Question About Tumors

[rascalsmom]

My oldest dog, Rascal, has hemangiopericytoma. She had surgery for it in May '09. In January '11 I noticed a lump reappearing, which the vet had warned me might very likely happen. The vet confirmed that indeed, it was a tumor.

 

Since then the tumor has continued to grow. So far Rascal doesn't seem to be bothered by it, but it is really getting large.

 

The vet told me it would either begin to give her pain in her leg, or it would basically 'outgrow' the skin, and begin to ulcerate. We know that when either of these happens, we will let Rascal go.

 

Today I noticed an area on the tumor that 'looks' like a blister. Is this the beginning of ulceration??

 

Sorry for the yellow-y pictures...I turned the flash off to get a clearer picture.

This is my beautiful old girl:

 

Here is a close up...I put a box around the area I am concerned about.

Edited September 16, 2011 by rascalsmom

[TheFullHouse]

It looks like it to me, but I have no personal experience with that particular kind of tumor. Keeping your sweetie in my thoughts and prayers.

Edited September 16, 2011 by JillysFullHouse

[4My2Greys]

I don't have any experience either, but I'm sending white light for Rascal and a warm to you.

[Remolacha]

I am afraid it looks like that to me, too, but I don't have any first hand experience. Can you send these pictures to your vet?

 

beautiful Rascal

[rascalsmom]

I called the vet's office. The tech said the vet would probably rather just look at Rascal, than see the picture. She did say that it sounds like the beginnings of ulceration, and that it will just get worse from here. Which I knew. And I knew this could happen, so I don't really see any point in taking her in right now. We will watch it closely...and whenever it gets worse, opens up, whatever...well, then we will only have one dog, Jack.

 

Then again, Rascal won't have to be looking for her sister every evening.

[TheFullHouse]

Keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers.

[Guest Swifthounds]

[robinw]

[tbhounds]

I would get a second surgical opinion before I accepted such a grim outcome. I do understand, however, if for personal reasons you choose not to do do.

[rascalsmom]

Rascal already had surgery on this--May 2009. At the time, the vet told me that a second surgery is usually NOT indicated, since it comes back more severely and surgery would be very hard--amputation was also mentioned in stuff I read online. I also read, online, exactly what our vet told us, that a second surgery is generally not an option.

 

So we knew that, if/when the cancer reared its ugly head again, it would be a matter of time, and managing any pain she has. Fortunately, she does not seem to have pain with this. It is ugly, and I know it's just a matter of time for her, but I know that surgery is not an option.

Edited September 19, 2011 by rascalsmom

[rascalsmom]

I'm taking Rascal to the vet Thursday to get this looked at. She was there two months ago, but it has gotten a lot larger since then. I need the vet to tell me if she thinks it may be 'time'.

[greypuppyluv]

Big to you and Rascal.

[queenwinniesmom]

I told Doug about Rascal, and we both cried. I know that this decision is going to be so very difficult, but I also know that it has been on your mind for some time now, so it will be the right decision for Rascal if indeed the time has come to let her go.

How is she acting? Is she eating? You know your precious girl so well.

We'll be waiting to hear what happens on Thursday. Remember that you and Rascal will be in so many prayers.

Hugs to you and your sweet little lady.

[rascalsmom]

Thank you, Nancy. The worst part is, Rascal still seems to feel pretty good. It doesn't seem to give her pain, and she is really more playful than Jack, who is half her age! She is eating about the same as always (which means not much breakfast but a pretty good dinner). This will be the hardest part, whether it's tomorrow or later on--putting a dog down who 'feels' pretty good. At least with Ruby, I knew she was having pain so I had NO doubts.

[GeorgeofNE]

Thank you, Nancy. The worst part is, Rascal still seems to feel pretty good. It doesn't seem to give her pain, and she is really more playful than Jack, who is half her age! She is eating about the same as always (which means not much breakfast but a pretty good dinner). This will be the hardest part, whether it's tomorrow or later on--putting a dog down who 'feels' pretty good. At least with Ruby, I knew she was having pain so I had NO doubts.

 

 

I know it's almost impossible not to, but try not to second guess your plan of action. I went through almost the same thing--but my dog never had surgery at all because he was 12 and they would have had to remove a large portion of his side (that's where his tumor was)--and they told me it would just come back anyway. I didn't see any point in putting him through all that for a few extra months.

 

We went along, business as usual, until one day he just laid down in front of his food and looked at me, and I knew he was just done. So off we went, and the vet and I sat on the floor and cried while my dog suddenly acted totally normal. She said it happens--adreneline or something--but that in all her years of being a veet she had never had a client call after a euthanasia and say, "Why did I do it so soon?" but she'd had many clients call and say, "Why did I wait so long?"

[rascalsmom]

You are right, Susan. I always have the thought of "better a day too soon than a minute too late" in my head.

 

And I know that, for the dog, they are asleep when they pass anyway.

 

I have a cousin who put her Golden through nearly 9 months of agony--daily subcutaneous fluids, having to carry it outside, among other things; the dog was NOT going to get better--and she is a NURSE. Actually a nurse practitioner. When I saw her a few weeks ago, they had finally had the dog put down, and she said, "we waited too long." Everyone knew it, but she only saw it in hindsight. I don't want to do that.