calliecritturs
Posted : 8/24/2013 5:58:03 PM
Did the vet tell you that we ALL have grade 1 mast cell in our bodies?? dogs, humans, etc?? Yep -- they are **NORMAL**. So "grade 2" means it is the **lowest** form of malignancy -- literally you caught it early/soon. Grade 2 sounds somehow like you "completely missed grade 1" which isn't true - grade 1 is just totally normal.
Mast cell (the normal ones we all have) are a histamine cell -- they play a large part in allergies and how we respond to them, so yes -- that's likely one reason A) why she's got the problem because allergies and mast cell are inextricably intertwined in the cycle of life and B) why the problem was contained.
Typically they give dogs a huge dose of diphenhydramine (a/k/a "Benedryl";) before they even start surgery on mast cell -- or even before they aspirate something they think might *be* mast cell -- simply to keep it from being spread if a bad cell gets nicked which can lead it to metastasize.
They are nasty little things tho -- because they can explode all over ... or ... they may go away never to return.
Now -- given the fact that you are already using Benedryl -- you know you can buy it online for like a fraction of the cost?? Look at the reviews tho -- some off brands are good, some aren't . Obviously you did really really well -- you found it EARLY *yay* and got it removed.
I'm so glad the results were good. That's great news for you!!