Symptoms of Spleen Cancer in Dogs
Signs of splenic tumors in dogs can be vague or even nonexistent, and they are often found during a diagnostic test for other conditions. A major concern of most tumors in the spleen is rupture. Because the spleen contains many blood vessels, even benign tumors have the potential to break open and cause either a slow or fast bleed. Slow bleeds will show more mild signs, while a fast bleed can result in an acute, severe, life-threatening blood loss into the abdomen.
Common signs of a spleen tumor or bleeding include:
This refers to tumours that develop within the spleen. They may be benign (haemangiomas) or they may be metastatic (hemangiosarcomas) which have often spread beyond the spleen by the time of diagnosis. The first symptom is often weakness or collapse, which can happen if the tumour has ruptured and the dog is bleeding internally. Other signs include general weakness, weight loss, abdomen enlargement and pale gums caused by blood loss.
This procedure can cost as little as $1,200 – $1,500. A blood transfusion will cost a further $600. Additional procedures, such as histopathology to determine whether the mass is metastatic or benign, can increase the cost by approximately $300. However, if treated at a referral centre, these cases can easily cost more than $10,000 – which is markedly different to the costs at Brisbane Pet Surgery.
For most removals, your pet will only spend a single night in hospital, before being take home for continuing recovery care. One of the major contributors to the high costs at referral centres is their insistence of extended stays until your pet has recovered completely – which often costs $1,000-$2,000 per day! We have found that most pet owners would prefer their pet stay at home with them and are perfectly capable of caring for them following the surgery. We send your pet home with antibiotics and pain relief in the form of tablets and slow release patches.
When a splenic mass is benign, your pet may live for many more years following the surgery. If the tumour has already spread, then your pet may live quite comfortably for an additional three to six months, before the spread of the cancer causes other issues such as bleeding or breathing difficulties. Chemotherapy can also be used to extend their life.
The best treatment method for splenic tumours is to remove the entire spleen and the tumour growing inside it. This is because it is the bleeding from the mass that is making your pet ill and will likely result in death – not the cancer itself. By removing the spleen, the bleeding issues will resolve, and your pet will live a further three to six months even without further treatment, even if the mass has spread. Removal is a simple way to provide the owners with more time with their valued family member. A blood transfusion may also be required before surgery, especially if, prior to diagnosis, the blood loss has been significant.
Ways to evaluate quality of life
Thankfully, there are several resources available to help you consider when it is time to say goodbye to your dog with hemangiosarcoma. One of my favorites is from The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center. On their website, they have a quality of life evaluation form that you can use to help gain some clarity.
It also helps to keep a log or list of your dog’s good days and bad days. To know which days are bad ones, ask yourself the following questions:
When bad days begin to outnumber the good, this may help you know it is time to euthanize your dog.
Like it or not, another factor to consider is the cost of treatment. It is common for veterinarians and veterinary oncologists to discuss treatment options such as surgery and chemotherapy for these patients. However, these options can cost several thousand dollars. When it came time to make the decision for my pups with hemangiosarcoma, I was fortunate that I had the finances to cover the costs for the surgeries. I know that isn’t the case for everyone, though.
If you cannot afford treatment but think it is the right choice for your dog, there are a few avenues you could pursue. You might want to look into some sort of payment option like CareCredit or ScratchPay. Or perhaps you could start a crowdfunding account or apply for funds through a non-profit organization. If you already have pet insurance, that can help offset some of the costs for emergency surgery.
Regardless of if surgery is financially feasible or not, never feel guilty about electing to put your dog to sleep to end his or her suffering if you think that is right. Just because you can afford surgery and chemotherapy doesn’t mean you have to pursue it. And just because you can’t afford it, this doesn’t mean you love your dog any less. Humane euthanasia is always a kind option for pets with discomfort and pain.
Splenic Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs
Deciding when to euthanize a dog with hemangiosarcoma can be incredibly difficult. Dr. Erica Irish—a veterinarian who lost not one but two of her beloved dogs to hemangiosarcoma—understands. On the invitation of integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby, Dr. Irish wrote this blog to share her experiences and expertise with other dog parents who are facing the same heartbreaking decision.
You’ve just been told your best furry friend has cancer—news no one wants to hear. Perhaps you are learning this information from your vet after the biopsy confirmed your dog’s mass was a hemangiosarcoma (i.e. blood vessel cancer). Or maybe you’re trying to make sense of cancer as a potential explanation for why your dog has a lot of blood in his or her abdomen. In any case, your heart is probably breaking.
Hemangiosarcoma is one of the worst types of canine cancer. It has a nasty habit of showing up unexpectedly, and once it makes itself known, it tends to abruptly cut short the time you have with your beloved canine companion.
Maybe you are wondering, “Why does hemangiosarcoma result in such tragic outcomes? How long can a dog live with one, and how do you know when to euthanize a dog with hemangiosarcoma?” I’ve been in your shoes, so I hope to use the combination of my experience as a veterinarian, and as the mom of two dogs with hemangiosarcoma, to help answer those questions for you.
Hemangiosarcomas are tumors that originate from cells that make up blood vessels. Like most cancers, these tumors represent uncontrolled cell growth.
Hemangiosarcomas can grow on the skin (i.e. cutaneous hemangiosarcomas) or originate from the internal organs (i.e. visceral hemangiosarcomas). Cutaneous hemangiosarcomas usually occur as a single, solitary mass. They are typically benign tumors in that they do not spread (i.e. metastasize) to other parts of the body.
Visceral hemangiosarcomas most commonly affect the spleen, liver, and heart. These three organs are comprised of many blood vessels, particularly the spleen and heart. Splenic hemangiosarcomas, which are the most common cancerous splenic masses in dogs, can suddenly rupture and lead to intense blood loss within the abdominal cavity. This is a medical emergency known as a hemoabdomen. Heart-based hemangiosarcomas can cause similar bleeding, but within the chest cavity (i.e. hemothorax).
Visceral hemangiosarcomas can remain quiet for long periods of time. But eventually they may start bleeding in very small amounts, or rupture so severely that a dog becomes pale and collapses from profound blood loss. Being able to recognize the symptoms of a bleed and intervene quickly can mean the difference between life and death.