Ask the Veterinarian/Dog nasal mass

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Expert: - 11/21/2010


Question
A ct scan is showing my dog has some sort of mass in her nasal cavity.  We had our vet do rhinoscopy and she did not find anything, so she referred us to another vet..  He did rhinoscopy and also did not find anything, then proceeded to do the ct scan and saw the mass.  It is far in her nasal cavity.  He reffered us to a third vet who says his scope will be able to reach the mass and biopsy it.  He also said from looking at the ct scan he is leaning towards a 70% chance its a tumor and 30% chance its a fungal infection.  How do I know he will be successful?  Does he have a different type of scope?  We have already spent so much money!  If its a tumor he says its not treatable, is that true?

Answer
Different vets have different toys. The third vet probably has a rhinoscope which are made just for this purpose. Most nasal polyps are way back in the nasal cavity and are very difficult to remove.

Even if you took her to a specialist and they could remove it, her prognosis is still not good I am sorry to say. Some dogs go a long time with a mass, depending on the location and whether or not it blocks both nasal openings.

I would wait and see what the vet finds and what the biopsy says before you move on. Nasal masses are not very uncommon, hence the 70% chance he gave of it being one.

There are some places that might be able to treat her with chemo, radiation, etc, but it's just to buy time until the tumor becomes unbearable for your dog to deal with.

I know none of this sounds good and I am sorry. I would stick with the last vet and see what he finds.

I will be hoping for a better outcome for her. Please let me know what the biopsy reveals. The best to you and her...

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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