Mast Cell Tumor

[Guest Cardiffcouple]

Our sweet girl, Mercy, was just diagnosed with a mast cell tumor today. The vet is operating tomorrow (they felt it was urgent). The spot on her hind leg is the size of a nickle and they said they have to take out an inch all around. That is HUGE! Has anyone had any experiences with mast cell tumors? We are just sick. We have only had Mercy and Ben for a bit over a month and we are so totally in love with them. Any info/advice will be much appreciated.

[Guest CindiLuvsGreys]

My Kelsey had one removed from her side about 1 year ago. The vet got it all, it healed quickly and it hasn't grown back. I hope your baby recovers just as well. I know how scary it was to hear that diagnosis.

[Guest Cardiffcouple]

thank you thank you thank you for sharing this!

[Guest IrskasMom]

My Morty had a Mast Cell Tumor removed a little over a Month ago. It was to on the Hindend. He had an Incision about 4 inches long and my Vet said he got it with a all around clean Margin. He never licked on it , he was uncomfortable for about 2 Days and now it is all healed . The Scar remains. From what I read , it has to do with the Immune System .Good Luck with the Surgery and keep us posted. Prayers and good Thoughts for Mercy . Cookies for Later

[greytpups]

for a good outcome.

[DesiRayMom]

Good thoughts & prayers for a sucessful surgery, clean margins, & a good prognosis on the histopath report.

[MandysMom]

Sending prayers for a successful surgery for Mercy

[tbhounds]

I know it's hard but, try not to worry-- chances are it will come back a grade 1 or 2. Your vet may or may not use benedryl and pepcid prior to the surgery. I understand your concern about a big insicion but, remember the insicion will heal width wise not length wise-- therefore a 1 inch insicion will have the same healing time as a 4 inch insicion. Keep us posted !!

[Guest tinams8]

My vizsla had a golf ball sized MCT removed eight years ago. The incision was the tumor +3cm all around, so like a softball out of a 43 lb dog. It was on her hind leg, upper thigh which is a common spot. I am not going to sugar coat it, the recovery was not easy. hers required a skin graft/flap which made it much worse I'm sure. Her incisions had 42 staples holding them together. Without the skin graft it would have been much less complicated. Now I consider incisions less than 6 inches easy!

 

Her tumor was grade 2 and they got clean margins. She is almost 10 now. MCTs are very scary but definitely treatable and really common in several breeds, like vizslas and goldens. They think there might be a genetic link to the reddish coat color.

 

There's also a newer drug out for them that I know nothing about, you could ask your vet about it.

[Charlies_Dad]

Hoping for clean margins! We'll be thinking of you and Mercy.

[duncan41]

Clean margins! Hoping and praying for clean margins!

 

Welcome to GT and I am very sorry it has to be under these circumstances, but you made the right choice to come here. So many have had experienc with MCT and will share their experiences. Please update when you can.

[Guest handpicked]

Praying for you and Mercy and could you please tell me Mercy's racing name as I am doing a study on greyhound cancer and I would like to add her to my list!! Thank you!!

[Guest RobinAZ]

My golden retriever mix had one removed from her side about 3 years ago now and has had no problems. They did have to take a lot from around the tumor to be sure they got it all, but that was okay because it worked and Misha is doing great.

[Guest Stripeyfan]

I have no advice to add, but sending lots of good thoughts and hugs.

[Guest Mollysmom10]

Sounds like the tumor is pretty small, which is a good thing. Hoping for the very best - sending positive thoughts your way.

[Guest ChasesMum]

lots of warm thoughts! Sounds like a C that is 'ok' in the grande scheme of things?

[Guest Cardiffcouple]

We don’t know a lot more than before the surgery…..

 

The surgery went “as well as can be expected.” He took out the tumor and ½ inch all around, which included some thigh muscle and some nerves. The remaining tissue is very tight; there is a possibility of tearing. Because of the thin skin it was very difficult to close the wound. He used two different types of sutures and is hoping for the best. He wants her as immobile as possible for as long as possible. We do have a crate that we can use and we will haul it around the house to be where we are. If we can’t keep the wound closed then he said we treat it like an open wound and it takes as long as it takes to heal. I asked about skin grafts (yes, we do have a money tree in the backyard) and he said it may come to that.

 

He can’t tell anything by looking at the tumor what stage the cancer is and if the surgery got clean margins. Only a pathologist can tell us that. We won’t get that report for 3-5 days. We can call at 4:00 today to see how she is doing once she fully wakes up. Mike picks her up at 5:00.

 

We got through hurdle #1 which was making it through the surgery. Now we see how she does going forward. She will have pain meds. Our vet said he may want to keep her somewhat sedated so she doesn’t pull out the sutures.

 

So we really don’t know anything.

 

We appreciate so much all of your input. It is so helpful to hear success stories. On the plus side, Ben, our boy we adopted same time as Mercy, was at home alone today for the first time. Pet sitter checked on him mid day and he was asleep on his back on the bed; not a care in the world. Guess he wasn't tramatized at being alone!

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

I am so glad she made it through!!!

[Guest Cardiffcouple]

Praying for you and Mercy and could you please tell me Mercy's racing name as I am doing a study on greyhound cancer and I would like to add her to my list!! Thank you!!

Her name was BoogaDeeBoo

[Guest fandogs]

Take it one day at a time.

Or one hurdle at a time.

Glad she made it through the surgery and is probably home by now.

sedation and pain killers will help for the next few days.

Keep us posted. and Accept our prayers.

Maxine

[Guest Mom2Shiloh]

My Silver came to me on Valentine's day of 2009; less than a month later he was diagnosed with a mast cell tumor on the back of his right rear leg, just above the 'knee'. There is a new kind of chemo (which of course I can't remember the name of off hand) but it can be pretty harsh and my holistic vet has had very good results doing follow up with 2 kinds of Chinese Herbal medicines and since Silver was 9 and shedding just a little protein in his urine, we went with the gentler regimen.

 

Silver weighed 92# at the time of his surgery. He now weighs 85#, a better weight for him. I've had him on a grain-free diet with moderate protein levels (he gets a combination of Before Grain Chicken and Honest Kitchen (Deyhdrated, human grade, raw complete food) Force. (They make quite a few different varieties, I chose the Force because it's only 21% protein). He gets one Marin Tablet daily (Vit E, Sylibin A&B and Zinc; Sylibin is the active ingredient in Milk Thistle); Chinese Herbal medicines are Power Mushrooms from Health Concerns (he gets 3 2ce daily) and Blood Palace Formula (he gets 2 2ce daily). He also gets two Omega Q-10 capsules daily.

 

He had clean margins laterally but not quite clean margins depth-wise; he healed fairly well -- no tearing. It looked bad at first, but he didn't pull anything out. We think he lost a little muscle with the surgery, and has a very slight 'hitch in his gait' as a result, but that's stayed stable and not gotten any worse in the year and a half since surgery. He is 100% cancer free at this point... he loves his his walks, runs a little and is a very happy boy. Of course I keep a close eye on him and he gets a thorough going over every 3-4 months -- but at this point I'm very optimistic...

 

Keeping your girl in my thoughts and prayers.

Edited August 26, 2010 by Mom2Shiloh

[Guest Mollysmom10]

Glad to hear that the surgery went well -- sending Mercy healing thoughts and prayers.

[Guest Cardiffcouple]

My Silver came to me on Valentine's day of 2009; less than a month later he was diagnosed with a mast cell tumor on the back of his right rear leg, just above the 'knee'. There is a new kind of chemo (which of course I can't remember the name of off hand) but it can be pretty harsh and my holistic vet has had very good results doing follow up with 2 kinds of Chinese Herbal medicines and since Silver was 9 and shedding just a little protein in his urine, we went with the gentler regimen.

 

Silver weighed 92# at the time of his surgery. He now weighs 85#, a better weight for him. I've had him on a grain-free diet with moderate protein levels (he gets a combination of Before Grain Chicken and Honest Kitchen (Deyhdrated, human grade, raw complete food) Force. (They make quite a few different varieties, I chose the Force because it's only 21% protein). He gets one Marin Tablet daily (Vit E, Sylibin A&B and Zinc; Sylibin is the active ingredient in Milk Thistle); Chinese Herbal medicines are Power Mushrooms from Health Concerns (he gets 3 2ce daily) and Blood Palace Formula (he gets 2 2ce daily). He also gets two Omega Q-10 capsules daily.

 

He had clean margins laterally but not quite clean margins depth-wise; he healed fairly well -- no tearing. It looked bad at first, but he didn't pull anything out. We think he lost a little muscle with the surgery, and has a very slight 'hitch in his gait' as a result, but that's stayed stable and not gotten any worse in the year and a half since surgery. He is 100% cancer free at this point... he loves his his walks, runs a little and is a very happy boy. Of course I keep a close eye on him and he gets a thorough going over every 3-4 months -- but at this point I'm very optimistic...

 

Keeping your girl in my thoughts and prayers.

 

Hi Mom! From what source do you get your Chinese meds?

 

Thanks!

[Guest kydie]

My GSP (age 6)had MCT removed in December from his front leg area,,, so far so good,,, no further "lumps" have appeared,,,, was told by thre vet once they are in the mouth,, there is not much can be done,,,, so we keep a close eye there,,, keeping your pup in our prayers

[Guest IrskasMom]

How is Mercy doing today ??Do we have an Update ?