Why Wait? Aspirate.
Masses must be sampled and evaluated under a microscope to determine what they are. The sooner we determine whether a mass is cancerous and should be removed, the better for your pet. Most skin and subcutaneous (under the skin) tumors can be cured when diagnosed early when masses are small.
I am Dr Sue Cancer Vet and I am on a mission to raise cancer awareness in dogs and cats, so we can diagnose earlier and save lives.
See Something, Do Something: Why wait? Aspirate!
See Something
When a skin mass is the size of pea or larger or has been present for 1 month,
Do Something
Aspirate or biopsy, and treat.
No, not even the most experienced veterinarian can look at or feel a mass and know if it is cancer or not. Your veterinarian must perform an aspirate or biopsy to make an accurate diagnosis.
Early detection saves lives.
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💊 I was just asked about my favorite cancer supplements for dogs and cats. You can find out more about them here in this vlog. #ICYMI
youtu.be/lF7EEl6_rr0Dr Sue's Favorite Cancer Supplements for Dogs and Cats: VLOG 39
I often get asked what supplements I like for dogs and cats with cancer. These are a few of my favorites. Thanks for watching. Please share and subscribe. xo...🐕 DYK there’s a higher incidence of bladder cancer in 14 breed of dogs, including Beagles. And these 14 breeds account for about 1/3 of all cases of bladder cancer.
😍 Meet sweet Fiona. This adorable Beagle is my new patient, and I’m treating her for bladder cancer which is extending into her urethra.
🚽 Unfortunately bladder cancer - called transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) - is often found late as its symptoms look like a urinary tract infection (UTI) - bloody urine, straining, incontinence, frequent peeing.
💊 And many dogs also have a UTI so the symptoms temporarily improve on antibiotics.
🧬 There is also a new commercial urine test that detects a mutation found in bladder and prostate cancer and can be used for diagnosis. It’s called the BRAF mutation test, and I love that it’s non-invasive, can detect the cancer early, and there are no false positives. (That means if the test comes back positive we are confident in the result.)
👉🏼 So what can you do? Because early detection & diagnosis are important.
✔️Know if you have a dog at increased risk (swipe to see the list of breeds). But remember other breeds & mixed breeds can sadly be diagnosed too, even though it is relatively rare.
✔️If you own a high-risk breed, it might be worth talking to your veterinarian about the CADET Braf test. I consider screening at-risk breeds every 4 to 6 months with this easy-to-collect urine test.
✔️If your dog has these symptoms or multiple UTI, talk to your veterinarian or a specialist about additional tests (abdominal ultrasound, the BRAF urine test, cytology or biopsy - it will depend on the case). Especially if your dog is over the age of 6.
✔️ If your dog is diagnosed with TCC, there are treatment options (most common ones are chemotherapy, NSAIDs, and sometimes surgery but there are others), and treatment is well tolerated.
♥️ That’s the goal with sweet Fiona. To #kickcancersbutt &
#livelongerlivewell🐶🐱🗺 Get my canine and feline skin maps delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up to download and print these skin maps at home or in your clinic to keep track of lumps and bumps. Use this with your calipers to note where the mass is and the approximate size.
💙 Grab them here: bit.ly/2Liq0n3
No one can look at a mass or feel a mass and know what it is. Remember, my See Something, Do Something/Why Wait? Aspirate® guidelines.
See Something: If the mass is the size of a pea (1 cm) or larger and present for one month or longer.
Do Something: go to the veterinarian for an aspirate (#WhyWaitAspirate!).
Most skin and subcutaneous masses can be cured with surgery alone if we find them when they are small. So let's identify them early and find out what they are with an aspirate before you remove them with surgery, so the first surgery is the only surgery your pet or patient needs!