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  • Histiocytoma

    Phineas is at it again with a new skin problem. He had a histiocytoma cropped up on the front of his leg about 2 weeks ago. The vet diagnosed after taking cells with a needle. He said it's not uncommon in younger dogs and that many breeds, like danes, are more prone to them.

    Phin's started out taller but not so wide. Now, after breaking open every couple days, it is more wide and less tall. It looks seriously gross because it is bright red. There is no drainage or anything, just yucky to look at. Of course after it breaks open, he takes to licking it and we have to watch him like a hawk all day long.

    My vet said a couple months it should go away on it's own or we will consider removing it surgically. He saved the slides and said we will watch it and if it starts acting funky, we will send the slides away for a more affirmative diagnosis. Apparently diagnosis via cytology of the mass isn't 100%. When I got home and goggled it for my own info, many sites say a couple weeks! So is it weeks or is it months? If you have experience with a histiocytoma, did it break open often? Phineas does a lot of rough play and rolling around with our pit mix, so it doesn't surprise me that he keeps breaking it open. I forgot to ask the vet what "starts acting funny" means, LOL, so now I wonder if constantly breaking open is funny.

    We also are doing nothing for it. We aren't cleaning it or applying anything on it. Our vet said to leave it alone. That is what we are doing. Good.. not good?

    Would love to hear your experience. How long did it take to go away? Did it go away on it's own or did you have it surgically removed? Phineas has a pretty full schedule this month with various visits and walking in a parade next weekend. It seriously looks gross... it's about the size 1/2 way between a dime and a nickle but blood red looking. I plan on putting him in St Patricks day attire for the parade so he doesn't look like he has a big sore on his front leg.
    Last edited by Angel7292; 03-04-2012, 05:57 PM.
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  • #2
    That's what Moose had on his jowel! The vet did the same aspiration/slide fun too.

    It took probably 2 months to go from being raised and bloody to being flat and normal skin coloured with NO HAIR on it.

    For a while I had washed it with antibacterial soap and then put habitane ointment on it but the vet said to just leave it because it is what it is. There were days it would break open and be disgusting and others that it would get scabby.

    So..... from nasty to almost healed with hair covering it has been about 2.5 months
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    Nitro- Female Mastiff x Dane - July 3, 2010 - July 27, 2013 (RIP Sweet Girl)
    Moose - Male Great Dane - June 3, 2011
    Rush - Male Great Dane - April 8th, 2015 (MBPIS MBPIG Can. GCH Group Placing Paquestone's Intense Rush)

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    • #3
      Originally posted by TMedic37 View Post
      So..... from nasty to almost healed with hair covering it has been about 2.5 months
      Yeah, when I googled MANY sites said weeks and my vet said months. It's been 2 weeks and it looks like hell and I was starting to question how long this is going to take. Strangely enough, it is almost in the exact spot that he had the IV issue that took over a month to heal.

      Thanks for the info, I was starting to wonder if it breaking it open all the time should be checked out by the vet. It sure looks nasty. He never told me what 'starts acting funny" meant.. and you know me, I worry.

      Plus, I'm not doing anything for it per the vet. I was wondering if I should be. Glad to hear we are on the right path!
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      • #4
        Originally posted by TMedic37 View Post
        That's what Moose had on his jowel! The vet did the same aspiration/slide fun too.
        It was really quite funny, Phineas was NOT happy about the needle being poked and prodded in that bump. I gave him a treat and he ignored the needle the first time. When he came back for a second round of getting cells, Phineas was not happy and wouldn't stand still. The vet said, "Nurse... A cookie.. STAT!". Treat in hand, Phineas didn't pay a single bit of attention to the vet. He is such a silly dog for food.
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        • #5
          It definitely had bad days and good days. There was days there was blood and plasma all over the place and then it would heal and be fine and in my opinion it definitely got worse before it got better. It went from being skin coloured and raised to red and purple and scabby and plasma-y and yuck.

          I can throw out a guess what "acting funny means". Moose's never got bigger than dime sized. I think by acting funny means that it keeps growing etc. Moose's kind of maxed out at dime sized and then slowly decreased again. It never got to that point where I went OMG it just keeps growing! That of course would mean bad things.

          Just keep doing what you're doing and keep an eye on it Whenever Moose's got really bad and bloody I would just dab on the antibacterial ointment every now and again and that was the most I did. Not much more you can do IMO
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          Nitro- Female Mastiff x Dane - July 3, 2010 - July 27, 2013 (RIP Sweet Girl)
          Moose - Male Great Dane - June 3, 2011
          Rush - Male Great Dane - April 8th, 2015 (MBPIS MBPIG Can. GCH Group Placing Paquestone's Intense Rush)

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          • #6
            ACK! Do you have a pic of this?!? I am wondering if this is what Keebler has going on...his is on his back leg, and I had a vet look at it when she did his shots...but I couldn't remember what she said it was and she told me it would go away in 4-6 weeks, but if it didn't to take him back in. If I leave him in the crate during the day then it breaks open a little. I was planning on starting a thread tomorrow with our pic to see if anyone had any thoughts or suggestions on it.
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            "Mom, he's touching me"
            Emily - Mom of Mick (12yo collie/aussie), Rosie (9yo fawn dane) and Keebler (4yo black dane)

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            • #7
              http://www.dolforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69013

              If you scroll down you'll see the photo I posted of Moose's when he had it
              sigpic
              Nitro- Female Mastiff x Dane - July 3, 2010 - July 27, 2013 (RIP Sweet Girl)
              Moose - Male Great Dane - June 3, 2011
              Rush - Male Great Dane - April 8th, 2015 (MBPIS MBPIG Can. GCH Group Placing Paquestone's Intense Rush)

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              • #8
                Basically it started off as skin coloured and raised, dime sized. Then it started to break open and be bloody and plasma-y (yes, a word). Then it stayed dime sized and like that for probably 2-4 weeks. Then it started to crust over and dry up and then at the end of the two months it flattened out and returned to skin colour and then in the last few weeks it's been growing hair back on the bald spot.

                Thankfully his was hidden under his jowls but my god did it ever look awful:S
                sigpic
                Nitro- Female Mastiff x Dane - July 3, 2010 - July 27, 2013 (RIP Sweet Girl)
                Moose - Male Great Dane - June 3, 2011
                Rush - Male Great Dane - April 8th, 2015 (MBPIS MBPIG Can. GCH Group Placing Paquestone's Intense Rush)

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                • #9
                  yep...EXACTLY...well, glad to know it should go away on it's own...it's not getting worse, other than some blood every so often.
                  sigpic
                  "Mom, he's touching me"
                  Emily - Mom of Mick (12yo collie/aussie), Rosie (9yo fawn dane) and Keebler (4yo black dane)

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                  • #10
                    Hold on a minute. Let me get the camera. Phineas is white, so maybe you can see it better. However, remember, Phin's keeps breaking open so it is at a yucky looking place right.

                    Back in a few!
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                    • #11
                      The vet had said that if it didn't go away on it's own that it could be surgically removed. I would have waited until he was out for his neuter anyways to do it but thankfully it has dried up, disappeared and the hair has almost filled in again. I really didn't want to have to deal with that.
                      sigpic
                      Nitro- Female Mastiff x Dane - July 3, 2010 - July 27, 2013 (RIP Sweet Girl)
                      Moose - Male Great Dane - June 3, 2011
                      Rush - Male Great Dane - April 8th, 2015 (MBPIS MBPIG Can. GCH Group Placing Paquestone's Intense Rush)

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                      • #12
                        Here's a small version of Keebler's, am trying to get photobucket to download on my phone, lol.
                        Attached Files
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                        "Mom, he's touching me"
                        Emily - Mom of Mick (12yo collie/aussie), Rosie (9yo fawn dane) and Keebler (4yo black dane)

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                        • #13
                          Without cytology you will never know for sure but it sure looks exactly like what Moose had!
                          sigpic
                          Nitro- Female Mastiff x Dane - July 3, 2010 - July 27, 2013 (RIP Sweet Girl)
                          Moose - Male Great Dane - June 3, 2011
                          Rush - Male Great Dane - April 8th, 2015 (MBPIS MBPIG Can. GCH Group Placing Paquestone's Intense Rush)

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                          • #14
                            Here is Phin's histiocytoma! He has good and bad days. First photo is what it looks like today - a bad day for sure. The second photo is what it looks like on a good day.




                            Last edited by Angel7292; 03-04-2012, 06:27 PM.
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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by oubball14 View Post
                              Here's a small version of Keebler's, am trying to get photobucket to download on my phone, lol.
                              That is what Phin's looks like when it first started. It has just gotten more and more ugly since.

                              I would get it checked though. After my google expedition, I've discovered it could be many other bad things. It's probably not, but you want to be safe rather then sorry though.
                              Last edited by Angel7292; 03-04-2012, 06:26 PM.
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