Dog tumor: Is a new mass test needed before treatment or oncologist?

Very small masses can be tricky to get enough of the needle in the mass without going through it. This area of the body can be tricky to get enough margins due to the lack of tissue before you hit bone, and the movement in the joints makes closure difficult. It could be any number of soft tissue masses, including a wart, mast cell tumor, squamous cell carcinoma, etc. If your vet cannot get enough cells for diagnosis with a fine needle aspirate, simply taking a surgical biopsy without removing the entire mass is an option. When we do bloodwork prior to anesthesia, we are checking the liver and kidney values are normal, no anemia or signs of infection, adequate protein levels, etc. we just want to be aware of any issues inside the body to be able to adjust anesthetic protocols.

A surgical biopsy is most likely to be diagnostic (get enough cells to tell us the type of mass). Depending on the location, your vet may be able to do a traumatic catheterization or an ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirate. However, some of these masses or tumors could be spread of cells are spread during these types of tests. They are less invasive than surgery, but include the risk of spreading the tumor. They will also require heavy sedation or anesthesia.

Well this is quite strange. I don't know why the difference of 15 to 17 cells will make much a difference in the diagnosis. I would call them and try to get a more thorough explanation as to why they like to find the specific number of abnormal cells. If the urine does have an infection, I would have the UTi treated with antibiotics and then have the ultrasound repeated to see if the mass is still present. If so, I would probably just treat for transitional cell carcinoma which is the most common bladder tumor. You can visit an oncologist for chemo/radiation options. A lot of people just choose to put the dog on piroxicam which is an anti-inflammatory which helps to decrease the inflammation in the tumor but it isn't going to cure the cancer. Also I would put him on a joint supplement like dasuquin to help increase the mucus in the bladder wall which is also a natural anti-inflammatory. I hope this helps!

Hi there. This is often a question of personal preference, because there are pros and cons to doing a needle aspirate beforehand. If the aspirate shows that the tumor is benign (a histiocytoma, or something similar), then it's true that surgery could be avoided. However, if it shows something malignant, like a mast cell tumor, then Harvey will still need surgery and the mass will still have to be sent for histopathology for grading and other information that can't be obtained from an aspirate. Also, it's important to be aware that around 20-25% of needle aspirates come back with inconclusive results - so in that case, you'll need to proceed to a surgical biopsy or surgical removal regardless. So, it's not as clear cut a decision as you might think. For me, I often recommend going straight to surgery for a small, easy-to-remove mass that appears to be growing (or not shrinking) rather than doing an aspirate first, since the aspirate doesn't usually change our plan. But you can certainly discuss this with your veterinarian - I'm sure he would be happy to aspirate the mass before going ahead with surgery, if this is what you prefer.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. 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 have a good day!

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your question about Gucci! Given that this mass has been there for a year, even though it hasn't grown, and her health is so important, I think it would be fine to have an FNA done on it. It would give you peace of mind knowing what this mass is, and it can be treated if needed. While I agree with your vet that you can wait to see if it grows, I also believe in making the owners feel more comfortable and I think you would feel more comfortable to have a diagnosis of it. You can speak to your vet about having an FNA done on it this week. I hope this helps!

This mass certainly looks concerning. As it is growing, there is a suspicion that it is likely a malignant mass. I suggest you schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam and a so-called Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) where your veterinarian takes a small amount of tissue from the mass with a fine needle. This is usually not painful and will help determine the type of mass and whether it needs to be removed surgically.