Help Maisie Beat Mast Cell Cancer: Support Her Treatment
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I’m writing this with a heavy heart as I share the story of my sweet rescue dog, Maisie. I adopted Maisie in November 2018, and from the moment she came into my life, she’s been a constant source of love, comfort, and joy.
Sadly, my sweet Maisie girl was diagnosed with mast cell cancer on March 10, 2025 after getting a small lump on her hind leg biopsied.
She had surgery on March 31 and two masses were removed. To the vet's surprise, the small lump on her head was also cancerous - a low grade mast cell tumor. Unfortunately, the larger lump on her leg was a high grade mast cell tumor. Our primary vet referred Maisie to the Oncology team at Upstate Veterinary Specialities in Latham, NY. Miraculously, we were able to be seen in less than a week from being referred.
At this appointment, my dad and I were given the devastating news that high-grade mast cell tumors have a 60–80% chance of metastasizing throughout the body. The oncologist recommended staging tests - chest x-rays and ultrasound and biopsies of the liver and spleen - to assess whether the cancer had spread.
Maisie underwent these tests on April 23, and thankfully, no signs of cancer were found in her chest, liver, or spleen! However, due to the aggressive nature of the high-grade tumor, there’s still a chance the cancer has spread microscopically. That’s why an eight-week course of preventative chemotherapy is recommended.
The oncology vet says Maisie is in the best-case scenario thanks to how quickly we acted. Dogs in her situation who complete the chemo regimen can live up to three additional years compared to those who don’t. Maisie is only eight years old and otherwise healthy and energetic, so we decided to move forward with treatment. She received her first dose of Vinblastine yesterday, on May 1, and is doing incredibly well — but she still has a long, costly journey ahead.
The financial burden of Maisie’s care has already exhausted my savings, and it’s only been eight weeks since her diagnosis. Here’s a breakdown of her treatment so far:
- The initial needle biopsy on 3/6 cost $322.55.
- The pre-op bloodwork on 3/12 cost $477.21.
- The mass removal surgery on 3/31 cost $3711.15.
- The first consult with the oncologist on 4/17 cost $304.95
- The staging testing done on 4/23 cost $1415.63
- The first round of chemotherapy on 5/1 cost $824.28.
- There are seven more treatments of chemo scheduled and they are estimated to cost between $592-$800 each.
- The staging testing will need to be repeated again at the end of the chemo treatment to confirm that the cancer has not returned and is estimated to cost between $1400-$2000.
As a self-employed person, I’ve also had to take unpaid time off for every appointment, which has added to the strain.
I never imagined being in this position, but I'm reaching out to my community for help. Every little bit — even just reading and sharing this — means the world to me and my family. Thank you for supporting Maisie and being part of her fight
Organizer
Tessa Wall
Organizer
Albany, NY