Mammary tumors - is the wait to operate too long?

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kerenza

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Just wanted some advice really - and hear about experiences.

Noticed a inflamed red lump (about the size of a nipple) near a lower nipple on my 7 year old dog on Sunday. Had a feel around and could also feel a few pea sized lumps a little further down but deeper under the skin.

Took her to the vets yesterday. A new vet for me as I've just moved, I guess I'd be more trusting of my old vet. He said he could take cells with a needle, but that it might be inconclusive as the material in the tumors can be mixed when they are mammary gland tumors. We came to the agreement that the best idea was just to get the lumps removed and work from there. I was very concerned about the red inflamed lump - but he said it was just because it was closer to the skin, and perhaps she caught it on something. He didn't think it was more of a problem than the others - but of course when I got home I googled inflammatory carcinoma and terrified myself.

After having a good long cry, I wondered if he's leaving it too long to operate? She's booked in on the 30th April, I know it's just over a week away, but I guess I was hoping he would take her in the next day. Does it seem too long to wait?

She is otherwise a very healthy dog. I am so worried I will lose her, don't know what I'll do without her.
 
If it were me,id do a pulmonary x Ray...if you have no metastasis I would do the mammary strip.If your dog does not have other conditions,she is still young enough to have the op and certainly this would give her a greater chance of a good life ahead.
All the best..not easy decision in an older dog,but she's definitely not geriatric so go for it!
 
In Italy very few females are sterilized and we see this all the time...so do get an x Ray and proceed from there...if necessary change vet...you need to know where you stand re the progression of these tumours.
Plus the more they do re biopsies etc..the higher the costs to you...if you decide to go for the mammary strip you are taking all the lumps away and cutting out the middle step..at this stage I'd go for the strip.
 
I am insured so cost-wise it isn't such a problem. I'm surprised he didn't offer me an x ray if it's common practise. Presumably if the lumps that are cut out turn out to be malignant then he will order tests to see if it has spread? If they are malignant they need to come out as soon as possible - but I take your point that if they have spread to the lungs then there is little point putting her through the operation. I don't know what to do now. Unfortunately I don't have a car at the moment and live in a very small rural village - getting to different vets is tricky. I may call my old vet for a second opinion.
 
I found a small lump in my bitch's mammary tissue, took her to the vet, discussed it, gave it a week to see if it would go down of it's own accord, no change, so....

I was asked if I wanted them to biopsy it, but as it wouldn't have been that accurate and they would have had to knock her out for it anyway, I decided to just have the mammary gland removed and tested afterwards.

No x-rays were mentioned and the lump was benign. I suppose if you were to x-ray, then the dog would be under anaesthetic anyway, so it would be the best time to do it cost-wise.

I don't think it seems too long to wait - how fast are the lumps growing?
 
we would xray same day if seen in the morning or next day at latest to check for spread and operate asap for the owner so next day or day after usually-once they are noticed it seems daft to wait
 
Twiggy ,your vet sounds on the ball and exactly what I'd want.
Re the x Rays..my dog has been x ,rayed without anaesthetic for the lungs...if they will hold still and are relaxed on the table this is a likely option.I was asked to hold my dog still with another vet,whilst my vet did the x Ray.Very quick and very little stress to the dog.
 
Neither of my girls had x-rays taken when the mammary tumours were removed. The lumps were just removed.

Bonnie unfortunately had several advanced lumps and bumps which had obviously been left for some time and the outcome for her wasn't brilliant. I lost her to heart failure about 9 months after the surgery.

Kiki cheeks on the other hand has thus far survived pyometra and a mammary tumour and is now in her 15th year. Hopefully there won't be anymore tumours but she was spayed really late in life so it is possible.
 
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