A Mast Sail?
Of all the nerve! No I just will not believe this is true… I refuse to even think of this being possible. This is just shocking. Not my Boston. This must be a bad dream. We take care of our Bostons. You must be mistaken. Our dogs get regular baths and we have been doing everything our vet as ever suggested to make sure our Bostons are healthy. That messy thing just could not have been growing on my dog without me knowing… Why Boggie has never been sick a day of his life. What are you saying? You think this thing might be a Mast Sail? He has never been on a boat much less one that has a sail on it.
This one sided dialog at first glance might be a bit amusing. Then it dawns on you the person is reacting in a panic to being told something awful was found by the vet tech on a Boston. The discovery of a unusual lump on your Boston is bad enough then to be told by you Vet Tech on a routine visit that the Vet would need to explain the details, can be traumatic for any pet owner.. And many of us have already had to face this issue...
Mast cell tumor is a common tumor in middle aged to older, for breeds of Bulldog descent such as Boxers and Boston terriers, so it should be something that we are aware can happen.
Not to imply that other dog breeds do not get these tumors. But we are focusing on our Bostons. Nor would we want you to think every tumor results in a cancerous tumor.
We need also to understand the following terms:
Tumor is a term used to describe a growth.
Tumors are frequently described as Malignant tumor (cancerous- containing cancer) or Benign tumor (nonthreatening- not containing cancer).
Cancer - Uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells in the body
Another term often used is “neoplasm” is described as a growth on tissue (a tumor).
Neoplasms usually originate in the skin but rarely arise in other locations such as the spleen, kidney, gastrointestinal tract, oral cavity, and bone
Oncology, the branch of medicine that deals primarily with tumors.
Mast cell tumors (MCTs) are the most common skin tumors in dogs, and they are often fatal.
This is the reason you as a loving responsible pet parent must be able to understand how important to seek your vets advise when ever you discover a lump or unusually mass.
A suspect tumor may initially diagnosed by obtaining a small amount of cellular material from a nodule or mass at the vets office under a microscope. for complete analysis your vet may want to have a biopsy done.
A biopsy is therefore recommended a procedure that involves removal of cells or a piece of suspicious tissue for a detailed analysis by a specialist called pathologist.
Pain is common in pets with cancer, with some tumors causing more pain than others. So ask your vet about pain management and the signs to look for.
These are thoughts below and not an endorsement of any particular method of treatment. As many of us know, when our kids are sick, we'll try about anything and here are some very hopeful ideas.
If you and your vet decide to treat with Chemo
Keep them strong and able to fight off the ill effects and to not expose the dog to any illness you can keep away.
No new foster dogs, clean up (shoes, clothes, wash hands, etc. after being around outside dogs), and no dog walks in public areas.
At the vet, keep them in your lap and away from where sick dogs may have been. The big risk is that their immune system is VERY compromised and if they get sick, they might not be able to fight it!
Again, the really good homemade food that you get from a qualified nutritionist can be huge! They love the food and it is tailored to the specific dog (their issues, their age, size, etc.). It isn't that expensive when you think about what it can do to help boost your dog's ability to fight this disease!
There were a few things different here and there, but the vitamins crushed up etc. are important and the fish oil too! Some antioxidants such as Salmon oil.
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- Written by Donna
