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Post by suziriot on Apr 17, 2013 21:04:00 GMT -5
Most of you probably recall that last year Dharma was diagnosed with mast cell tumors. She had surgery to remove them and biopsy report showed them to be grade 1. We did vinblastine and prednisone for 12 weeks. The steroid was rough for her, since she really needs strong muscles to support her on three legs. Our vet consulted with an oncologist who said to take her off steroid and not to bother even with Benadryl, which can also inhibit mast cells from spreading. My vet was skeptical, but we decided to trust the expert. Well it's been 4 months since she finished chemo and a couple weeks ago we found a new lump. It appeared almost overnight. Sure enough, mast cells. So she had surgery today to remove the lump. Vet found another one during surgery that she aspirated and it was mast cells - so that came off too. The scar is not pretty. Poor little girl looks pretty rough these days, lol!
So my vet is pissed at the oncologist and pissed at herself for listening to him. She has Dharma on 50mg of benadryl 2x per day indefinitely. We're going to see what the biopsy comes back with and go from there. It's a tough situation because the typical protocol is steroid, but that's problematic in the best case and particularly in Dharma's. Michele has given me some very helpful info and suggestions that I'm reviewing with the vet.
I'm so grateful to have a vet we can trust. Dharma has her own fan club among the vet techs and office staff, and they always spoil her with attention. She's so sweet and pathetic looking that she makes a sucker out of everyone, lol!
I'll post biopsy results when we get them.
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Post by melonie on Apr 17, 2013 22:03:01 GMT -5
Poor girl. I'm glad you have a vet you can trust.
Will be thinking of you and your pups.
Sent from my XT881 using proboards
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Post by emilys on Apr 17, 2013 23:41:02 GMT -5
poor Dharma.......
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Post by catstina on Apr 18, 2013 0:48:16 GMT -5
Poor girlie! I'll keep her in my thoughts.
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Post by maryellen on Apr 18, 2013 5:12:46 GMT -5
keeping dharma and you in my thoughts
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Post by RealPitBull on Apr 18, 2013 7:15:46 GMT -5
Hi Suzi. I was waiting for this update! Thanks for posting. Yeah, I mean, sometimes you have to go through a trial and error process. It's not one's fault, it's just how it goes. I think it is wise to go the benadryl route. Michele is a great source of information and very generous with her suggestions so take advantage of her (I give you permission lol ) Post the biopsy results when you get them. I'll talk to you tonight!
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Post by michele5611 on Apr 18, 2013 10:42:39 GMT -5
Sorry Suzi and Dharma. Mast cells stink!!! I am glad she is home and recovering. I know the scars aren't pretty but with these mast cells the bigger the scar the better with the hope of getting clean margins. Let us know the results. Fingers crossed low grade and curative margins!
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Post by suziriot on Apr 19, 2013 14:41:47 GMT -5
Vet just called. Both grade 2, but the margins were good. We're going to meet to read the report together and talk about options. She mentioned Palladia, which is a newer chemo treatment that the dog stays on long-term. I'm going to have to do more research, because the idea of that makes me really nervous. I'll post more after we go through the report. Ugh.
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Post by RealPitBull on Apr 19, 2013 15:12:50 GMT -5
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Post by suziriot on Apr 19, 2013 15:27:41 GMT -5
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Post by michele5611 on Apr 19, 2013 15:30:52 GMT -5
Good news about the margins! I have heard mixed reviews regarding the palladia.
I remember reading that Dr. D was not a big fan of it but I know you will do your own research too.
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Post by loverocksalot on Apr 19, 2013 19:44:32 GMT -5
sending out Good thoughts! I hope she continues to do well. But now you got me thinking, my son found a bump on Rocky's chest a while back. I could not really feel it but now I can. Vet check said it is different then his other bumps and I should consider removal. Can they test it first?
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Post by catstina on Apr 19, 2013 20:13:16 GMT -5
Hugs to you and Dharma!
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Post by suziriot on Apr 19, 2013 20:28:40 GMT -5
Thanks for the good thoughts.
CA, yes our vet aspirates any and all lumps and bumps we find and then looks for mast cell granules (or anything else suspicious/abnormal) under the microscope.
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Post by loverocksalot on Apr 20, 2013 17:20:40 GMT -5
New vet we saw this visit and she did not even mention being able to aspirate just said really should consider removal since it is different then the others. I much rather have tested before jumping to surgery. Especially since she said could be just scar tissue. How do they aspirate something from his chest. Do they have a way to hold them down?
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Post by suziriot on Apr 20, 2013 20:26:06 GMT -5
CA, it's not a very big deal to aspirates the lump. Dharma doesn't like it, but I just hold her while she stands on the exam table and the vet sticks the needle in the lump to get some fluid and tissue. Then she squirts it on a slide. Not a big deal at all. I'm surprised that your vet would just want to remove it without knowing what it is. If it's mast cell or something else that could spread, you'd want to know.
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Post by michele5611 on Apr 21, 2013 8:23:53 GMT -5
Agree with Suzi. Needle aspiration is relatively easy and non invasive. Sometimes the lump is too small to aspirate however this does not sound like the case with Rocky.
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Post by loverocksalot on Apr 21, 2013 12:29:10 GMT -5
I think it is big enough they did one on his face it was not easy because he was not staying still so they only did one. However this other one was very difficult to find until recently. I had Rocky back for shots and while there I asked they take a look at his lumps again. This one is under the skin right where the clip is for his harness so it could be a scar from when I pinched him years back but I would like to have it tested rather then just go to surgery. They make like it is no big deal to do surgery but to me it is! I am going to try one more time to have them aspirate it and if they wont I will have to try another vet then.
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Post by michele5611 on Apr 21, 2013 15:10:51 GMT -5
Did your vet tell you what their aversion to aspirating the lump is? Also, keep in mind needle aspiration is not fool proof.
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Post by seamonkey on Apr 21, 2013 15:46:52 GMT -5
Is piroxicam an option for mast cell tumors?
Lucy, my akita, was diagnosed with a transitional cell tumor on her bladder. It was unable to be removed because it was right on the neck of the bladder. The oncologist treating her put her on piroxicam to slow the growth of the tumor and we took her in for blood work every month to check her kidney values to make sure the tumor hadn't grown large enough to put her into kidney failure.
The oncologist said I would only have maybe 3 months with Lucy, but month after month went by and her kidney levels kept coming back fine and by then it had been over a year since she had been diagnosed.
Lucy was 12 years old when she was diagnosed, and in the end, at 13, it was arthritis, not cancer, that got her
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