My 7 year old lab has just been diagnosed with a Mast cell tumour after a fine needle aspiration. The lab results suggest it could be high grade. It has floored me because his bloods came back clear and they said he was very healthy for his age and that they didn't think it was anything serious. Up until today he had been his usual self. He is still eating and drinking fine but struggling to walk. Since the fine needle aspiration it has seemed to have grown considerably and now he can't put his paw down. It's an internal lump. I am desperately looking for some positive stories. I'm going to give him the weekend to rest and then take him back to the vets on Monday. Thanks
Hi, there is someone on the forum who has been through this with her lab and is very knowledgeable @J.D hopefully she will chime in. If not, look through the old threads via the search function. There are quite a few old threads. Best wishes.
Hi So sorry to read you are going through this. Have a read of my story in the link above. Toby will be 6 next week and his diagnosis was at 18months.He is considered to be cancer free. Ask me any questions you would like to after you have been back today and I will try to help you through this. Are you in the U.K.?
Hi, Thanks for the reply. I had a look at your experience and glad Toby is now cancer free. Today I have been to a specialist vetinary hospital where he will be staying overnight. Tomorrow he is going to have fine needle aspirations of his liver, spleen and a lymph node that is significantly raised. This will help grade it and give a better idea of prognosis. The vet said unforunatley it does not look good and things it has spread. I am absolutley gutted. He thinks chemo is the best way forward but that it looks like we will have a few month - year. They can't operate due to the location on his front leg and little skin to cover it and stelfonta could only be considered if it hadnt spread which the vet thinks is unlikely. I feel so guilty because my husband mentioned about his foot looking swollen earlier in the year but I completely forgot about it and we had so much else going on. If only we had it checked out then.
Hi I am so sorry I haven’t been able to reply. I had to change my email address and have been frustratedly locked out until today! By now you will know what you are dealing with. I hope it isn’t as bad as the vet feared. If you feel up to updating please do. Whilst chemo wasn’t as bad as with humans I always said if Toby was an older dog I wouldn’t put him through the stress again. He absolutely hates going to the vets.A calmer dog would cope much better. Please don’t beat yourself up about not going to the vet sooner.The nature of Mast cell tumours is they have a histamine reaction and can be there one day and disappear the next. Whilst the lump is on the outside it is the internal spread to the liver and spleen that causes the damage. This could be happening a long time before the lump is obvious. I thought Toby’s lump was a tick then a reaction to him scratching it. It was probably 3 months before I took him thinking it was a wart. Hopefully he has got some antihistamines and steroids onboard and will be feeling more comfortable. Look after yourself too.
