How Vets Diagnose a Gum Growth: Needle Aspirate vs. Biopsy
Would a vet normally aspirate the tissue to check the cells or use general anthesthesia to biopsy? Is there a difference as to why one or the other would be done? Would those generally be done at the same time as an xray and excesion of a tooth (?) I just don't know what the usual procedure would be and the chronology of events. Are they generally done all at the same time....when they wouldn't get a biopsy back for several days?
Please help.
It’s good that she’s eating well, and wise to have this checked. Many firm gum growths near the teeth turn out to be benign, such as a peripheral odontogenic fibroma (epulis), but some cancers look similar, so testing matters.
A needle aspirate collects loose cells and can sometimes be done while a dog is awake. Firm mouth growths often don’t release many cells, though, so results can be unclear. A biopsy removes a piece of tissue and is the only reliable way to know what the growth is. In the mouth it usually needs general anesthesia.
Many vets do several steps under one anesthetic: an oral exam, dental X-rays to check the tooth and bone, a biopsy, and often chest X-rays. If the growth is small and looks benign, the vet may remove it completely (sometimes with the nearby tooth) and send it all to the lab. If it looks more worrying, they may take only a sample first, because a malignant tumor needs a wider, planned surgery. Results usually take several days to a week. See signs of oral cancer in dogs for benign look-alikes.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
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