the mark is, but getting it checked couldn't hurt. Good luck and lots of love! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greytful4 Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Could you ask the vet about maybe making payments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greydogluvr Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Both of mine have had lesions that looked exactly like that. I had them both removed and they were cutaneous hemangiomas: benign but could turn into the malignant form, cutaneous hemangiosarcoma if left. I'd get it removed and biopsied asap. I agree. This is exactly what I did and was told about my Heart Dog, Inca. He started with these at about age 8. We monitored them carefully... they were not problematics until he was 14 and were not related to his passing. So they are very manageable if they turn out to be hemangiomas. She is a beauty!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 More likely to be a benign hemangioma but it never hurts to check. FWIW, here a biopsy costs @ $100-$120; that's on top of the cost of removing the icky. I suspect your little icky could be removed under a local, which would reduce surgical cost. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KikeM Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Thank you so much for your replies. Right now we're looking into the pet insurance thing because if it ends up being malignant at least there would be some coverage. Any suggestion on what company is good/better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trevdog Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 We have Petfirst, however there is a waiting period of 30 days. I would get her checked before that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest freightsmom Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 I can share my experience with Freight lately. He had a couple of places that looked exactly like this so I took him to the dermatologist and she removed them and sent them off. Two came back pre-cancererous and two came back as Hemangiosarcoma. As far as charges, the bill for the biopsy and histopathology alone was $245.00 plus the other office charges. When I read the pathology report I was surprised to see that they noted on all the biopsies of "chronic solar damage". So, no more laying in the sun for Freight! I second the vote for taking your hound in and have the vet take a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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