Our Sammi Has Cancer

Our Sammi has cancer; such a nightmare diagnosis. I am posting this message for three reasons, the first being I want to pass on to you what I have learned from this particular cancer experience in hopes that if this info will help even one Doodle/Doodle parent, Sammi's experience will not be in vain. The second reason is I would like to ask for positive thoughts to be sent Sammi's way, and the third reason is Adina encouraged me to post this to the forum page, as I had only sent this message to friends. (I have never posted a discussion to the forum page and hope that I have the protocol correct.)

About a month ago while petting Sammi, I felt a rather large lump on his back that moved just a bit as I palpated it and the area around it. It was located just above Sammi's spine almost in the center of his back and felt to be about walnut sized. I automatically feared that Sammi had cancer while friends and family kept trying to reassure me that the lump was nothing serious, probably just a cyst. Even the vet thought the lump was a harmless cyst but due to my insistence, he did an aspiration in three sites of the lump and sent it out for a biopsy. A very long week later I received the news from Sammi's vet that the biopsy had showed no cancer cells, however just to be on the safe side and because of the size of the lump, the vet agreed with me that it should be removed. I was told that the surgery to remove the lump didn't need to be expedited because there appeared to be no cancer present.

No one, not even the vet, shared my certainty that this lump was cancer and they seemed to be just humoring me when I insisted that it be removed as soon as possible. But I was determined, so that week Sammi had the lump removed and was left with a quite large incision requiring ten metal staples to close. The mass as the vet then called it was sent for a customary biopsy and I was still told there was no reason to worry. Nearly another week later my husband, Steven, and I were advised that this mass was a malignant tumor, fibrosarcoma.

The vet assured us he had gotten the entire mass and had clean/clear margins but encouraged us to seek a second opinion. We spoke with an oncologist and a radiologist while we waited the two weeks for the staples to be removed and chest x rays to be taken. We were told this type of cancer doesn't typically metastasize. Even so, I was still thrilled when Sammi's chest x rays appeared to be clear.

We were advised that this type of cancer will typically come back in the same area if it returns, will have a tendency to grow slowly and has a low morbidity rate in dogs; all very hopeful news! So we will need to be very watchful for any signs of lumps and will need to have Sammi checked by the vet every three months.

I've tried to be as specific yet as brief as I can be in relating this experience in hopes that this info regarding Sammi's ordeal might be of use. The take home lesson for me is that early detection and expeditious removal of a suspicious lump can mean the difference in outcomes.

Sammi seems to be doing very well and we are hopeful that the fibrosarcoma was entirely removed and will not return. Many thanks to all of Sammi's friends who have been and continue to be so wonderfully supportive!!

Summer Promisloff

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Permalink Reply by Sue & Lily Grace on October 24, 2012 at 5:25am

I am so very sorry to hear the devastating news about Mulligan. Love on him for me. I am praying for your family and for a miracle for Mulligan. There are no words to tell you how sad I am for you.

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Permalink Reply by Linda, Webber and Seda on October 22, 2012 at 6:43pm

I think you are a hero for insisting the Vet remove the tumor. And, I hope you have saved Sammi's life. It isn't easy to stand up to a professional when you have three negative biopsies. Good for you!! I pray the tumor doesn't return, and that you and Sammi have a very long time together. Thank you for sharing your story; it is so important.

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Permalink Reply by Summer Promisloff on October 26, 2012 at 12:06am

It's humbling to be called a hero, thank you for your kind words. With all my heart I hope and pray that Sammi's life has been saved. I love him so dearly it would devastate me to see him suffer and then to lose him. Thank you so much for your prayers and support, it means more than I can say.