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6 year old yellow male Labrador woke up one morning with a lump on lower hind leg. Vet said that the aspiration from pathology showed spindle cell sarcoma or trauma to that area. They were unsure which one it was. About the size of a big marble. Does not bother him at all though. He doesn't even know it is there. Not sure if I should wait and see or remove it. Surgery would be a big scar of at least 10 stitches. Anyone have this before.
Last year, my then nine-year old lab had a lump on his hind leg. Got it aspirated. The location of the lump was unusual which suggested he bashed into a branch while trying to jump over it. We left it alone because results didn't indicate any problems, it didn't cause Boomer any problems, and the nature of it didn't suggest it was a problem. I think my vet said most of the time, lumps due to trauma go away but in some cases, they don't. He checks it each time we go in.
Your dog's younger than mine and facing different possibilities. Is your vet saying the aspiration results are so borderline that they don't know which it is? That they'd need to remove it entirely to get a bigger sample size to test more accurately? What does your vet recommend? What are the possible outcomes if the lump isn't removed? If it turns out to be the sarcoma and grows, what then?
Yes he said he was not sure if it is something to be considered about or not. Pathology aspiration just said possibly a spindle cell tumor or just trauma from playing around. He gave me the decision as to remove it or not or wait and see. I am nervous because he is young and the vet said if it is sarcoma then even if removed it will occur. He may only have a year or so. He is very active still and I am nervous that he would not tolerate 10 stitches in his leg. But to save his life of course I would try to do anything I could with in reason for him. Vet said most people do radiation or amputation I definitely said no to both those options. Everyone has there own opinion but I feel for how active he is and his age it would not suit him well. Did not think I would have to worry this young. I may have him resend. Another sample to the lab. Or get a second opinion through a oncologist or local vet. I want to make the right decision for him and will probably want more info before I just remove it. It has not grown in a couple of weeks so I am hoping it is good news.
You have to do what you think is best for your dog and for you. I'm sorry you're faced with such uncertain test results. I hope the lump turns out to be due to trauma and not the other.
I would go for a second opinion from on oncologist. It would be money well invested as you would then know for sure what you were dealing with.
Hoping for the best for you and your boy.
I think given the uncertainty I may get a second opinion (and this isn't because the first vet is in anyway wrong or bad, just - every one has different experiences).
Sorry you have to go thru this,hopefully it's nothing in the end.
That sounds frustrating, it's either nothing serious or something that might be serious. I'd probably see if I could get a second opinion from a veterinary oncologist as well to try to pin down that diagnosis better, find out the grade of the tumor, what treatment approach is best. A "10 stitch" incision doesn't sound that bad to me but I've had dogs have mast cell tumors removed from various body parts, neutering, spay, obstruction surgery, so maybe I've seen more than my share of incisions. I guess the location of the incision could make management more difficult and it sounds like a cone would be a priority in keeping him from bothering the incision.
I don't know too much about that type of tumor and had to look it up:
Soft Tissue Sarcoma in Dogs University of Florida
Fibrosarcoma and Spindle Cell Tumors in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospital
I'd be getting an opinion from a specialist.
Thanks everyone for the good thoughts. Have a appointment on Monday with the vet. Since it was so uncertain may ask him to redo the aspiration and send off to pathology again. If still unsure will have him ask oncologist about it. Good news is it is shrinking a bit it was a large grape , now a small grape size. Still there but hey I will take having it shrinking over a couple of weeks versus growing. The hospital I currently bring him is like yale for doggies. So I am not sure where else to go for a second opinion. Unless out of state. Good thing is his vet can just go down the hall and talk with oncology so I think I may ask him to do that. Hopefully we will have good news. If he was older I would leave it. But being so young I get nervous definitely losing sleep. Hopefully he has many happy years ahead of him. Will keep everyone posted thanks.
We saw the vet today, it did go down a hair so we will delay surgery for now and keep an eye on it. Have to follow up in two weeks. If it doesn't continue to improve we will probably have to do surgery. Still hoping it isn't cancerous and will continue to go down.
Glad it seems to be getting smaller. We rarely know what the veterinary practice members take their dogs to are like, from the oldest living veterinarian to a veterinary college. So we're not knocking your vet and it sounds like there are good resources within the practice. I hope things continue to improve for your pup. I hate all the stress of worrying.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jackchance
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That sounds encouraging...good thoughts that it'll continue to shrink!
Good news that it is shrinking, but you still sound uncertainly concerned with the situation. If it were me, I would have the vet take a sample to the oncologist down the hall, just to get a more informed answer.
I have a very difficult time waiting to see 'if' something will happen, especially if there is a resource to give me a more definitive answer quickly.
Good luck and sending lab board MOJO to you and your boy.
Ditto for the sample. When I took my dog to a vet because of a skin growth (which ended to be a wart and fell on its own) my vet told me to watch it. If it grows or shrinks, or changes in any way, he told me to bring the dog in for the growth to be removed.
Thanks for all the advice, I greatly appreciate it. I did ask the vet to speak with oncology. He agreed that because the pathology report did not 100 percent indicate cancer that it was ok to wait and see approach. Unfortunately it may be the wrong decision but I can't schedule him for surgery if it seems to be improved. Oncology said usually cancer grows and does not shrink. With spindle cell sarcoma. I do trust the practice and in my area they are all we have for the top vets. I hope I am making the right decision for him. He doesn't seem to be in any pain either. The surgeon also appeared at the appointment too for a quick minute and said the bump was mobile and encapsulated. So if we down the road did do surgery then it would be easier to remove. Even if i did remove it the oncology group said that it could come back with in weeks after removal at triple the size or take for years to recur. We still have a lot to iron out in the coming weeks. Sometimes I think it is one of those only God knows type of situation and it could be out of my control whatever path I choose. I again thank everyone for your advice and will continue to update everyone on his progress. Since he is so young I have to think positive so I will leave it at that.
I'm glad the oncologist was able to come in and examine him and offer an opinion. I hope things go well for your pup. Keep us informed on how he's doing and otherwise, if you have time, just stick around and hang out with some other dog loving friends.