Mast Cell Tumour in a Labrador
Discussion
We've a chocolate lab that is just over 12 years old. He's getting tests just now but it looks bad and vet suggests he might need a major surgery for what is called an MCT.
There is an alternative drug that would give some quality of life for a few months.
I've had a search online and average life span in the UK for a chocolate lab is quite low at around 11 years which I never really knew. I think 14 years is almost as old as labs get in general.
We're worried on what right decision will be and I don't want to put him through an operation that could take him a long time to recover. He's actually quite happy at the moment though has begun to lose a little weight. The cost of any option isn't a factor and we have insurance, I just want to do what is best for him. Our vet has been really good at laying everything out and we'll maybe find more information that helps steer our path.
Has anyone been through similar that could share some advice?
There is an alternative drug that would give some quality of life for a few months.
I've had a search online and average life span in the UK for a chocolate lab is quite low at around 11 years which I never really knew. I think 14 years is almost as old as labs get in general.
We're worried on what right decision will be and I don't want to put him through an operation that could take him a long time to recover. He's actually quite happy at the moment though has begun to lose a little weight. The cost of any option isn't a factor and we have insurance, I just want to do what is best for him. Our vet has been really good at laying everything out and we'll maybe find more information that helps steer our path.
Has anyone been through similar that could share some advice?
Im not a vet, I work in a dog shelter.
If you've got insurance and can take the cost of the operation out of the equation entirely then you're in a better position than most. Its pretty grim discussing with someone whether its worth paying a grand to get another few months or a year or whatever of a perfectly happy/pain free time out of their pet.
I took one of my recent dogs Happys leg off and it bought her another few months before cancer came back and done her in. I was amazed how fast she recovered though... she was running around all over the place hours after the operation.
Happys replacement Kay had a leg off too, recovered from that then broke her only rear leg. One of the vets did ask if I wanted to have her PTS at the time. We done the operation, home made wheelchair for months, the full recovery took ages. She's completely recovered from that now, way past her expiry date but still loving day to day life and completely pain free.
If the vet thinks your dog can recover easily enough and you're not facing a choice of paying the mortgage or the vet I'd go ahead with it for now and see where it all goes. Thats assuming you feel you can trust your vet. Remember they make far less money from putting a dog to sleep than they get from chopping bits off them...
If you've got insurance and can take the cost of the operation out of the equation entirely then you're in a better position than most. Its pretty grim discussing with someone whether its worth paying a grand to get another few months or a year or whatever of a perfectly happy/pain free time out of their pet.
I took one of my recent dogs Happys leg off and it bought her another few months before cancer came back and done her in. I was amazed how fast she recovered though... she was running around all over the place hours after the operation.
Happys replacement Kay had a leg off too, recovered from that then broke her only rear leg. One of the vets did ask if I wanted to have her PTS at the time. We done the operation, home made wheelchair for months, the full recovery took ages. She's completely recovered from that now, way past her expiry date but still loving day to day life and completely pain free.
If the vet thinks your dog can recover easily enough and you're not facing a choice of paying the mortgage or the vet I'd go ahead with it for now and see where it all goes. Thats assuming you feel you can trust your vet. Remember they make far less money from putting a dog to sleep than they get from chopping bits off them...
I am a bit out of touch these days but surgery has previously been common place for mast cell tumours the grading of the mast cell can be significant re treatment and also where it is.
Generally surgery means 3cm margin if possible and surgery can be curative but other tumours can recurr, also any seeding will cause regrowth. So surgery recovery can depend where it is.
This link will be useful I think
https://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/conditions/...
I don't know about the other treatment you mentioned sorry
If he is generally in good health and the tumour is a surgical candidate I would go for surgery.
Generally surgery means 3cm margin if possible and surgery can be curative but other tumours can recurr, also any seeding will cause regrowth. So surgery recovery can depend where it is.
This link will be useful I think
https://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/conditions/...
I don't know about the other treatment you mentioned sorry
If he is generally in good health and the tumour is a surgical candidate I would go for surgery.
All tumours can be different, but my story is of a really loving black lab called Morph, got him as a present for my wife, he was an arse most of the time but majorly fun. He took a mast cell tumour at about 11 years, deep in his calf muscle, only found out how completely unremoveable this invasive lump was while I was operating on him, Took as much as possible away, he mended brilliantly, with no obvious local regrowth, but a year later, collapsed with signs of huge vascular shock, he was pushed gently on his way in the sun in the garden where he had lived. Glad i operated and the help that nature gave us.....so, what should you do? I would try the same again, it worked well considering the orange sized lump we found, but he is an older lab, none of ours have passed 15. What can anyone say, it is a choice of how much happy time can they have with their pack with minimal pain and discomfort. I still think that I try to judge what they would ask from us...... more time, more difficulties at the vets, a shorter time with smiles? That is the question that you and your pooch need to answer without anyone saying that you must take one option. Not much help, but "been there, done that and cried the tears"
f
king hell I clicked on this forum as I had my lab put to sleep tonight and wondered if there was some sort of daft "tribute to yer hound" thread I might reminisce about him in and seen this.
He was diagnosed with mast cell around 10 or so days ago. To be honest we sort of knew he had more than a "fatty lump" for a bit but as he was really getting to the stage where he just wanted to chill at home I made the decision I wouldn't be dragging him through surgery or anything.
Over the last eight weeks it seemed to grow very quickly to the point where I couldn't ignore it any longer and got a vet out to look at it. It was a confirmation exercise only really, the main thing was to find out if it was weeks or months. It was weeks. Swollen lymph nodes and his morning cough was obviously signs of things moving around elsewhere.
Over the weekend we had to stop him itching/biting it as the skin was obviously stretched around it and he wasn't being left with the cone of shame on so I made the call last night.
We've had a great couple of weeks during lockdown and he's had gammon and steak-this being a working dog who gets nowt but his food and wouldn't steal a pea off your plate if you sat it in front of him! We had walks, shorter than normal and plenty of fun in the garden. Even today when I was digging a four foot deep hole.
Tonight he went to sleep very peacefully at my feet on the patio before being buried in the garden. I can't explain just how empty a house of four feels tonight.
king hell I clicked on this forum as I had my lab put to sleep tonight and wondered if there was some sort of daft "tribute to yer hound" thread I might reminisce about him in and seen this.He was diagnosed with mast cell around 10 or so days ago. To be honest we sort of knew he had more than a "fatty lump" for a bit but as he was really getting to the stage where he just wanted to chill at home I made the decision I wouldn't be dragging him through surgery or anything.
Over the last eight weeks it seemed to grow very quickly to the point where I couldn't ignore it any longer and got a vet out to look at it. It was a confirmation exercise only really, the main thing was to find out if it was weeks or months. It was weeks. Swollen lymph nodes and his morning cough was obviously signs of things moving around elsewhere.
Over the weekend we had to stop him itching/biting it as the skin was obviously stretched around it and he wasn't being left with the cone of shame on so I made the call last night.
We've had a great couple of weeks during lockdown and he's had gammon and steak-this being a working dog who gets nowt but his food and wouldn't steal a pea off your plate if you sat it in front of him! We had walks, shorter than normal and plenty of fun in the garden. Even today when I was digging a four foot deep hole.
Tonight he went to sleep very peacefully at my feet on the patio before being buried in the garden. I can't explain just how empty a house of four feels tonight.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
fking hell I clicked on this forum as I had my lab put to sleep tonight and wondered if there was some sort of daft "tribute to yer hound" thread I might reminisce about him in and seen this.
He was diagnosed with mast cell around 10 or so days ago. To be honest we sort of knew he had more than a "fatty lump" for a bit but as he was really getting to the stage where he just wanted to chill at home I made the decision I wouldn't be dragging him through surgery or anything.
Over the last eight weeks it seemed to grow very quickly to the point where I couldn't ignore it any longer and got a vet out to look at it. It was a confirmation exercise only really, the main thing was to find out if it was weeks or months. It was weeks. Swollen lymph nodes and his morning cough was obviously signs of things moving around elsewhere.
Over the weekend we had to stop him itching/biting it as the skin was obviously stretched around it and he wasn't being left with the cone of shame on so I made the call last night.
We've had a great couple of weeks during lockdown and he's had gammon and steak-this being a working dog who gets nowt but his food and wouldn't steal a pea off your plate if you sat it in front of him! We had walks, shorter than normal and plenty of fun in the garden. Even today when I was digging a four foot deep hole.
Tonight he went to sleep very peacefully at my feet on the patio before being buried in the garden. I can't explain just how empty a house of four feels tonight.
A very sad tale, but one that should always make us smile, we have our pals, and life says that a certain route is what happens, the story of steak and gammon is good, if there is a life after this madhouse, then our pals will be waiting, and hopefully will make us smile again. king hell I clicked on this forum as I had my lab put to sleep tonight and wondered if there was some sort of daft "tribute to yer hound" thread I might reminisce about him in and seen this.He was diagnosed with mast cell around 10 or so days ago. To be honest we sort of knew he had more than a "fatty lump" for a bit but as he was really getting to the stage where he just wanted to chill at home I made the decision I wouldn't be dragging him through surgery or anything.
Over the last eight weeks it seemed to grow very quickly to the point where I couldn't ignore it any longer and got a vet out to look at it. It was a confirmation exercise only really, the main thing was to find out if it was weeks or months. It was weeks. Swollen lymph nodes and his morning cough was obviously signs of things moving around elsewhere.
Over the weekend we had to stop him itching/biting it as the skin was obviously stretched around it and he wasn't being left with the cone of shame on so I made the call last night.
We've had a great couple of weeks during lockdown and he's had gammon and steak-this being a working dog who gets nowt but his food and wouldn't steal a pea off your plate if you sat it in front of him! We had walks, shorter than normal and plenty of fun in the garden. Even today when I was digging a four foot deep hole.
Tonight he went to sleep very peacefully at my feet on the patio before being buried in the garden. I can't explain just how empty a house of four feels tonight.
The empty house syndrome was one of the most awful moments of my life and career, it has clouded my ability to talk to folks when all is going wrong, it's just horrible, thankfully I have had to get distractions every time one pal has gone, they are never the same, ever, but they are still innocent bundles of newness.
The number of friends in the garden is probably our biggest issue about ever moving.
My sons Chocolate Lab suffered with an MST on her eye.
She had surgery twice to remove it. But because of the location both times did not remove it completely and it returns very aggressively.
They tried Massivet treatment, which is massively expensive but it was very successful at reducing the tumour at first.
Unfortunately it has its own side affects that are as dangerous as the cancer, so they had to reduce the dosage, the tumour returned and would not respond to the drug a second time.
They got a very happy six months with Poppy before she eventually succumbed .
She had surgery twice to remove it. But because of the location both times did not remove it completely and it returns very aggressively.
They tried Massivet treatment, which is massively expensive but it was very successful at reducing the tumour at first.
Unfortunately it has its own side affects that are as dangerous as the cancer, so they had to reduce the dosage, the tumour returned and would not respond to the drug a second time.
They got a very happy six months with Poppy before she eventually succumbed .
LaurasOtherHalf said:
fking hell I clicked on this forum as I had my lab put to sleep tonight and wondered if there was some sort of daft "tribute to yer hound" thread I might reminisce about him in and seen this.
He was diagnosed with mast cell around 10 or so days ago. To be honest we sort of knew he had more than a "fatty lump" for a bit but as he was really getting to the stage where he just wanted to chill at home I made the decision I wouldn't be dragging him through surgery or anything.
Over the last eight weeks it seemed to grow very quickly to the point where I couldn't ignore it any longer and got a vet out to look at it. It was a confirmation exercise only really, the main thing was to find out if it was weeks or months. It was weeks. Swollen lymph nodes and his morning cough was obviously signs of things moving around elsewhere.
Over the weekend we had to stop him itching/biting it as the skin was obviously stretched around it and he wasn't being left with the cone of shame on so I made the call last night.
We've had a great couple of weeks during lockdown and he's had gammon and steak-this being a working dog who gets nowt but his food and wouldn't steal a pea off your plate if you sat it in front of him! We had walks, shorter than normal and plenty of fun in the garden. Even today when I was digging a four foot deep hole.
Tonight he went to sleep very peacefully at my feet on the patio before being buried in the garden. I can't explain just how empty a house of four feels tonight.
That really upset me. Sorry for your loss.king hell I clicked on this forum as I had my lab put to sleep tonight and wondered if there was some sort of daft "tribute to yer hound" thread I might reminisce about him in and seen this.He was diagnosed with mast cell around 10 or so days ago. To be honest we sort of knew he had more than a "fatty lump" for a bit but as he was really getting to the stage where he just wanted to chill at home I made the decision I wouldn't be dragging him through surgery or anything.
Over the last eight weeks it seemed to grow very quickly to the point where I couldn't ignore it any longer and got a vet out to look at it. It was a confirmation exercise only really, the main thing was to find out if it was weeks or months. It was weeks. Swollen lymph nodes and his morning cough was obviously signs of things moving around elsewhere.
Over the weekend we had to stop him itching/biting it as the skin was obviously stretched around it and he wasn't being left with the cone of shame on so I made the call last night.
We've had a great couple of weeks during lockdown and he's had gammon and steak-this being a working dog who gets nowt but his food and wouldn't steal a pea off your plate if you sat it in front of him! We had walks, shorter than normal and plenty of fun in the garden. Even today when I was digging a four foot deep hole.
Tonight he went to sleep very peacefully at my feet on the patio before being buried in the garden. I can't explain just how empty a house of four feels tonight.
My 8 year old Frug (frenchie pug) has had a MCT nov last year. It was no bigger than a pea but a small amount was unremovable (sorry don't know medical terms).
He has had a few out now so worries me and I am more than sure it will be his downfall eventually.
He had a lump last month we flapped about but ended up according to the vet to be a cyst.
Lot goes through my mind with this, one is why on earth are dogs so vulnerable to tumours? Seems they are the hidden killer/cost nobody talks about.
He has had a few out now so worries me and I am more than sure it will be his downfall eventually.
He had a lump last month we flapped about but ended up according to the vet to be a cyst.
Lot goes through my mind with this, one is why on earth are dogs so vulnerable to tumours? Seems they are the hidden killer/cost nobody talks about.
Thanks for the kind words everyone. I’ve had dogs for 30 year or so so I know what the crack is.
I guess the upsetting thing is Kramer has been my adult life dog so has seen and been part of everything we’ve done. Family holidays, our wedding, the kids arriving, curling up around my wife when she was in pain with pregnancy...
I guess the upsetting thing is Kramer has been my adult life dog so has seen and been part of everything we’ve done. Family holidays, our wedding, the kids arriving, curling up around my wife when she was in pain with pregnancy...
Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff