Dog Community

I thought I should let you all know

Posted : 3/16/2008 8:04:31 AM

Ella was diagnosed last Tuesday with a mast cell tumor. I'm not overly concerned, but I freaked out a little upon finding out. I mean, I'm concerned, but I'm not allowing it to consume me.

Anyway, it's this bald spot on her side:

[img]http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa248/chewbucket/wegowalk.jpg[/img]

Vet seems to think we caught it early enough and since it's on her side they can get wide enough margins to remove it all, but I won't know if it's malignant or benign for a few days after her surgery. She has her surgery tomorrow morning. And, yes, I'll be asking for pre-op Benadryl.

FourIsCompany

Posted : 3/16/2008 8:46:01 AM

Oh, I'm sorry. I will be thinking of you both. It's good that you caught it so early. Be sure to let us know what the biopsy result is. Kisses for sweet Ella...

Calinisima

Posted : 3/16/2008 8:55:08 AM

Best vibes from us and some prayers too, kisses for Ella and a lot of calm for you.

chewbecca

Posted : 3/16/2008 8:59:14 AM

Thanks, guys.

I really think she's going to be alright. I mean, she HAS TO BE. Big Smile

cakana

Posted : 3/16/2008 9:30:28 AM

I'm so glad you caught this early and I hope that the surgery goes smoothly and the biopsy shows it's benign. Just curious, but why the benadryl pre-op?

chewbecca

Posted : 3/16/2008 9:56:41 AM

cakana
I'm so glad you caught this early and I hope that the surgery goes smoothly and the biopsy shows it's benign. Just curious, but why the benadryl pre-op?

Er...let me see if I can find the article someone linked me to. Mast cell tumors either do or can release histamines which could complicate things *I think* during the procedure or after. I don't know how serious of complications and not all vets think it's necessary to do pre-op benadryl. My vet told me the part about mast cell tumors releasing histamines. Or something to that effect...er...but let me find the info someone linked me to when I was trying to find any and all info on mast cell tumors.

here it is:

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

It won't hurt to do pre-op benadryl.

Dog_ma

Posted : 3/16/2008 10:14:47 AM

Keeping our paws crossed over here.

(And I have to say, that face and those ears never fail to make me awwwww)

spiritdogs

Posted : 3/16/2008 10:15:03 AM

OMG, Ella is the second dog this month that I'm praying for full recovery for (spiritual circle thread on Wilson, my friend's Lab). I hope this will be benign and that Ella will be fine. These tumors can recur, though, or appear in other places. Do keep a close eye on her from now on. One thing I do know is that the location of Ella's tumor is more indicative of a good outcome than some others are known to be. Fingers crossed here.

chewbecca

Posted : 3/16/2008 10:22:27 AM

thanks, guys.

I really appreciate all the prayers and good vibes. Spiritdogs, we're hoping that if it comes back benign, that the removal of this tumor will solve the problem and that it'll be the only that she gets. If it's a stage I and does come back benign, then it won't come back. If it comes back a stage II, then there is a 20% chance that it will come back or that one will appear somewhere else on her.

We're also hoping that if it comes back benign and she gets any pustules on her sides (which is what we thought this was, originally, because Ella gets one that pops up every three months in that same spot), that we will be able to find out WHY she keeps getting the pustules which at that point, she'll be tested for staph and we'll be running tests to see what condition her immune system is in because if she gets staph or is more succpetible to staph infections then that means her immune system is weakened for some reason. We can then proceed with ways to boost her immune system.