Comments on: Does my dog have cancer? What NOT to rely on! http://www.dogcancerblog.com/does-my-dog-have-cancer-what-not-to-rely-on/ Dr. Demian Dressler, DVM, the dog cancer vet blogs about canine cancer Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:36:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Kathryn Krueger http://www.dogcancerblog.com/does-my-dog-have-cancer-what-not-to-rely-on/comment-page-1/#comment-3146 Kathryn Krueger Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:45:05 +0000 http://www.dogcancerblog.com/?p=41#comment-3146 Dr. Dressler Good Morning, I have a miniature mix poodle he weights 32 Lbs. He will be 10 years old in Oct. He develop a lump beween his front legs when he was about 6 years old. When it was the size of a ping pong ball I had the vet do a Aspirate. He said it was a fat cell. The cell started to get larger so in March of 2010 I had a different vet do another aspirate, again this vet also said it was a fat cell. However, today 8-16-10 it is even larger. Do you think I should find a specialist vet? Or am I just so worried about Paws I’m over reacting? Like you said the dog shows no signs of a health problem. Please advise. Thanks Kathy and Paws Dr. Dressler
Good Morning, I have a miniature mix poodle he weights 32 Lbs. He will be 10 years old in Oct. He develop a lump beween his front legs when he was about 6 years old. When it was the size of a ping pong ball I had the vet do a Aspirate. He said it was a fat cell. The cell started to get larger so in March of 2010 I had a different vet do another aspirate, again this vet also said it was a fat cell. However, today 8-16-10 it is even larger. Do you think I should find a specialist vet? Or am I just so worried about Paws I’m over reacting? Like you said the dog shows no signs of a health problem. Please advise. Thanks Kathy and Paws

]]> By: Kathryn Krueger http://www.dogcancerblog.com/does-my-dog-have-cancer-what-not-to-rely-on/comment-page-1/#comment-3145 Kathryn Krueger Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:42:10 +0000 http://www.dogcancerblog.com/?p=41#comment-3145 Dr. Dressler Good Morning, I have a miniature mix poodle he weights 32 Lbs. He will be 10 years old in Oct. He develop a lump beween his front legs when he was about 6 years old. When it was the size of a ping pong ball I had the vet do a Aspirate. He said it was a fat cell. The cell started to get larger so in March of 2010 I had a different vet do another aspirate, again this vet also said it was a fat cell. However, today 8-16-10 it is even larger. Do you think I should find a specialist vet? Or am I just so worried about Paws I'm over reacting? Like you said the dog shows no signs of a health problem. Please advise. Thanks Kathy and Paws Dr. Dressler
Good Morning, I have a miniature mix poodle he weights 32 Lbs. He will be 10 years old in Oct. He develop a lump beween his front legs when he was about 6 years old. When it was the size of a ping pong ball I had the vet do a Aspirate. He said it was a fat cell. The cell started to get larger so in March of 2010 I had a different vet do another aspirate, again this vet also said it was a fat cell. However, today 8-16-10 it is even larger. Do you think I should find a specialist vet? Or am I just so worried about Paws I’m over reacting? Like you said the dog shows no signs of a health problem. Please advise. Thanks Kathy and Paws

]]> By: Kathy http://www.dogcancerblog.com/does-my-dog-have-cancer-what-not-to-rely-on/comment-page-1/#comment-3004 Kathy Sun, 27 Jun 2010 05:47:50 +0000 http://www.dogcancerblog.com/?p=41#comment-3004 Dr. Dressler, Our 9 year old golden/chow mix had a little lump on her right side for a while. i had mentioned it twice to vets but they did not seem inclined to worry. It got a little bigger and then seemed much bigger, especially after we got her groomed and she didn't have as much hair over her side ! It hasn't seemed to bother her but I think recently she hasn't been lying on that side much. We took her to the vets who did a needle biopsy. She,the vet, said that there was something in there she wanted a better look at and sent it to some other lab and 2 days later said there were just some "inflammatory cells" but didn't really mention any fat cells that I would think she would if it were a lipoma.. We're calling up for another appt,Monday, would this just be a lipoma? Wouldn't there be cancer cells instead of inflammatory cells if it was something else??I'm just still worried ! Thanks, Kathy Dr. Dressler,
Our 9 year old golden/chow mix had a little lump on her right side for a while. i had mentioned it twice to vets but they did not seem inclined to worry. It got a little bigger and then seemed much bigger, especially after we got her groomed and she didn’t have as much hair over her side ! It hasn’t seemed to bother her but I think recently she hasn’t been lying on that side much. We took her to the vets who did a needle biopsy. She,the vet, said that there was something in there she wanted a better look at and sent it to some other lab and 2 days later said there were just some “inflammatory cells” but didn’t really mention any fat cells that I would think she would if it were a lipoma.. We’re calling up for another appt,Monday, would this just be a lipoma? Wouldn’t there be cancer cells instead of inflammatory cells if it was something else??I’m just still worried !
Thanks, Kathy

]]> By: Dr. Dressler http://www.dogcancerblog.com/does-my-dog-have-cancer-what-not-to-rely-on/comment-page-1/#comment-2867 Dr. Dressler Sun, 16 May 2010 21:39:26 +0000 http://www.dogcancerblog.com/?p=41#comment-2867 Dear Bev, great question. There are no studies on this as far as I know. However, my belief is that it is very logical to assume that dogs are able to smell cancer in other dogs like they can in humans. Dogs are models for human cancers these days due to the similarities, and I see no reason why a dog would not be able to smell a similar condition in another dog to what it could detect in a human. My two cents... Best, Dr D Dear Bev,
great question. There are no studies on this as far as I know. However, my belief is that it is very logical to assume that dogs are able to smell cancer in other dogs like they can in humans. Dogs are models for human cancers these days due to the similarities, and I see no reason why a dog would not be able to smell a similar condition in another dog to what it could detect in a human.
My two cents…
Best,
Dr D

]]> By: Bev http://www.dogcancerblog.com/does-my-dog-have-cancer-what-not-to-rely-on/comment-page-1/#comment-2833 Bev Thu, 06 May 2010 14:20:43 +0000 http://www.dogcancerblog.com/?p=41#comment-2833 Dr. Dressler, I would like to know how common it is for a dog to have the ability to smell cancer in another dog? I am aware that dogs over the years have proven that they can smell cancer in humans, but do you have any knowledge or any information on dogs - that have grown up together and live together- that are able to detect cancer in eachother??. I am convinced that my girl Basset smelled the cancer on my boy Basset and had been trying to alert us to his illness for several months. I work in Forensic Psychology and I have been researching this topic - partly because it affected my family personally, but now I am driven to find and understand an answer. Thank you. Bev Dr. Dressler,
I would like to know how common it is for a dog to have the ability to smell cancer in another dog? I am aware that dogs over the years have proven that they can smell cancer in humans, but do you have any knowledge or any information on dogs – that have grown up together and live together- that are able to detect cancer in eachother??. I am convinced that my girl Basset smelled the cancer on my boy Basset and had been trying to alert us to his illness for several months. I work in Forensic Psychology and I have been researching this topic – partly because it affected my family personally, but now I am driven to find and understand an answer. Thank you.
Bev

]]> By: Michele http://www.dogcancerblog.com/does-my-dog-have-cancer-what-not-to-rely-on/comment-page-1/#comment-2044 Michele Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:37:58 +0000 http://www.dogcancerblog.com/?p=41#comment-2044 Pierre, I'm so sorry that your baby has been diagnosed with cancer. It is heartbreaking. However, there are resources available. You say you are in the Houston "region" so I assume you mean Houston, Texas region. I am aware of two facilites with oncology specialties in the area....Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialties, www.gcvs.com, is in Houston and Texas A&M University Veterinary clinic, http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/vscs/services/oncology/ which is not too far away. GCVS helped my dog so I am more familiar with them. Your vet will need to refer you to GCVS. If he won't I would find another vet who will. There are a number of vets in the Houston area. I don't mean to advertise for any particular group but I hate for anyone to delay information gathering and potential treatment for their pet. Sometimes regular vets are not aware of all the latest treatment options. Oncology specialists can provide up-to-date treatment options as well as the benefits and risks of each and provide a specific treatment plan for your dog if a treatment exists. Also, there are holistic vets that can provide a holistic treatment plan. I'm glad I did the research and got a referral to an oncologist because now my dog is in remission. Good luck to you. Pierre,

I’m so sorry that your baby has been diagnosed with cancer. It is heartbreaking. However, there are resources available.

You say you are in the Houston “region” so I assume you mean Houston, Texas region. I am aware of two facilites with oncology specialties in the area….Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialties, http://www.gcvs.com, is in Houston and Texas A&M University Veterinary clinic, http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/vscs/services/oncology/ which is not too far away.

GCVS helped my dog so I am more familiar with them. Your vet will need to refer you to GCVS. If he won’t I would find another vet who will. There are a number of vets in the Houston area.

I don’t mean to advertise for any particular group but I hate for anyone to delay information gathering and potential treatment for their pet.

Sometimes regular vets are not aware of all the latest treatment options. Oncology specialists can provide up-to-date treatment options as well as the benefits and risks of each and provide a specific treatment plan for your dog if a treatment exists.

Also, there are holistic vets that can provide a holistic treatment plan.

I’m glad I did the research and got a referral to an oncologist because now my dog is in remission.

Good luck to you.

]]> By: pierre turmel http://www.dogcancerblog.com/does-my-dog-have-cancer-what-not-to-rely-on/comment-page-1/#comment-2043 pierre turmel Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:48:17 +0000 http://www.dogcancerblog.com/?p=41#comment-2043 hi Dr Dressler, I have an italian greyhound that has been diagnosed with cancer. He has two growth near his lungs. The vet told me that because there are two growths, there is no point having surgery or even try to treat it. I just cannot give up until I feel that I have done everything in my power to cure him . I was wondering if there are any trial treatment available or research study somewhere. I am in the houston region but will do whatever necessary to find anything worth giving a try. Thanks for any help hi Dr Dressler, I have an italian greyhound that has been diagnosed with cancer. He has two growth near his lungs. The vet told me that because there are two growths, there is no point having surgery or even try to treat it. I just cannot give up until I feel that I have done everything in my power to cure him . I was wondering if there are any trial treatment available or research study somewhere.
I am in the houston region but will do whatever necessary to find anything worth giving a try.
Thanks for any help

]]> By: paula http://www.dogcancerblog.com/does-my-dog-have-cancer-what-not-to-rely-on/comment-page-1/#comment-1882 paula Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:48:22 +0000 http://www.dogcancerblog.com/?p=41#comment-1882 Hi Dr. Dressler, I am a ped. neurology nurse and always get a second third opinion as well as check my med ref. info. My twin sister and I live together and have lost both a horse and 1 mixed breed very lg 15 year old dog. Also had a feral cat whom I had to euthanize at 19 years of age! We moved and had to find another vet. Would you believe that after an exam and x-ray she did a 7 min. exploratory, DID NOT biopsy or even do basic labs but told my sister Gabbie was full of cancer and should be put down immediately so as not to suffer. She had NO CHANCE TO SURVIVE! Like most lay people, she believed the doctor and Gabbie was gone no more than 3 hours after first being seen. I'm 99% sure that this was to quick and/or the wrong Dx. By the way, a consult with an oncologist wasn't even hinted at. I wish I had been there to have stopped this. Any toughts? Hi Dr. Dressler, I am a ped. neurology nurse and always get a second third opinion as well as check my med ref. info. My twin sister and I live together and have lost both a horse and 1 mixed breed very lg 15 year old dog. Also had a feral cat whom I had to euthanize at 19 years of age! We moved and had to find another vet. Would you believe that after an exam and x-ray she did a 7 min. exploratory, DID NOT biopsy or even do basic labs but told my sister Gabbie was full of cancer and should be put down immediately so as not to suffer. She had NO CHANCE TO SURVIVE! Like most lay people, she believed the doctor and Gabbie was gone no more than 3 hours after first being seen. I’m 99% sure that this was to quick and/or the wrong Dx. By the way, a consult with an oncologist wasn’t even hinted at. I wish I had been there to have stopped this. Any toughts?

]]> By: Dr. Dressler http://www.dogcancerblog.com/does-my-dog-have-cancer-what-not-to-rely-on/comment-page-1/#comment-1810 Dr. Dressler Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:17:28 +0000 http://www.dogcancerblog.com/?p=41#comment-1810 Dear Amy, did you get the aspirate results back? D Dear Amy,
did you get the aspirate results back?
D

]]> By: amy http://www.dogcancerblog.com/does-my-dog-have-cancer-what-not-to-rely-on/comment-page-1/#comment-1800 amy Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:18:08 +0000 http://www.dogcancerblog.com/?p=41#comment-1800 hii!! i just had one quick question, i recently discovered a lump on my dogs neck and rushed her to the vet. they took a fine needle aspiration and i still havent heard back. ive been feeling it for a few days and i think i just might be trying to feel something. how do i know when a lump is cancerous? how do i know its not part of her normal anatomy?? thanks! amy hii!!
i just had one quick question, i recently discovered a lump on my dogs neck and rushed her to the vet. they took a fine needle aspiration and i still havent heard back. ive been feeling it for a few days and i think i just might be trying to feel something. how do i know when a lump is cancerous? how do i know its not part of her normal anatomy?? thanks!
amy

]]>