Has anyone dealt with a Hemangiopericytoma tumor on their dog? Or any type?

I was fortunate that a growth removed from my dog earlier this year was not a cancerous one.  But, in your dog's case, it would seem prudent to explore radiation or even amputation, since the tumors generally do recur.  Here's some information:

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/hemangiopericytoma.html

Depending on your dog's general condition otherwise, amputation might be the option that saves his life, and most dogs really do adjust well to life on three legs.  In case you decide to go that route, more info:

http://www.handicappedpets.com/Gallery0303/buddy.htm

http://tripawds.com/2008/02/04/fitting-ruffwear-harness/

I had never heard of this until now.  Maybe the site in the link below will be able to help.  I wish I had an answer for you.

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_hemangiopericytoma.html

Thanks for the links.  I've been to all of them and more.

What I can't find is information on this tumor when it does ulcerate and what can I expect to happen.  Harley just had his 6th surgery on Friday and I see another one growing about 2"s from his current stitches.  If I let it ulcerate I just don't know what will happen to that area.  He's been through so much with the tumors and surgeries, yet he is not sick.  Really sad and amputation is not possible now since he has them on his shoulder/neck area now too. 

I've asked my vet but I don't think he wants to worry me or just doesn't know.  He's an excellent vet and has taken great care of Harley. 

This is another of those "body attacking itself" types of things altho not strictly auto-immune.  BUT if the immune system was doing what it should when the first cells replicated improperly the body would be on it and deal with it.

I would be using alternative stuff with this rather than traditional medicine.  Traditional medicine just doesn't know what to do with something that worsens if you do treat it and if you don't treat it it simply worsens in another way. 

Depending on where you live the two things I would suggest to you are:

1.  TCVM -- Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine -- Hemangiopericytoma isn't usually maligant -- but it IS the body's abnormal cells replicating wrongly.  The Chinese way of looking at it is that if the body was cleansing itself the way it should (the blood system -- and these ARE attached to capillaries) then the body would take care of itself.  The Chinese word for cancer IS "sluggish blood" -- meaning they look for places in the body where the blood isn't circulating properly (and there would be areas like this before discernable tumors even developed -- similar to how mast cell tumors replicate)

I have seen TCVM work on mast cell and control it FAR beyond what chemo or radiation can do.  However, I have also seen TCVM work in *conjunction* with those other two and make them work better with NO side effects to the dog.

If you go to http://www.tcvm.com there is a locator on the left (either by zip code or state).  If you are out of the continental US there is also a sentence link showing practitioners in Canada and other countries.

This is not weird stuff.  More and more vet schools are teaching acupuncture -- the U of FL at Gainesville teaches both acupuncture and Chinese herbology.  Frankly ... it rocks.

It would be an option you haven't explored -- if you want to contact me, feel free -- I can tell you more how they "think" and how they approach such a thing.

2.  Homotoxicology -- homotox is a very specific branch of homeopathy that's pretty cutting edge stuff. But it essentially uses a bit of the dog's own blood to form a serum used to treat the body itself (combined with other homeopathic remedies that are injectable).  It's given in a series of injections (sort of like aquapuncture) along acupuncture meridians.  It's often VERY valuable in deep chronic illness like this. 

Again, if you want to contact me I can give you more information -- it's a HUGE topic and I can help you look on the AHVMA website to see if there is a practitioner near you.  But I have seen INCREDIBLE results with this!!!

IN SUM

With both of those options there is mo surgery, -- no bad side effects, no huge drugs -- just treatment.  It's not painful.  But honestly I would tell you both of them would be a really good option.  The homotox is likely the one that would be more cureative.  But both would be SUPER good treatment options.

 Hi Jeanni. I have no answers for you but I want to wish you the best of luck. I know what you mean about putting your dog through all the surgery. You get to a point where you wonder if the cure is worse than the disease. I lost my Kobi to a spinal cancer last summer. At the end of the day it was the meds that did his body in not the tumor.  It's a hard balancing act. I wish you luck and I'll send a prayer your way.

Welcome to the forum. 

Sorry about your loss with Kobi.   I know how painful it is to lose our babies.  I've lost a few in the last 40 years.  It never gets easy as they are our best friends and are so devoted to us as we to them.

Also thanks to all for the helpful information on treatment.  In times like this it is great to have support from others who are going through similar situations.