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🐾 Meet Amber – the much-loved companion of our Ward Supervisor, Ria, and a familiar face at The Ralph.

🏥 Amber is nine years old and has been under our care for several years due to recurrent mast cell tumours. These types of tumours can be unpredictable in how they appear, grow, and sometimes even temporarily disappear, which makes ongoing monitoring essential.

Ria first discovered a small lump on Amber’s right thigh in 2021. It eventually disappeared on its own but returned in 2022. Given the recurring nature of the mass and the known behaviour of mast cell tumours – often referred to as “the great imitators” – Ria brought Amber to her primary care vet, who then referred her to our Oncology team for further assessment.

🧪We performed a fine needle aspirate (FNA), a procedure in which a small sample of cells is taken from the mass using a needle and sent to the lab for analysis. Unfortunately, the results confirmed that it was a mast cell tumour.

The next step was surgery. With this type of mass, it’s important to remove a margin of healthy tissue around the lump to help reduce the risk of any remaining cancer cells. The removed tissue was then graded by an external pathology lab, which helps guide future treatment decisions based on the tumour’s characteristics and likelihood of spreading.

Following surgery, Amber experienced a post-operative infection that led to some breakdown of the wound site. While this is a known risk with any surgical procedure, it’s always closely managed. Amber responded well to antibiotics, and the area healed successfully.

🔬Over the next two years, Amber developed six additional mast cell tumours in various locations. Some were easily noticeable, while others were quite small and resembled skin tags. This is why mast cell tumours are also known as the ‘great imitators’. They can grow big, small, and all different shapes and textures. Each one was individually assessed and surgically removed, and Amber has recovered well after each procedure.

After a stretch of about 18 months with no new masses, Ria found another lump on Amber’s muzzle in January 2025. It was removed, and we’re pleased to report that the site has healed fully.

📆To monitor Amber’s ongoing health, we perform routine abdominal ultrasounds every 3–6 months, along with FNAs of her spleen and liver – the most common sites for mast cell tumour metastasis. Her lymph nodes are also palpated and measured at each visit. Currently, Amber is all clear 🌟

As part of her at-home care, Ria regularly checks Amber for any new lumps or changes. Any new growths are promptly assessed, and while a couple have turned out to be benign fatty lumps, they’re always investigated to ensure they pose no concern ❤️