Hard lump

[April2]

I found a hard, almost sharp lump on Misha this weekend when petting her. It's on the same side that she had that cancer removed last Winter. I'm hoping it's just scar tissue but why did it seem to spring out of nowhere, almost overnight? And it's much bigger than the last lump she had. It also feels different. The other one was hard to find. This one almost feels like a hip bone sticking out but it's just on one side.

It's the weirdest thing because I just had her at the vet a few weeks ago for shots and it wasn't there then. It makes me wonder if it's something that happened because of the shots. Still, it's on that same side that the cancer was on.

I'm going to call the vet on Tuesday. I hope the cancer hasn't come back. I can't afford another surgery and expensive tests. Last year we put it on the credit card but we've got two maxed out credit cards now. We simply don't have the money. I also had said after that surgery that I wouldn't put her through another surgery. I had hoped, though,that we'd have a few more years with her. I don't want to put her through another surgery at her age. She's 13 years old.
I don't know what to do. It concerns me how big this lump is. I pray it's not what I'm dreading. Please keep Misha in your prayers and I will give you all an update after I take her in and talk to the vet.
Thank you friends.

[April2]

Thank you for posting those links, Opus. I will check into that.

Thanks for caring, everyone.

[Jade59]

So very sorry to hear this, April.  You and Misha will be in my thoughts and prayers.  I'm not going to write anything else other than I will pray for a miracle until the biopsy tells us different.  

Hugs to you, honey and stay strong.  We're here for you.  

Opus...thanks for that link to Dr Osborne.  

[opus88]

April I just found this reply on the 'holistic pet community' fro Dr. Carol Osborne talking about diet for pets with lymphoma.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Holistic-Care-For-Pets/lymphoma/show/1329856

hope its helps Misha((hugs))

[dominosarah]

Oh April i am so sorry to hear this.  Misha is in my thoughts and prayers, so are you~~~sara

[opus88]

poor little Misha , she has gone thru so much already and we had such hopes for her that the surgery would buy her a lot of extra years...oh it sure doesn't sound promising does it, but lets not ever give up hope...she is still doing well and thats what counts.
I'll keep her in the prayers I reserve esp for all the special little creatures..

♥Opus

[April2]

We're back. The vet went ahead and did a biopsy while we were there. She was able to do this with just a local instead of having to sedate her since she was doing so well. So, it's been sent off to pathology and she said we should find out in 5 to 7 days.

It doesn't look good. The vet does believe the cancer is back and she said this one looks deeper and bigger than the one before so she's afraid this one could be aggressive and that if it is cancer it may have already spread since it sprang up so fast. Also, the fact that it's only been 8 months since the last surgery doesn't look good either. It means she will probably keep getting this and that it probably is an aggressive cancer.

I think we already know what the answer probably will be but I will let you all know when I get that pathology report back.
Thanks for the well wishes and prayers.
April

[LindaTX]

You and Misha are in my thoughts and prayers.

[April2]

I made an appointment for 5pm. I know they're going to want to run a bunch of tests but I can only afford to do so much.  Our finances are just in a lot worse shape than last year and I'm not working. I hate that.

I don't think she's in pain. She still eats pretty well, though has gotten thinner over the last year or two. She has been having accidents outside her box, which I'm not sure why.

We shall see what happens. I have a feeling the cancer has returned. I really did not expect this less than a year after her last surgery! This lump is pretty big, bigger than the last one. I don't know what any of this means.
I don't want her to suffer, of course. I will have to see what the vet says. I will let you know when I find out anything. I'm sure the vet will want to aspirate it and send it off to pathology to check and see if it's cancer. I will have to see how much that costs and how far I can go with this. I will have to see what the vet says or recommends. I will let you all know when I find out anything.
Thanks everyone.

[DeeDee694]

Dear April,
Well today is the day Misha goes to the vet.  Please let us know what he had to say.  Poor Misha.  I wonder if she is in pain.  Very hard to know unless her behavior is drastically changed.  Well, you'll know soon.  Good luck.
Dee

[Jade59]

I'm so sad to read this, April.  I'll be keeping Misha in my prayers.  Will anxiously wait for your update tomorrow.

I hear you with the lack of money - we are in the same boat and pray every day Jade stays healthy.  I believe she currently has an ear infection so we will be at the vet next week, too.  

Try hard not to worry until there's something to worry about.  

Big hugs to you, honey.

[LindaTX]

Hope Misha will be ok.  I had a bit of a similar scare with our dog, Barney.  Under, or behind his right elsow on his rib area he developed a small, what I thought was a lipoma.  A week later my daughter looked at it and said she didn't think so.  Either it was something foreign, like a sticker, or something more ominous.  Whe I took him to the vet this past week, she told me to keep an eye on it and if it gets larger the will go ahead and take it off.  Like you, I thought it had come on overnight but it does seem a little bigger to me. The vet didn't rule out a sticker or thorn that had gotten encapsulated and she said if that is the case, it will eventually fester or open up so I'm certainly hoping that's the case.  He'll be 9 in Oct. and we've had him since he was days old.

[opus88]

OH April....I sure do have Misha in my prayers. it really doesn't sound good tho does it, these vaccine associated tumors do have a nasty habit of returning. Is the lump in the same spot as the shot was given?  I pray that we are both wrong and it will be okay, I am glad you aren't wasting anytime in taking her back to see the Vet....please let us updated.
(((hugs)))
♥Opus