Vet visit tomorrow - update

dturm wrote:
Actually the laser in this case is used for cutting and not burning tissue so the pathologist can examine sections all the way to the edge of the excised tissue. Supposedly the laser causes less tissue destruction than a blade.

Oh wow! That's cool! :-)

Sending positive thoughts for a uneventful recovery for Andy.

We have a friend whose dog had what I would've thought was a lipoma and it turned out to be mast cell. She found a vet that specialized in oncology and her pooch had the excision with wide margin. He had some kind of follow-up treatment (I forget details) and was watched carefully, but this is about 5-6 years ago and Paco is still fine! I know it was expensive but we would've done the same for one of our girls. Best of luck to Andy and you!

Best of luck-will keep you in my thoughts.

Still sending out those positive thoughts and prayers out to you'all.

Pops and Calvin

Actually the laser in this case is used for cutting and not burning tissue so the pathologist can examine sections all the way to the edge of the excised tissue. Supposedly the laser causes less tissue destruction than a blade.

There will probably be a very small area at the margin that will show destruction by the laser. If there are tumor cells up to that layer they extend to the margin. Not much difference from the cells damaged by a blade cutting and examining the adjacent cells.

Deb, the vet told me the removal site would be about 1 inch diameter. The tumor is a black thing about the size of a pea. I bet it will probably be a larger chunk they excise. I'm having it done by laser, and hope this will mean faster and easier healing for Andy. He'll probably have to wear one of those collars after surgery as the site is within licking and chewing range. I just hope they get it all and he doesn't require further treatment. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. Hopefully, my horse will never have to go through a similar treatment - thank goodness she's been an easy keeper so far.

Rita

Rita - first of all, prayers for you and Andy! But I have a question: from the limited bit I know about surgically removing tumors, they want to see a "clean margin" - and I wonder how you know you have a clean margin with a laser?

My daughter had a young mare that had a red shiny cancerous growth on the top of her neck - chemo treatments had no effect on it, so my Vet surgically excised it. (I got to help him!) The tumor was maybe 3/4" across, and he took off a football-shaped chunk about 4" x 6" (EEKS!). It healed beautifully - there was always a slight "dent" in her neck, but she went on to win many ribbons in conformation and riding classes :-)

Thanks, Dr. Doug for responding so quickly. The information was easily understandable and I know I made the right decision. Hopefully we got this thing in time before it spreads further and does major damage. I hope the laser surgery option is the better choice for Andy.

Rita

Mast Cell Tumors are one of the most common tumors found in dogs. They are usually graded from 1-3 (1 being almost benign to 3 being very malignant). Also, patients are staged with single lumps being the best situation.

Surgical removal is always indicated in single masses with a wide excision preferable. This means that the incision is way bigger than the tumor.

I have had huge numbers of patients over the years that have a grade I, stage I, that have 100% recovery with no chemo or other treatment, but there are many where surgical removal was impossible due to location and others where multiple tumors are present or where metastasis to internal organs has already happened.

This is a situation where communication with your vet and possible referral to an oncologist with a more advanced situation is warranted.

Doug, DVM

BTW, I've had a few where I've been fooled, thought it was a mast cell tumor on FNA (fine needle aspirate) but the biopsy came back a benign - something else. The mast cell tumor is so insidious that it's always best to error on the side of removal if questionable at all.