Okay so we waited a whole week to get Tate’s biopsy results and boy they put a lot of work into this but in the end they say it is probably synovitis. However they can’t rule out cancer, i.e., a severely inflamed histiocytic sarcoma. Nothing definitive either way and they did three separate sections and stains, that’s why it took so long. And then they got a second opinion and both concurred.
Tate’s oncologist does not think it is synovitis, the bigger picture indicates histiocytic sarcoma or maybe he said malignant histiocytosis, I can’t remember. I have too many big words crammed into my little brain. But he pointed out there is loss of bone on both sides of the synovial membrane, the surgeon’s observations point to synovial cell sarcoma, Tate has no previous history and plus he’s a flat coat.
Right or wrong, I asked them to send the samples to Colorado State University. I said we really do not want to chop off his leg and then say, “oops.” He is being so patient, he said “I understand completely” but I know he is worried about time.
In the meantime, I let Tate run around with a great big stick this morning. I could just picture Tate’s whole medical team going “oooohh nooooo! FRACTURE RISK!!!” but I just had to let him be a dog for awhile.
Boy, we’d really hate to see that leg fracture too! But yes, being a dog is a good thing.