Post by pinky on Feb 2, 2013 20:52:48 GMT -4
When I brought Mable in for the consultation about her vaginal bleeding the vet and I talked about the estimate for the second surgery. He asked me if I wanted histology done on the tissues and I said, "Well, when we discussed the mammary tumor you said, 'Will it (knowing whether the tumor was benign or malignant) affect the treatment plan? No.' and so I decided that it wasn't worth the money. The same goes here. I know you were really curious about what that mammary tumor was, and so was I, but I just didn't want to spend the money." He then said, "I still have it!" I laughed out loud! He said, "Well, I thought maybe your curiosity would get the better of you and you'd change your mind or something." I laughed some more.
Fast forward to the incision check visit. He told me about how he had presented Mable's case at the practice's weekly meeting. He said he spayed a hamster and his colleagues said, "You spayed WHAT?
" Something that we talked about led me to remark about him still having the mammary tissue. He then smiled and said, "Not anymore. . ." I immediately "got" what he was trying to say--that he had sent the tissues out for histology. "I found a way. . ." he said. I suspect that he was able to justify the expense to his superiors because it was a novel case. Anyway, he said he'd let me know what the results were.
Results:
Mammary mass (first surgery): an adenocarcinoma. Pathologist can't be sure that excision was complete. Malignant.
Ovary (second surgery): malignant round cell tumor, with significant potential for metastasis. Pathologist doesn't think it's a metastasis of the mammary one, but Dr. Applegate questions that.
Uterus: pathologist didn't comment. Dr. A thinks that the blood was secondary to hypersecretion of hormone by the ovary. He will try to get more info.
This leaves us with lots of questions. Will there be metastases to other regions of her body? Will her lungs fill with tumors and there be an icky end to her life? He hopes that these are slow-to-metastasize tumors, as found in rabbits.
Of course, there's also the issue of whether the eye problem is related--is it a metastatic process as well?
Well, folks, it couldn't be much worse, but it is what it is. I will continue to monitor her for issues and cherish what time she will have with me.
Thanks for all your support. *hugs*
Fast forward to the incision check visit. He told me about how he had presented Mable's case at the practice's weekly meeting. He said he spayed a hamster and his colleagues said, "You spayed WHAT?
" Something that we talked about led me to remark about him still having the mammary tissue. He then smiled and said, "Not anymore. . ." I immediately "got" what he was trying to say--that he had sent the tissues out for histology. "I found a way. . ." he said. I suspect that he was able to justify the expense to his superiors because it was a novel case. Anyway, he said he'd let me know what the results were.Results:
Mammary mass (first surgery): an adenocarcinoma. Pathologist can't be sure that excision was complete. Malignant.
Ovary (second surgery): malignant round cell tumor, with significant potential for metastasis. Pathologist doesn't think it's a metastasis of the mammary one, but Dr. Applegate questions that.
Uterus: pathologist didn't comment. Dr. A thinks that the blood was secondary to hypersecretion of hormone by the ovary. He will try to get more info.
This leaves us with lots of questions. Will there be metastases to other regions of her body? Will her lungs fill with tumors and there be an icky end to her life? He hopes that these are slow-to-metastasize tumors, as found in rabbits.
Of course, there's also the issue of whether the eye problem is related--is it a metastatic process as well?
Well, folks, it couldn't be much worse, but it is what it is. I will continue to monitor her for issues and cherish what time she will have with me.
Thanks for all your support. *hugs*