Firm lump on head -- grew in about 1.5 weeks

[caitmonster]

Hi all, been awhile for me. I was out of town this weekend and had someone watching Rocky, and came back to find a big hard lump on his head. It's not an injury as it's not painful, and I realized it's visible, although smaller, in an earlier photo from Aug. 18th. He's eating and drinking as normal (asleep in this photo) but I'm getting him in to the vet tomorrow. Any thoughts? I'm concerned it's an osteoma as it doesn't move with the skin.

[Thérèse]

I have no thoughts on what it could be but I am keeping your sweet Rocket in my thoughts and hoping that all goes well for you both.

[caitmonster]

Vet is suspecting a tumor and found a second round mass in his belly near his kidney, so we are now waiting on cell sample results sometime next week. He's only 5... I hope I have a little longer with him.

[Corvidophile]

Argh, a stressful wait. Not good that there are two separate lumps. I hope everything turns out for the best, keep us updated.

[unclejoe]

Sorry to hear this news. I hope you get to enjoy some time with him yet.

[Charlie]

Oh my, that lump is rather visible for sure. I hope you still get more time with your little fella. How old is he now?

[caitmonster]

Sept 1, 2023 19:08:55 GMT -5 Charlie said:

Oh my, that lump is rather visible for sure. I hope you still get more time with your little fella. How old is he now?

Thanks so much, all. He is a little over 5, I've had him since he was 10 weeks from Scarlett's Happy Dookers. I feel like I bonded more closely with him than my others, and have also been dealing with a divorce, so he has been my constant through it. 

I was rereading some old threads about holistic treatment for tumors, so went out and bought IP6, super EPA, and a blend of the most recommended mushrooms. I figure they can't hurt and could only help. Now the trick is getting them into him, he is my pickiest eater and notices the slightest change in flavors. Sigh.

[Sherry Stone]

Has a biopsy been done of the lump? My Contessa had a rather large one on her forehead. It turned out to actually be an abcess on biopsy, and on culture it was a gram negative bacteria. Meaning only a couple antibiotics might work on it. Unfortunately given it's location she wound up on pulse therapy for a couple years til she finally passed at age 10.

[caitmonster]

Sept 3, 2023 23:13:24 GMT -5 Sherry Stone said:

Has a biopsy been done of the lump? My Contessa had a rather large one on her forehead. It turned out to actually be an abcess on biopsy, and on culture it was a gram negative bacteria. Meaning only a couple antibiotics might work on it. Unfortunately given it's location she wound up on pulse therapy for a couple years til she finally passed at age 10.

Sherry, thanks for sharing. No biopsy, just a cell sample by aspiration. I did ask my vet if there was a possibility it was an abscess, and he said he didn't see any material released that indicated as such, but depending on what the results end up being from the test I figure a biopsy might be necessary. Whatever it is, it's not currently affecting him physically otherwise.

[caitmonster]

Finally got results back today--it is a tumor of some kind or another. My vet recommended a large exotic clinic about a hour north of here for a consultation to see what might be the the next steps. Growth of the lump seems to have halted, at least for now (maybe the mushrooms et al. are working?). I'm betting the mass in his groin is an enlarged lymph node. Wondering if surgery would be worth it; he's in good health otherwise.

Mild proliferation of atypical mesenchymal cells.

This sample had a mesenchymal cell proliferation with sufficient atypia to be suspicious for a spindle
cell tumor such as a soft tissue sarcoma or others, and checking imaging for any underlying bony
involvement or lysis may be advisable given the clinical concern the mass could be originating from the
skull. Other mesenchymal cell proliferations could appear similar cytologically including atypical
fibroplasia which consequently isn't excluded. Biopsy with histopathologic evaluation is recommended for
further characterization as clinically appropriate. I reviewed the case with a second clinical
pathologist who agrees with this assessment.

The 3 submitted slides were examined. The sample consisted of small droplets of proteinaceous material
with low numbers of nucleated cells that were primarily ovoid to spindeloid in shape, supportive of a
population of mesenchymal cells. They had moderate anisocytosis and anisokaryosis, with small-to-moderate
amounts of cytoplasm and round to ovoid nuclei with finely to coarsely stippled chromatin and 0-2
nucleoli. In some cells the nuclei were eccentrically placed and some cells had subtle to distinct
perinuclear cytoplasmic clearing. There were occasional binucleate cells and rare larger multinucleated
cells. There may be rare deteriorated mitotic figures. Rare macrophages were present. No infectious
agents were seen.

[Sherry Stone]

If he is in good health otherwise, it may be worth while if the vet can get clean margins on the growth.

[raven]

caitmonster I can't see the image for some reason but one of my ferrets that is 5 also has a lump right above her eye it started small but it is about the size of a short pinky nail now, she scratched it off once and it grew back very fast. When I first had it looked at and tested my vet said it was a Mast Cell Tumor and that it was benign, but could cause some itching and we could have it removed it became a problem and they gave me Triamcinolone to help with the itching, though it hasn't seem to do much for her. She doesn't have any internal masses though so this may not be the same thing. I hope things go well for you two with further investigation. <3

[caitmonster]

Thanks, raven. My girl had an MCT that came and went as well, but this is well under the skin and doesn't exhibit any other symptoms. He's happy to eat his mushrooms and carry on life as usual right now, so I'm taking it slowly in considering how best to treat it. Lots of kisses and snuggles for him, too (I think he is getting a little exasperated with being smothered at times but maybe I am anthropomorphizing, hah).

[unclejoe]

Sept 15, 2023 9:45:45 GMT -5 caitmonster said:

Lots of kisses and snuggles for him, too (I think he is getting a little exasperated with being smothered at times but maybe I am anthropomorphizing, hah).

We ferrants would NEVER do that, lol.  Or kat parents, or dog parents...