# Mast Cell Tumors in very young vizslas?



## rudolph (Dec 14, 2013)

Are vizslas prone to mast cell tumors? What is the youngest they can start getting them? 

Barnaby has had a lump on his head since January that I thought was scar tissue (there's hair growing on it, the size doesn't change, etc). The vet even aspirated it and found nothing. There's some other raised skin on his head that we didn't aspirate but has been there the same length of time. I wouldn't even call it a lump.

Now with his daily bout of hives since Saturday, I've been doing some research online and I'm terrified that we've had mast cell tumors all this time! 

Someone talk me down or confirm that I should be rushing to the vet ASAP?


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Vizsla's don't even make the lists when it comes to breeds with problematic traits for cancer. Now that does not mean that its not a problem in the breed.

I read a few years back, that half of all dogs over 10 years old will have developed cancer at some point in their life. Half of those dogs can be saved if treated in time. So we are left with 25% of dogs that live to 10 years old would die from cancer. Now I don't know if the statics have changed any over time.
As in better treatment, and more dogs being saved, or higher cancer rates.

While some dog are just hard charging and will always be covered in lumps and bumps from it. So you can't freak out over every tiny thing, but its also good to keep a watchful eye on any bumps.
If you just search the web, it will scare the crap out of you. I try and look to Veterinary Universities that have been doing research on cancer in canines


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Calm down, I think you are over reacting :

If your vet has aspirated them and they are clear I wouldn't worry. They might be little cysts or just related to his hives. What are you giving him for his hives?

I have a Gt Dane who had a mast cell tumour on his tail. It started off the size of a penny and gradually increased in size over 6 weeks - so back to the vets and asked them to aspirate it. A week later he had his tail amputated. The message her is that if they aren't growing in size I doubt they are anything sinister. Fergus was 4yrs old then - he is a very elderly 9yr old now. He has lumps all over him, but my vet is against doing anything about them due to his age and his back legs are very wobbly. He is very well and enjoying life, so we will leave well alone. So it is not all doom and gloom.

Vizsla are not especially prone to mast cell tumours. You are thinking that because they are prone to allergies and mast cell is allergy /immune system related that they might be prone. My Dane has no allergies - the specialist said it might be related to over vaccination and not to vaccinate him again. My HWV has allergies and is on Apoquel to control them. He is 21/2 now and will not be vaccinate again except for Lepto.

Interestingly enough I read a research paper about the pros and cons of neutering and spaying. It has been found that male dogs that are neutered at 3 and later are more prone to mast cell tumours. My Gt Dane was castrated at 3yr - so my Vizsla will definitely not be being neutered!!!


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## rudolph (Dec 14, 2013)

I should add that he just turned 1 year old. 

Yes, I am thinking about mast cell tumors in relation to allergies. In particular because the hives are behaving rather strangely. We'll start giving him Benadryl today. 

1) I read that they form ~20 minutes after exposure to the allergen, but his form primarily overnight when he's sleeping in the same spot and room that he has for over a week with no problem. Maybe there's pollen floating in from the window? It rained a lot yesterday though and it still happened though the pollen count should be low. 

2) They don't seem to be itchy or bother him at all actually.

3) The flaps of his ears have been swelling (like one giant hive) and are hot, but the other hives are not hot. 

4) They subside during the day when he's active and act up again at night, so it seems like physical activity helps them go down -- they did not start after washing bedding or clothes, but we've washed everything since in detergent that he hasn't had a problem with before.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

OK I have learnt a lot about allergies this past 18 months but I am by no means an expert. The first thing to know is that just because he has been OK in a room or with that washing detergent for the past few months does NOT mean they are not causing the problem. You have to have exposure to something to become allergic to it. So if he has never eaten beef, he will show no signs of becoming allergic to beef for sometime - he has to build the allergens to beef.

My Wirehaired Vizsla has environmental allergies - dust mites, mould, seeds, grasses and pollens. According to his dermatologist allergies normally develop in the 1st or 2nd summer. Boris's developed in his 2nd summer. He had hives all over his skin and was itchy. So it is good that your dog isn't itchy.

I would try and iliminate things e.g.. use a pure detergent . Here in the UK I use a pure soap called Sucare. Wash your floors with non toxic cleaners and non perfumed products. I use Method and you can even get that in Australia so I imagine you can get it in the US. The other really important thing is when you wash the bedding and towels or anything that might come into contact with the dog, do not dry it outside as it will get covered in pollens. I learnt this from a friend who is an allergy sufferer!! Wipe the dog down, including feet when you come in from walks to removed seeds and pollens.

It sounds to me more like something he comes into contact with e.g. a plant in your yard that is perhaps flowering and that is causing a reaction. 

Here is a link to a website of plants that may cause allergies.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Sorry forgot the link

http://www.allergyfree-gardening.com/allergy-plants-for-dogs.html


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## rudolph (Dec 14, 2013)

Thank you for such good information! 

We do have Method here. I honestly can't say how (or how well) the house was cleaned before we moved in, so maybe it's worth giving everything a good wipe down even if it is something in the yard that's the problem. 

We do have the windows open all the time (no ac), so there's probably a good bit of pollen building up indoors anyway...


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

I have to admit I am not the best at dusting and vacuuming, so I probably don't help my boy. We have carpets in most rooms and I know he would be better off if I got rid of them.....but at the end of the day we live here too so it has to be a happy medium.

If you are on FB there is a Vizsla Health Information group and the people on there are very helpful. 

Good luck, let me know how you get on in the next few weeks.


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Keep an eye on the ear flaps. Savannah has mild allergies and we just sort of handle them, but she had one bout that involved her ear flaps and the vet became really alarmed. Depending how involved the ear flaps are, the skin can actually separate from the cartilage. I saw a dog a few years back whose allergies were so bad that his vet had actually sewn buttons into his ear flaps until the swelling subsided.


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## rudolph (Dec 14, 2013)

Jeez! :-[

His ears were really swollen in the mornings for a few days.

We've been keeping the windows in the bedroom closed at night, which I think has helped. There aren't major flare-ups during the day even after running around outside, so I suspect that the culprit is some plant releasing pollen in the wee hours of the morning. 

For now it seems to be under control! We'll definitely be asking the vet about it when we go in for his annual vax, but for the moment I don't think we need to rush him in.


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