My pug has pneumonia, but X-rays show a suspected tumor mass. What's next?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The fact that these biopsies have come back inconclusive does not mean that this is not cancer. Unfortunately, this is very likely an aggressive form of cancer. After seeing these images, my main concern is that this is possibly a tumor arising from one of the ribs or sternebrae such as osteosarcoma for instance. In one of the images I see that there is likely pulmonary nodules which are most likely due to metastasis or spread of this cancer. It is hard for me to advice further without being able to look at more images or know more about the case. I would encourage you to check in again with them as another biopsy could be performed. Also, if there is truly already signs of metastasis, the treatment options and prognosis are also limited. I would mention to them the possibility of being referred to a veterinary oncologist who can look at the case with more details and advice further. I really hope they can help you and your boy!

An X-ray shows abnormalities like those Edie has in her lungs. They do not give a diagnosis. More tests need to be done to determine if this is pneumonia or cancer. They will look at the white blood cell count for infection and they can do cytology on the bronchial discharge to see if it’s infection or if cancer cells are present. If you want you can take Edie to a specialist to complete the additional tests needed to get a definitive diagnosis. Once there is a diagnosis then they can treat her appropriately. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Edie.

It's very unlikely he has a tumor at his age, instead of an xray i would recommend having an ultrasound done (by a specialist), this has better chance of giving you an accurate answer regarding the condition he is suffering from. i'm not sure he will need surgery, it really depends on what is causing it.

Poor girl. : ( Tumor can develop at any rate in pets so yes 6 months is plenty of time for a tumor to develop and show up. However, if there is a lot of fluid there, a tumor may not be readily visible on an x-ray. A CT or MRI scan is more sensitive to picking up small tumors or tumors that are obscured by fluid. A lung tumor or advancement of her heart condition are two likely possibilities to these symptoms. We have to keep in mind that heart disease can't be cured but only managed to a certain point with medication. It is possible that these symptoms are simply an indication that the heart condition may have surpassed medical management capabilities. If you are however still looking for options and cannot commit to advanced imaging (CT, MRI scan), then you can inquire with your vet about possibly increaseing China's medications. Lasix has a wide range of therapeutic index so it may be able to be increased. Another heart medication called Pimobendan also can be added to her treatment regimen. I am not sure if you meant to include this with your list of medications, b/c one of the medications seems to have been autocorrected to say "veterinary". Best of luck with your pet China and I hope that you can get her stabilized soon! Take care.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Yogi! I am sorry you are going through this. It is hard to jump in to a case like this with only a CT image. It might be better for you to sign up for a consult with one of out Vets to have a one on one text conversation. My impression of the CT is that there is a mass in Yogi's chest, in the mediastinum. There is abnormal fluid accumulation likely from the mass and there are also suspicious nodules with in his lung tissue. Which I think is safe to assume is metastatic. If Yogi was my dog and he had a chest tumor with suspected metastatic disease I wouldn't pursue further diagnosistics or surgery as his prognosis is very poor. To put him through a painful surgery when it has spread seems unfair for him. If the "biopsy" was really an aspirate they tend to sometimes be non-diagnostic as most tumor cells do not exfoliate well in to a needle. A true tissue sample would be needed. I am not sure knowing which type of cancer he has will change how I would proceed. Another option is to see a Veterinary Specialist. I would recommend an Oncologist. Sitting down with all the tests and having a discussion may help you. You can also call your Vet and ask to sit and talk about the results with out Yogi present. Just so you know all that you can before making any decisions. I am again very sorry for you and Yogi. Let me know if I can help in any other way.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. It could also be an enlarged lymph node. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and best wishes!

I'm so sorry for Roark's diagnosis. If Roark is still exhibiting signs like coughing and an increased breathing rate he could still be experiencing issues with pneumonia however these signs could also be a result of his cancerous mass. You can continue the antibiotics until you can get Roark in for a recheck of X-rays to determine if he still has pneumonia. Ultimately X-rays will be needed to know if he should remain on the antibiotics. If coughing or respiratory changes are occurring secondary to the cancer then you may want to discuss other medication options with your veterinarian that will help alleviate his discomfort. Using an antibiotic if the cough is related to the mass will not help anything and will actually put Roark at risk for negative side effects. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.