This week’s segment features Annie the 9-year-old toy poodle. Annie came to us for a large mass on her front leg and after performing a needle aspirate it was determined that Annie had mast cell cancer. Mast cell tumors are one of the most common types of skin cancer in dogs, and they can look very different from one another. Some may be small, soft, and slow-growing, while others can appear suddenly, become red or swollen, or even change in size from day to day. Because mast cell tumors can release histamine and other substances into the body, some dogs may also experience itching, swelling, vomiting, or other signs. The tricky part is that you often cannot tell what a lump is just by looking at it or feeling it. That’s why we recommend having new, changing, or unusual lumps checked by your veterinarian. A simple needle sample can often help determine whether further testing or treatment is needed. Unfortunately given the location of Annie’s tumor her procedure required a skin flap and some bandaging after surgery. Thankfully after some TLC from her parents Annie has fully recovered from her procedure and is doing great!!!