Guest JJGrey Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Hello everyone! I took my male greyhound (who will be 6 in June) to the vet for lameness in his back left leg last Monday. (Today is Tuesday.) When they were examining him, I noticed that he had a bump on his right hind leg. I didn't think anything of it and thought maybe he'd bumped it and it was swollen or something. They did a bunch of tests bc of the lameness (x-rays, lymes, heartworm, blood, etc.) and everything came back fine. They assumed it was a soft tissue issue and the lameness is pretty much gone. The next day, I noticed that the bump had turned into a red, pimple, blood blister looking thing. Yesterday it started to bleed and has bled on and off since yesterday afternoon. He had his follow up today so I did some research on greytalk before I went to the appt. The vet said that he's rather old for it to be histiocytoma but rather young for it to be a cancerous tumor. She said because it showed up so quickly that that behavior can usually be attributed to histiocytoma or a mast cell tumor but probably not melanoma. She gave me three options: 1. Sedate him and have it removed and biopsied, 2. Give him an antibiotic shot to make sure it didn't get infected and watch it, or 3. Watch it for a couple of weeks, keep an eye out for infection and if it doesn't go away then bring him back and have it cut off and sent off to a lab. I decided on option 3. I just had to sedate him for xrays last week and didn't want to traumatize him again for no reason. I've included a picture. It looks kind of dark because there is some dried blood on it. I'd really appreciate your advice, feed back, opinions, etc. Should I just go ahead and have it removed? Money is no object when it comes to my boy. I just want to do the right thing. Thank you so much in advance. Saskia and Jay Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JJGrey Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I found this picture on greytalk. It looks just like this so that's why I decided to wait versus having it cut off. http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k236/jdamon_2006/Frannytoe.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sportingfields Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 (edited) According to my vet, everyone has mast cells in their bodies, but they do need the right triggers to set them into motion. My girl had a black hard spot just under the skin on a rear leg. We took it off and it was a histo stacked on top of a mast cell. Thankfully, my vet got clear margins so he wouldn't have to repeat the surgery. The bad thing is that once aggravated they can send out feeler cells that can pop up nearby the original spot. My feelings on lumps that aren't supposed to be there is that the sooner they are removed, the smaller the incision, the quicker the recovery and the lessening chance of them spreading or becoming more serious. Just my nickles worth :) hugs to your boy. Edited March 13, 2013 by CottageHoundDesigns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddibear Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Hello JJ, your cousin Stormy had a round swollen bump near a nipple that got very large and blood filled quickly. Vet gave antibiotic for 10 days to "dry it up" but he kept chewing it even wearing the cone of shame. We went for surgery to remove and did dental at same time. Test came back ok ,can't recall the general name given Histo sounds righThe wound was about dine size and healed quickly after he chewed out stitches . With his 2nd round of antibiotics his poop was soup for 3-4 weeks until I switched everybody to the Iams green bag ( miracle food) Well wishes for that handsome guy Uncle Buddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JJGrey Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Thanks for your replies! I forgot to mention something although I'm not even sure it's related. Last Monday when I took him to the vet, he weighed 67 lbs. He raced at 73. He has NEVER weighed that little in the 3 years I've had him. I was so sure the scale was wrong, I weighed a bag of food and the scale seemed to be right. Today he weighed 71. His appetite hasn't changed and he doesn't look any skinnier to me but I thought I'd mention it. I think I'm just going to have it out. He had 3 shots today so I think I'm going to give it a week. Plus I can't get him to leave it alone. I might have to muzzle him when I go to work tomorrow. He's due for his dental as well. Although the vet tech said he didn't really need it and that he has the best teeth she's ever seen on a greyound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 (edited) Why didn't the vet aspirate it & send it off for a cytology? Edited to add-both histiocytoma's and MCT's are easy to identify. Edited March 13, 2013 by tbhounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieProf Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 (edited) Beth had a histiocytoma this year at 6. They can totally get them at that age. But I agree, why wonder when you can do a cytology? My vet did it right in-house while I waited. If it's a histiocytoma it will go away without surgery. I'm the biggest worrier in the world but I'm glad I waited Beth's out once cytology established what it was. Edited March 14, 2013 by PrairieProf Quote With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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