Mast Cell Tumors : Lessons Learned
Re: Mast Cell Tumors : Lessons Learned
So sorry to hear that! I hope the oncologist had some hopeful options for you. For what it's worth (every dog is different), Tiva had her second MCT come back grade 2, dirty margins. She was 15, so we opted not to do radiation or chemo. Now she's 18, still chugging along. Her mitotic index was extremely low, and that's what the vet said mattered nearly as much as grade or margins.
Re: Mast Cell Tumors : Lessons Learned
Thanks, Tiva. Horace's mitotic index was extremely low, too, 0-1 per 10 power fields. The oncologist recommended further pathology to see if the tumor cells exhibited a genetic mutation that would cause the cancer to behave aggressively despite the 'good' indicators, so we did c-kit testing. No evidence of mutant cancer cells! Yay!
Horace is only 6 1/2, so we're taking his ear off to try for a complete excision of the cancer. So then he'll be like new, but with one half a pitbull head and one half a seal head.

Re: Mast Cell Tumors : Lessons Learned



What I would have done differently: had the regular vet do a cytology and go straight to an oncological surgeon from there because his tumor was in a tough spot and the regular vet knew she couldn't' get a clean margin.
Re: Mast Cell Tumors : Lessons Learned
Mom to 5 dogs wrote:my vet also asked that I give him 75 mg of Benadryl 2x a day.
I'm curious what the reason was for the benedryl?
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Re: Mast Cell Tumors : Lessons Learned
Amie wrote:Mom to 5 dogs wrote:my vet also asked that I give him 75 mg of Benadryl 2x a day.
I'm curious what the reason was for the benedryl?
Mast cells release histamine, which is how they cause illness outside being invasive. The Benadryl reduces the effects of the histamine release.
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