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Tumor behind eye.

Species: Dog
Breed: shi_tzu
Age: 5-8 years
hi dr marie,enjoy your website and read all the dog related problems! my girl suddenly went blind,mollys vet diaagnosed an undetermined mass,without mri(£1500) it remains undiagnosed,is it possible for a dog to live its full lifespan with this? could this mass have done all the damage its ever gonna do?.thank you charlene.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Charlene. Thanks for your kind words.

I'm sorry to hear that Molly was diagnosed with a mass.

Your question is a tough one to answer though because there are many variables.

The best case scenario is that this is a benign mass. If this is the case, it could affect her vision but possibly do no more harm. That would be great news.

But it could also be a slow growing benign mass. This would mean that it wouldn't be likely to spread and cause cancer elsewhere, but as it grows it will cause more problems for the eye. If this is the case, Molly may need to have the eye surgically removed. That is not a huge deal, but it can be expensive.

And then it is possible that this is a more aggressive type of cancer. Unfortunately it will not be possible to know without doing a biopsy. Doing a biopsy on a mass behind the eye is not an easy thing.

At this point, your vet will probably take Molly's case day by day and basically deal with new symptoms as they come up. Hopefully she will do fine!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.