Senior dog has an enlarged spleen and weight loss. Could it be cancer?

Hello, I am incredibly sorry to hear about your loss of Daisy. Based on the information you provided it sounds like the veterinarian's primary concern was a cancer called hemangiosarcoma. This is a very aggressive form of cancer that causes bleeding tumors in the spleen and liver. Surgery and follow-up chemotherapy is the recommended treatment. You are correct in that the tumor is submitted for biopsy after removal to reach a definitive diagnosis. Prior to moving forward with surgery, your veterinarian performed chest x-rays to look for evidence of metastasis, or travel of the cancer to the lungs. Hemangiosarcoma almost always leads to metastasis. Based on what you say, I suspect that your veterinarian saw evidence of cancer within Daisy's lungs. This essentially proves (without biopsy of the tumor) that Daisy has cancer. Even if you moved forward with surgery,, she would likely only live a few weeks before the cancer in her lungs/body would cause her to become ill again. These situations are incredibly challenging and unexpected. I hope that my explanation can provide some clarity and help you to realize that you did the right thing for Daisy. Again, I am incredibly sorry for your loss.

I'm sorry to hear that Macey is going through this. Lethargy and pale gums certainly make me suspicious that she may have been bleeding into her abdomen for the past week. The most common causes of bleeding into the abdomen are due to cancer (hemangiosarcoma is most probably on the spleen and/or liver), a hematoma (essentially a bruise that ruptures), clotting disorders, or a benign mass (these are relatively uncommon). The only definitive way to differentiate between these issues is through a surgical biopsy of the affected organ, but abdominal ultrasound can certainly raise or lower suspicions of cancer. Unfortunately, without examining Macey and seeing a pathologist review of the aspirates, I can't offer a conclusive opinion as to whether or not she may have cancer. However, odds are good that cancer is likely since she was bleeding into her abdomen. If you are questioning your vet's conclusions, I would recommend seeking a second opinion from a vet at a practice with capability for abdominal ultrasound to provide more clarity. I hope this helps and I'm sorry that you're going this.

This is always such a difficult decision to make, and it is very normal to have second thoughts when you have to decide quickly about proceeding with invasive procedures vs. euthanasia in an older dog. While it's impossible to know for certain, I have seen many dogs during my career who have had splenectomy surgery and either have extensive metastatic cancer found during the surgery, or succumb to the disease a couple of months afterwards. I honestly don't know if I would go forward with surgery for my own 12 year old dog in a similar situation. There are many pet loss support groups that can be very helpful: this website lists a few that may be near you https://aplb.org/support/groups/michigan.html

Enlargement of the spleen when associated with a mass or lesion is typically quite risky. Particularly in older dogs, the most likely cause for splenic enlargement is a cancerous tumor. In these cases, the mass as well as the spleen should be remove to preserve life. In many cases these masses are filled with blood, can rupture, and often will result in the death of the dog. Hope this answers your question.

Weight loss is certainly a sign of concern because the tumor may have spread systemically to different organs and could be affecting her metabolism. The prognosis would depend on the type of tumor, so this piece of information is essential to be able to provide a better answer. Please repost your question and specify the diagnosis establish by your local vet to receive a specific answer from us.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Abdominal x-rays are sometimes helpful in determining if there is a mass in the cranial (front part) of the abdomen, near the spleen or liver. Sometimes this is obvious, but masses can be more subtle on x-rays, and it can be difficult to determine from what organ a mass is originating. If there is concern for an abdominal mass on x-rays, an abdominal ultrasound may be recommended to better determine what organ the mass is associated with. I hope this is helpful - best of luck with Teddy!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Unfortunately, cancer is not uncommon in older dogs and can cause weight loss. Weight loss can also be caused by conditions such as IBD, diabetes, or be a normal part of the aging process. I recommend having Milo seen by a vet for blood work and x-rays to check if he has any masses and make sure his organs are functioning normally. I hope all is well with Milo!