My dog has a growth. How are pet tumors diagnosed and treated safely?

Question

My vet said it's hard to get cells for fine needle aspiration because of the lesion's location. Is that true? The growth suddenly enlarged due to a bacterial infection- I've attached a pic of it from 2 years ago. Is it difficult to get clean margins for this growth if I opt for surgery? What kind of growth could it be? Sebaceous cyst? Mast cell tumor? Lastly, what in the blood-work indicates that Val is safe for sedation? Pet's info: Dog | American Staffordshire Terrier | Female | spayed | 9 years old | 43 lbs

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

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.

My dog has a growth. How are pet tumors diagnosed and treated safely?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

Why is my mouse's eye swollen, cloudy, and has pus?

Can I use human contact lens solution as eye drops for my mouse?

My pet is breathing hard, not eating, and lethargic. What's wrong?

My pet has red spots all over. What's causing them and what to do?

My small pet is limping and can't bear weight. Should I see a vet?

My dwarf hamster has a shut eye and is limping. What should I do?

Share