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Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / March 2006Possible sarcoma (dog)
Saskia developed a lump on her leg about 3 weeks ago, that is hard to the touch and does not cause her pain, although she did develop a very slight limp on that leg and has been resting. X-rays revealed no bone abnormalities, and so we were advised that she probably had a bruised ligament, and were instructed to provide her with 4 weeks of rest and short walks. They took a biopsy of subcutaneous tissue, though. Well, now there is very worrying news. The vet just called me. Saskia's biopsy has tested "suspected sarcoma". They think it would not be osteosarcoma; she's in no pain and nothing showed on the x-rays. The vet wants us to take her to the veterinary University hospital in Utrecht, about 60 kilometers from here, the only University vet hospital in the Netherlands, where they have an excellent oncology department. I will now be seeking friends with cars and asking what times/dates anyone can try to get us out there and then making an appointment. Before anyone brings this up, our drivers' licenses expired 10 years ago so I can't just rent a car. If all else fails I can pay the animal ambulance to take us out there. Meanwhile, what can you folks tell me about such things as the statistics regarding how many cases are real and how many test out OK after all when it is suspected from a biopsy (don't worry, I wouldn't be using this information to decide whether to investigate further or not--we're off to that oncology unit just as soon as I can arrange transport and get an appointment--this week for sure, if not today or tomorrow), about how aggressive this type of cancer is, about how well it responds to various treatments (what limited research I've just done tells me "badly" with regard to chemotherapy), and in a not-quite-worst-case scenario how well a dog like a Dane, 2 years old with mild wobblers, could be expected to adapt to losing part of a back leg? Is this, if she does have sarcoma, likely to make things very awkward indeed with our planned May "vacation"? Meaning, will she likely need to be getting aggressive treatment at that time or is this a sort of cancer where postponing that sort of treatment a few weeks has been seen to not be so hazardous? I know that seems like a harsh question to ask, but this is the only chance we have left to get 1 1/2-year-old Walter together with his great-grandparents, whom he's never met (nor has he met three of his grandparents, or any of his aunts and uncles, etc., etc.), the remaining four of whom are ailing seriously, and the tickets are bought and nonrefundable and there is no remaining money for more (these came out of my meagre college fund as it is and my father and aunt would not be willing to release more for more tickets). Needless to say, this is also the last chance we have to say goodbye to our own grandparents (except my grandmother, who went in November), and we have not seen them in 6 years--and before that brief visit, 8 years. Thanks, Katrina I have no information to add, but your news is, indeed, quite worrying. I'm sending well wishes to Saskia, and hope any news is good news. >I have no information to add, but your news is, indeed, quite worrying. I'm > sending well wishes to Saskia, and hope any news is good news. Thank you. I'm still trying to arrange someone who can take us out there. What worries me most, I think, aside from the worst case scenario, is that if it is sarcoma, this "rarely" (according to a few online resources) metastasizes, so an amputation would pretty much take care of it... but she's got the damn wobblers! Her balance is fine almost all the time, but every now and then she has a slight sway to the back end. The specialists we went to for that don't think it'll get any worse, but if she lost one back leg I'm not sure she WOULD still be OK with it. She might have some real problems. We would of course be getting in touch with her orthopedist immediately about this if the possibility is raised. Fingers crossed for an "oops, looks like those suspicious cells are just anomalous and it IS a bruised ligament" diagnosis! I'll keep you posted. Thank you again, Katrina Appointment 5 April at 9:15 a.m., first available. My vet says that's soon enough. It looks like I'll be going by animal ambulance. It's 55.50 Euros for a round trip, which is quite a bit for me but at the same time absolutely nothing for a trip like that--it'd be 200 in a taxi easy. I sure hope it's all for nothing and the suspicion turns out to be unfounded and we can go back to just griping about her having to be kept in and on short walks for a month because of a bruised ligament! Now I have to fret for nine days.... --Katrina > Appointment 5 April at 9:15 a.m., first available. My vet says that's > soon enough. It looks like I'll be going by animal ambulance. It's [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > bruised ligament! Now I have to fret for nine days.... > --Katrina You are in my thoughts >> Appointment 5 April at 9:15 a.m., first available. My vet says that's >> soon enough. It looks like I'll be going by animal ambulance. It's [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > You are in my thoughts Thank you. >Saskia developed a lump on her leg about 3 weeks ago, that is hard to the >touch and does not cause her pain, although she did develop a very slight [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] >November), and we have not seen them in 6 years--and before that brief >visit, 8 years. Katrina, I'm very sorry to hear this. We had an old rescued whippet with hemangiosarcoma that first manifested as tumors on the legs, so hemangiosarcoma might be one possibility, and there's fibrosarcoma, which I believe is sarcoma involving muscle and/or connective tissue, as well as neurosarcoma, which the late great Sebastian (cat) had. Treatment depends on type; if hemangiosarcoma, there are often tumors in the organs that are undetected at first. All of the sarcomas are very aggressive - - again depending on location, you might end up taking the entire leg, and I don't think you could delay treatment until after your vacation in May. If you opt to treat aggressively, you might have to board her at a vet's or find a friend to keep her. So many of the greyhounds we placed have died lately - - not surprising, as this is our organization's 10th anniversary - - so much bad news - - I'm so sorry to hear this. Mustang Sally > All of the sarcomas are > very aggressive - - again depending on location, you might end up > taking the entire leg, and I don't think you could delay treatment > until after your vacation in May. If you opt to treat aggressively, > you might have to board her at a vet's or find a friend to keep her. > Mustang Sally I was afraid of that. We have no friend who could keep her, but the kennel we're taking her to was recommended by a friend who breeds Danes (and cannot take Saskia in May) and they only take Danes... if she needs something like regular bandage changing or pain meds I'm sure they'll be up for it, but chemotherapy or something... no. Boarding her at a vet's would be very traumatic for her. My husband would probably opt not to go to the States, and then he would certainly never see his grandparents again. Damn it! Whether to treat aggressively depends, of course, on what we're dealing with and what the prognosis is--she's such a wilting violet we're not willing to put her through a hell of a lot just to have her around an extra few months, but if the prognosis were very good then of course we'd do everything medically possible. Well, we'll know more in just over a week! Thank you for the excellent information. --Katrina My husband > would probably opt not to go to the States, and then he would > certainly never see his grandparents again. Bring her with you to the States, as we have veterinarians here too. > My husband >> would probably opt not to go to the States, and then he would >> certainly never see his grandparents again. > > Bring her with you to the States, as we have veterinarians here too. Delta, which was the carrier offering the deal my Dad felt the college account could best afford and still allow me to get at least a bachelor's degree (in archaeology, in case anyone's wondering), does not, to my knowledge, allow Danes in the cabin, and I won't dump her in the belly of the plane, possibly in an injured state and needing treatment, and requiring a plane change, for such a long flight, especially given that she is a very shy dog. Also, as far as I know the rabies vaccine has to be given 6 months before the flight to be considered valid for entry to the States, and as there is no rabies here, she's never had a rabies shot. If it weren't for these things, we'd already be bringing her; we'd LOVE to have her with us in San Diego. Thanks for the suggestion; I wish it would work in our case! --Katrina "White Monkey" <k.m.c.ooper@chello.nl> wrote in message: > Well, now there is very worrying news. The vet just called me. Saskia's > biopsy has tested "suspected sarcoma". Geez, I am so sorry to hear that. We'll keep our fingers and paws crossed for a good, non cancerous outcome. Suja >> Well, now there is very worrying news. The vet just called me. Saskia's >> biopsy has tested "suspected sarcoma". > Geez, I am so sorry to hear that. We'll keep our fingers and paws crossed > for a good, non cancerous outcome. > Suja Thanks. She has proved good at taking us to the cleane... ehm, the vet's for no reason other than to demonstrate she's OK, so we're hopeful, but this trend did break down with the wobblers--although it IS the mildest case either orthopedist has ever seen and not expected to get worse. I appreciate everyone's good wishes very much. My husband will too. --Katrina > Well, now there is very worrying news. I am very sorry to hear of this, my thoughts and well wishes are with you. |
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