MAST CELL TUMORS (MCT) and Other Bumps

I noticed a bump on Lucy's side the other night and didn't think much of it but noticed another one on her chest tonight. At first it felt kind of skin tag-like so, of course, I worried about a possible MCT. I looked closer tonight and what I thought was something "flappy" was actually a little scab that was partially hanging off. I guess they could be bug bites that she scratched and made scabby but it seems pretty unlikely that she'd be able to reach the one on her chest. I guess I'll just keep an eye on them. I know all MCTs look different. This is alot more like a bug bite kind of bump than something hanging off her skin or the pencil eraser shape that you hear referred to often with MCTs. Also, do all MCTs put off a histamine response? I wanted to take a look at them later and see if they've gotten bigger since having me mess around with them. I guess what worried me is them popping up all of the sudden. Do MCTs tend to scab at all?

Here is my experience with three dogs, each with MCTs.

1. Rocky-large, dime sized swollen, red bump that just "appeared" on his belly/chest area that was solid and within the skin. Aspirated, mast cells found. No scabbing, but did get bigger and more red during the aspiration. Enough so to make the vet guess that it was an MCT. Removed, grade II with clean margins. Less than one year later, another one, almost identical appeared on the same side. Removed, same as before. Almost one year since the 2nd one.

2. Mac-large, raised, hairless, pink bump (think pencil eraser, but more like the big pencils little kids would use) on back leg between ankle and knee. Aspirated, mast cells found. No scabbing, did not show the histamine response. Removed, grade II with clean margins. Over two years, all clear so far!

3. Bailey-now this one I have pictures. I found two small, skin colored bumps-one on her chest the other on her hip. Aspirated, found mast cells and had a very classic histamine response. See pictures below. Both were removed, grade I with clean margins. Again, almost two years and all clear!

before:


after aspiration:


I think what I am trying to say is that MCTs can appear in any shape or form and with or without the histamine response. Rocky, the one with two MCTs one year apart had another bump/lump show up on that same side. Slightly different from his others, squishy, under the skin and moved around somewhat but I was SURE it was an MCT-so off to the vet. This was less than 2 months after the 2nd large one was removed. The vet aspirated it-it was a lipoma. That was the happiest day at the vet-I almost hugged the poor man. Now when I find something I try to wait 2 weeks after I find something before I go to the vet. Usually those areas I am watching clear up on their own-scab, bug bite, irritated hair follicle...those that don't earn a trip to the vet.

I would say watch it and if it doesn't go away or gets bigger a trip to the vet is a good thing.

Thanks! It looks most like your second picture. I'll keep an eye on it for a few days. Of course (it's always the way!) we leave for vacation the week after next so I don't want to leave it unattended to completely. Nell goes to the vet this Thursday so I'll mention it to him and see what he thinks.

Thanks for the pictures for reference! Buster has a spot that pops up on his butt periodically that looks a lot like the second one. It looks like a pink pencil eraser and it comes & goes. The last time it appeared a few weeks ago, it was bigger than it's ever been and luckily we had a vet appointment scheduled for some bloodwork, so the vet finally got to see it (it never seems to appear when we have an appointment - isn't that always the way? ). When the vet was examining it, it "popped" and he took a smear/sample to test it. There were some mast cells in there but he said that he didn't see enough to concern him at this point (I guess that it's normal for there to be some?). He just wants us to keep an eye on it for now. It scabbed over after that & seemed to be going away again, but I noticed last night that it's still there & pink again. I have no idea if they'll be able to remove it since it's so close to his rectum.

I agree they can look totally different. Even a vet can say, oh it looks like nothing, and be wrong. Keep an eye on them. Trim the hair a bit, so you can locate them easier. If they go away, great. If they change, get them looked at or removed.

Is it uncommon to have multiple MCTS in very young pugs, like a year old?

I haven't seen a pug that young with MCT's...usually more like 3 or up.

I think that would be highly unusual Saira, but not unheard of. Hope it's not the case.

Aussie Witch wrote:I think that would be highly unusual Saira, but not unheard of. Hope it's not the case.

Thanks guys. Rescue got a call about a 1 year old that has 7 (?) MCT-and she's only a year old. I know mastocytosis is extremely rare, but to me that sounded more like what Sophie had rather than having a pug that young have that many. I don't know, guess we'll see!