The reason I collected all these past posts is to make it easier for future people to find a collection of the posts instead of having to search the forum. With the most recent post, I thought it might be good to finally post this.
Please post your pictures or lessons learned so that you might be able to help others.
Ladybug
msvette2u wrote:
Roc
trip8581 wrote:
Ella
chewbecca wrote:
Jasmine


Her tumor was about the size of a bottle cap

I quickly found comfort in reading Roc's post, titled "Mast Cell Tumor - need advice"
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=127721&hilit=mast+cell
trip8581 wrote:... and had the vet also check a small bump on Roc's hind thigh which has been there for the past month [it would shrink then come back then shrink again]. So they did a fine needle aspirate and diagnosed it as a Mast Cell Tumor.
My vet said that the majority of MCTs are grade 1 or 2 and do not end up spreading and that she has seen owners who just leave them alone and they have yet to cause any issues. Only 10% end up being stage 3 and spreading. She said that we could remove it and then send it in for biopsy to find out exactly what grade it is and that would cost around $500. She told me to keep an eye on it for a month and if it grows or starts to itch we should remove it.
I have done some reading and everything so far says that surgery is the recommended next step. I know that a few of you have had dogs with MCTs, so it would be helpful to get your opinions and hear what you did. I want to do what is best for Roc and I will find the money somewhere if surgery is the best course of action. I love my little man and I do not want to lose him....
Misskiwi67 wrote:Remove it... NOW... unless it will prevent you from putting food on the table. If its one of the rare grade 3's and you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Mast cell is one tumor I do not recommend watching, because when its bad, its real bad...
Also, mast cell tumors should be removed with 3cm margins, so make sure you're vet doesnt' skimp. Mast cell tumors send out little fingers of tumor cells and can regrow if the surgery isn't aggressive. If you're going to spend the money to take it off, do it right.
Here is an article that lays out all the facts of Mast cell tumors. It also lists a lot of therapies that may not be necessary for your pet, but you should at least know what is available should you choose to take that option.
http://www.VeterinaryPartner.com/Conten ... C=0&A=1600
Even our own dear Ella had her own scare. (before the other bad news)
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=129244&p=1722908&hilit=mast+cell#p1722908
chewbecca wrote:...She had surgery almost 2 weeks go to have a wart removed. We just had the stitches taken out...Thursday night and the skin had already started to grow over the stitches (and we took them out before the recommended time, she just heals REAL fast). So, the area is a little irritated which is why she's not really wearing a collar yet. I put this on her after we made it so that I could see how it fit her, and I snapped some pics.![]()
...But since we treat all skin bumps as mast cell tumors, he made the incision large to get good margins. So the incision was a LOT bigger than the actual wart.
...and Bella & Tiva
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=127479&p=1701717&hilit=mast+cell#p1701717
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=130120&hilit=mast+cell
tiva wrote:...Here's hoping it's a low grade tumor and clean margins. Tiva had a high-grade MCT 2 years ago, and she's doing fine now (the vet couldn't get clean margins, and her tumor was higher grade, so we elected to amputate her tail, and she recovered very quickly).
julie64 wrote:suzi wrote:Cancer sucks,,,,I am sorry to hear of your worries....
We also are fighting MCT right now. Bella is 4 years old. I have decided against anything invasive as in Chemo, radiation,,,,etc....I got on board with a Holistic healer (thanks to Cinderdee and Concreterose),,,,and all is going well. Bella is on a Cancer diet,,,and there is a treatment we will turn to if and when her "lumps" rear their ugly head.
I am open to share her diet if you like, as well as who we are using....PM me if you like.
This is the same route I went with Shay. It is almost a year now since we found out she has MCT.
...and Onyx
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=126129&p=1686476&hilit=mast+cell#p1686476
...and Barney
Mast Cell Tumor and Chemo
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=123459&p=1655270&hilit=mast+cell#p1655270
...and Shay & Rio
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=124391&p=1665829&hilit=mast+cell#p1665829
julie64 wrote:Shay was diagnoised stage 3 mast cell also. I chose not to do chemo because the outcome wouldn't have changed. She was never on prednisone. I switched to high protein/grain free diet. I also have her on supplements, from advice from people on here and a nutritionalist. In the beginning Shay had loose stools, vomiting and mostly slept. Once on the diet and the supplements started working she was back to her old self. Shay does have occasional bad days, loose stools, no interest in play. These have never last longer than 2 days and then she is back to her hyper self. ....
now it effects one of Roc's sisters Rain. Good Golly, Cancer sucks!!!

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=138352&p=1830884&hilit=Rain#p1830884
Cancer Diets, Supplements, Treatments, etc.
http://www.dogaware.com/health/cancer.html
Cancer Research Post
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=130565
donate your dog's blood
Site on Mast Cell Info
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_ma ... umors.html
http://www.VeterinaryPartner.com/Conten ... C=0&A=1600