Bulldogs World

that he has been on Pred before and did not respond well to it, at all.  It gave him super liquid exploding diarreah (sorry for the yucky description).  So I'm not sure he will be able to take that =(

I'm sorry Lisa!  I don't have any experience but please know I'm sending good thoughts and prayers out for you and Onslow!  I really hope you can find some answers here.

But I had to let you know that all of you are in my prayers and thoughts, especially Mr. O.  He is such a special little man to all of us.

He had an ugly, red lump on his belly and a little wart on his neck that we were treating with cortisone cream.  The vet wanted to remove the belly lump and at the same time decided to remove the wart.  Well, the lump was just an infection, but the wart was a mast cell.  Ollie had to have another surgery to make sure they had clean margins.  He had a huge scar, but it's healed over nicely.  He didn't have chemo, the vet was confident he got it all and he's been fine ever since.  They explained to me that mast cells in dogs are like skin cancer in humans, so we limit his sunbathing and watch for new ones, so far so good.  Sending good thoughts for your boy.  If you have any questions, let me know. 

But one thing...under the skin, is it attached to anything or free moving? I mean, is it right under the skin and attached to something internally so it won't move, or is it able to be moved around and isn't held by muscle, tendon, etc?

If it isn't attached there is a good chance they can just remove the tumor itself and there won't be surrounding affected tissue. I will be praying for you guys.

on her leg and our vet decided that even though he thought it not a problem he would take a sample and have it biopsied. Thankfully he did as it turned out to be a tumor. He then operated and removed it. He made a fairly wide margin around the tumor and got it all. He told us that if she were able to get through the first year after that with no more appearing she would be fine. He was right. She had the tumor at 7 and lived to be almost 11 when she died of heart problems. Chemo/radiation were never discussed. Hoping you too have a most satisfactory result with your bully.

but just wanted to let you know your post caught my breath and I had tears until I googled the diagnosis and it seems it is the most leading cancer that is cured in dogs : )

Sending Onslow big huge kisses, prayers and healing vibes!

MacKenzie has had a maglignant Mast Cell Tumor, Grade 1 which is a low grade.  My vet opted to remove it with large margins prior to biopsy since it meant only putting him under once.  It is rather alarming how large of an area they actually took and the size of the incision, but it healed nicely and you can't even tell where it was. It was on his forechest close to his right leg.  A friend of mine actually noticed it first and we watched it for a year and it grew so we suspected to could be maglignant and had it removed.

He has also had several tumors on his gums that have needed to be removed but those have been benign.

I was told by several bullie breeders to put him on an antihistamine like Benedryl.  But I never have and has not gotten anymore tumors as of yet.

I hope if it is maglignant it is a low grade.   Give Onslow smooches for me.

This article was given to me by my vet., my 8 year old bullie just had one removed 6 weeks ago.  I discovered the lump on her abdomen took her to have it checked a needle biopsy was done it was a mast cell she was booked for surgery next day and had it removed.  Thank god it was low grade tumor all of the margins were clear.  My vet did administer an antihistamine during surgery and post op I had to give 1 benadryl per day for 7 days.  Since this lump was discovered I have to keep a watchful eye on her sometimes they can get another and sometimes one is all they have I pray for me it's the latter these tumors can be deadly.  Location is the number one issue (ie) inbetween toes, middle of forehead, places that limits the capability of excising all of the tissue outside the margins.  Good Luck

Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs
BASIC INFORMATION
Description and Causes
These tumors are composed of a white blood cell called a mast
cell . Mast cell tumors (MCTs) are the most common malignant
skin tumor of dogs. The cause is unknown, but a virus that causes
mutations has been proposed, because many dogs with MCTs have
mutations in a specific gene that may be responsible for the creation
and/or progression of MCTs.
MCTs usually develop in middle-aged to older dogs but are
occasionally found in dogs as young as 4 months. They occur
commonly in the boxer, Boston terrier, bull terrier, bullmastiff,
Staffordshire bull terrier, fox terrier, English bulldog, dachshund,
Labrador retriever, golden retriever, beagle, pug, Chinese shar-pei,
Rhodesian ridgeback, and Weimaraner. All MCTs in the dog are
considered potentially malignant.
Clinical Signs
These tumors are generally hairless, red, swollen bumps that vary
in size (less than 1 inch up to several inches). They often occur
on the trunk (body), head, and legs. Sometimes, tumors on the
legs and lips look only like areas of swelling. Rarely, if substances
such as histamine and heparin are released from the tumors all at
once, generalized swelling, poor blood clotting, low blood pressure
(weakness, lethargy), and even death can occur.
Diagnostic Tests
Taking a sample of the tumor with a needle and examining the
material under a microscope (cytology) is often helpful, because
mast cells are unique. The grade or stage of tumor (severity of
malignancy) can be determined only if the tumor is biopsied.
Biopsy can be done in some tumors prior to removal, or the entire
tumor can be removed and submitted for biopsy. MCTs are classified
as stage I, II, or III. Stage III is the worst (most malignant).
Once a diagnosis of MCT is confirmed, other tests are needed to
look for spread (metastasis) of the tumor. Examples include:
• Checking nearby glands (lymph nodes) for mast cells
• Examining blood cells and the bone marrow for mast cells
• Performing an abdominal ultrasound to check the liver, spleen,
and other organs
• Obtaining x-rays of the chest
TREATMENT AND FOLLOW-UP
Treatment Options
Surgery is the most common treatment option and is done early as
possible. If possible, a large area of normal tissue around the tumor
is removed to try and prevent the tumor from coming back. All of
this tissue is examined by the pathologist to determine whether the
MCT has been completely removed.
If complete removal is not possible with surgery, radiation
therapy or chemotherapy may be recommended. These treatments
are used for some stage II and many stage III MCTs. Occasionally,
certain antihistamine medications may be given to control the
problems associated with histamine release.
Follow-up Care
Recheck examinations every 3-4 months are used to monitor the
dog for new bumps and to check for metastasis to regional glands
or internal organs. Laboratory tests (as often as every 1-3 weeks)
are needed to monitor for the side effects of chemotherapy drugs.
Prognosis
Survival rates of dogs are about 83% with stage I tumors, 44%
with stage II tumors, and 6% with stage III tumors. A bad prognosis
is associated with tumors that grow rapidly, are located in deeper
tissues, or cause the skin to be raw or ulcerated and when other
signs are present.

When are you supposed to get the results of the test?

Don't know if it will help, but it might be worth inquiring about!

Good thoughts that it's low grade. 

No experience with these tumors, but I know that they have to excise a pretty large area around the tumor to get good margins. 

Hugs to Onslow!

Thinking of you guys