Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor

Two years ago, Sheena was diagnosed with neurofibrosarcoma, or peripheral nerve sheath tumor (PNST), after I found a tumor on her front leg. We had it removed with success, since it was still small. Our vet told me that this was a mostly non-malignant cancer, and if tumors spread, it would do so from the area the tumor was and that with this cancer, the quality/length of life was rarely disrupted. I did some further research at the time and was able to find out in addition only that it was a very rare occurring cancer.

Recently, my attention was turned (out of curiosity) to various natural supplements for dogs with cancer, more specifically the K9 products from Aloha Medicinals at www.dogcancer.net. I decided to do some more research on PNST, and was able to find more information. Now, information on PNST included the tumors rarely metastasizing to the lungs, if they moved from the limbs.

I followed that tangent, and then got to worrying a little bit when I read about symptoms of lung cancer in dogs: for the past month or month and a half, Sheena has occasionally had a hacking, dry cough that lasts for hours, or even a whole day once. When she had the cough all day, it was accompanied by a dry, hot nose, which she also gets occasionally. The symptom that most dogs diagnosed with lung cancer shared was a "non-productive" cough. Sheena has only had these coughs 4 or 5 times in the time she has started them, and only the one time all day, but now I feel like I really need to know if it could be caused by a metastatic tumor(s) in her lungs, because apparently, lung tumors are usually fatal, and metastatic tumors cannot be removed by surgery. Other than the cough, she has shown no other symptoms listed such as loss of energy or appetite.

I am looking for any advice or further information on PNST, PNST tumors metastasizing to the lungs, metastatic lung cancer and treatments, or anything possibly related such as this cough. I am leaning toward having chest x-rays done unless the question can be settled as something else. I am looking for additional sources of information outside of our vet for added angles.

I appreciate the time you are taking to help me.

Katie

Thank you for the additional info in PNST: you are correct, it was the first kind of tumor.

I think it's pretty safe to rule out kennel cough, as Sheena (and her sister) get the Bordetella vaccine, and her sister has never had coughing fits.

You mention heart trouble, and this is interesting to me. What it reminded me of was when I read about how sometimes in racehorses, their hearts grow to such a massive size from the strenuous cardiac exercise that sometimes they actually burst or don't fit in the chest cavity (I can't remember details)

Sheena is a very physically fit dog. Her sister is in good shape too, but at the same weight she is taller and not nearly as heavily muscled. They both get out and run around every day (we live in the country so they get to run around whenever they want) and they love to run, prefer it to walking I think.

So could there be parallels here with the racehorses? maybe a little bit too much muscle on Sheena's frame? Or maybe now that she's reaching middle age, there's just too much too-fast-paced activity?

I apologize if I'm asking too many questions, it's just so much better to get the correct answers instead of following false leads through internet searches.

Thank you again for the insight, even though there could be another problem here, any option to lung tumors seems better. I feel much better prepared to get her taken care of.

Katie

Well, that's good to hear. Now, one last question for you. Now that I feel much better informed on all these serious, gloomy outcomes, what do you think the chance is that she could just be reacting to the dry winter air?