25 Aug 2020
Gerry Polton, clinical director at North Downs Specialist Referrals, said “huge mass” accounted for a third of lurcher Sky’s bodyweight.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Sky the lurcher.
Oncology specialist Gerry Polton admitted he was left “astonished” after removing a 7kg tumour in an operation on a 10-year-old lurcher.
Dr Polton said the size of the tumour, which accounted for a third of Sky’s bodyweight, created problems when planning the operation.
The RCVS and European specialist in veterinary oncology – and clinical director at North Downs Specialist Referrals (NDSR) in Surrey – said Sky had been brought in with a pot belly and poor appetite, and was a life-threatening case.
Dr Polton said: “Sky was referred to NDSR after her owner had become concerned about her weight loss, low energy levels and what appeared to be a pot belly.
“When we examined her, she was desperately lean and weighed just 24kg. The pot belly was revealed to be caused by an extremely large tumour, which had developed internally.
“We carried out a CT scan, which confirmed the presence of a huge mass – so big it actually distorted the layout of everything else in her abdomen, making it impossible to be sure about whether it grew from her liver or her spleen.”
Dr Polton added: “The sheer size of the tumour presented enormous problems in planning the operation, with a real risk that Sky may not survive the ordeal. In addition to the significant risk of severe bleeding, we also knew we would have to move quickly because the weight of the mass would compress vital blood vessels, limiting the return of blood to Sky’s heart.
“The decision was taken to perform surgery, despite these risks, as Sky’s quality of life was only getting worse without it. When the abdomen was opened, it was still not clear where or what the tumour grew from. It was continuous with both the spleen and one of the lobes of the liver.”
Describing the operation, Dr Polton said: “We elevated the mass to ensure the blood return to the heart was maintained and then it was delicately cut away. Every one of us was astonished when the tumour was finally removed and it could be seen in its entirety.
“It weighed 7kg, which represented 29% of Sky’s presurgical bodyweight. That is the equivalent of a large terrier or three Chihuahuas. No wonder she had a poor appetite.
“The operation was a great success, though, and Sky has made a fabulous recovery. Ten weeks after her operation, she had regained 4kg and her owner told me ‘Sky has never been brighter’.”
