| een is an organ located below the stomach. It contains | | | | Diagnosis of spleen tumor |
| lots of blood vessels with circulating red blood cells, | | | | Several tests can determine the existence of masses. |
| making it a storage for blood. It also supplies blood, and | | | | The initial step involves a physical examination. A firm |
| cleans up old red blood cells. | | | | mass can be felt in the spleen area on palpation. |
| Dogs may develop masses in the spleen. These can | | | | Thereafter, radiographs of the abdomen are |
| be benign or malignant. Hemangiosarcoma is the most | | | | performed to determine if the mass is on the spleen |
| common type of malignant spleen tumor in dogs. This | | | | and radiographs of the chest is for checking the |
| is an aggressive cancer that tends to spread to other | | | | spread of cancer. Abdominal ultrasound may detect |
| internal organs. Once metastasis has occurred, the | | | | cancer spread to liver and other organs. Blood tests |
| prognosis is poor. | | | | are also carried out. |
| Although this type of cancer can occur in any dog, it is | | | | It may not be obvious before surgery whether the |
| common in middle aged to elderly dogs, especially | | | | tumor is benign or malignant. If radiographs and |
| large breeds like German Shepherd and Golden | | | | ultrasound show spread of tumor to other organs, the |
| Retriever. | | | | tumor is malignant. |
| Canine spleen cancer symptoms | | | | If no tumor spread is visible, the mass may or may not |
| When the tumor ruptures, the spleen bleeds and | | | | be benign. Where the tumor spread is too small to be |
| internal hemorrhage occurs. Excessive blood loss may | | | | seen, it may not be obvious if it is benign or malignant |
| result in death. Symptoms of spleen cancer in dogs | | | | until the abdomen is opened. |
| are: | | | | Treatment for dog spleen tumor |
| * shock | | | | For both benign and malignant tumors, the |
| * pale gums | | | | recommended treatment is splenectomy. If the cancer |
| * cold body | | | | spread is minimal, chemotherapy following surgery |
| * weakness | | | | may prolong the dog's life span. |
| * abdominal distention | | | | If the tumor is benign and the splenectomy is not |
| * anemia | | | | carried out, there will be repeated hemorrhages that is |
| By the time the tumor is detected, it usually has | | | | potentially life threatening to the dog. Splenectomy gets |
| become large and has metastasised to liver, lungs, | | | | rid of the associated problems and symptoms caused |
| brain and other organs. | | | | by benign tumor. |