I too lost my beloved Pug Dakota back in September to Mast Cell Tumors.
He first started w/what looked like a large pimple on the top of his head. Took him to my old vet who said it was nothing. Just a skin thing that was common in pugs. Took him back to the same vet office (saw another vet) 6 months later to be told it was nothing, not to worry about it. At this time he had one on the fold of his face as well.
Well back in January of 07, I took him to the vet for his yearly checkup to be told by that vet he was very worried about what he saw and why had I not brought him in sooner. You could only imagine the anger I was feeling when I heard this. He said straight out, I think this could be cancer and I want to do surgery right away!
Well I scooped him up and took him to a new vet the same day. He too, confirmed that he was worried it could be cancer. Dakota was scheduled for surgery the next day. His tumors started to get a cauliflower appearance. Once they started the procedure they discovered that not only did he have one on top of his head and his face but he also had one under his right front leg and two under the fur near his butt!
Within 5 days I was given a call that he had stage III Mast Cell tumors and it had spread to his Lymph Nodes. You can imagine my devastation.
Sadly he passed in September. Had he only been diagnosed correctly the first time we might be facing a different outcome and we would not of had to go through the sadness and suffering that we all did!
Thank you for this thread, I hope it can help someone!!!!
I am sorry to everyone that has lost a beloved pet to this disease as I know how hard it is!!!! |