Vet visit {{Lots of info}}

[Glacier]

They are called Mast Cell tumors, if that turns out to be what they are. I have had one removed from my Ginger. It is a cancerous tumor and can come back but doesn't always. It's been 3 years and she hasn't had any new ones, her was a grade II (2).

Grade 2 mast cell tumors are the most difficult to predict. Grade 3 are the most serious and mean that the cancer has moved into surrounding organs. Grade one are very small and confined to a specific area, can be removed with very clean margins. Grade 2 are unpredictable--sometimes they come back and sometimes they don't, sometimes clean margins, sometimes not. My Paxil has had two bouts with Grade 2 mast cell tumors. In her case they reoccur every 8-12 months. They are the most common of all cancers in dogs and are extremely common in boxer type dogs. Most often they are simply removed and no further treatment is needed. Paxil was back in harness, by her own choice, ten days after her last removal in February 2006.

Hope you get good test results back.

[bckrazy]

I hope the tests come out ok, too! =( How old is Alaska? Poor guy. But, honestly, it's only the tumors that are really a product of old age. The rest can be prevented, almost always.

I suggest regularly giving all of your dogs healthy chews... Greenies, rolled/pressed rawhide, bully stix, RAW marrow bones (beef femur bones, probably the cheapest & most effective option!), etc. And brushing teeth daily is cheap & very effective. You can get ear cleaning wipes from your vet and just keep them regularly cleaned and they should be fine. Also, avoid walking the dogs on hot concrete and excessively running them on hard surfaces, that will tear up pads quickly and it's very painful for dogs.

[Glacier]

I hope the tests come out ok, too! =( How old is Alaska? Poor guy. But, honestly, it's only the tumors that are really a product of old age. The rest can be prevented, almost always.

If it's a mast cell tumor, it is not related to age. Mast cells can affect a dog at any age and are likely to occur at younger ages in breeds that are most prone to them.

The hallmark of a mast cell tumor is that it changes in size quickly, both getting larger and smaller. If the tumor that was poked today grows in the next 48 hours, I'd almost guarentee it's a mast cell. My vet always says he has to operate on Paxil to remove a tumor within a week of diagnosis because doing the biopsy "ticks them off"!

[dab_20]

I'm sorry about Alaska. Hopefully they won't come back. You should probably give your dogs some chews and brush their teeth at least twice a week. Hope everything gets better for them.

[shihtzulover850]

awwwwwwwwwww poor thing!!!

[Vela]

My dog was 2-1/2 when she had her mast cell. None have recurredyet and shes almost six. I keep praying they don't. Nothing you can do for those but have them removed ASAP. Glacier is right, they don't like being poked. The rest of his problems are just general care and should be pretty easy to clear up. Unfortuatnely our beloved Boxers are referred to a "tumor factories" by many vets around here.

[zoomer]

Thanks for the help everyone, Alaska and Georgia thank you for the comfort We haven't got anything back from the vets, but check back in about 2 weeks and we will have some info... hopefully good info.

I hope the tests come out ok, too! =( How old is Alaska? Poor guy. But, honestly, it's only the tumors that are really a product of old age. The rest can be prevented, almost always.

Alaska is almost 9 years old. He is turning into an old man... in my words... a hurtin' unit