Can X-rays reliably detect spleen enlargement or tumors in dogs?

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your question. X-rays produce images of the structures inside the body. Bone is the most dense, so it shows up as a white. X-rays are the best for visualizing bones. You can see organs and tumors, they will show up as shades of gray. In order to better visualize them, however, ultrasound, an MRI, or CAT scan would be better. I hope this helps.

No, it cannot always be found prior to surgery. X-rays usually only pick up large masses. Abdominal ultrasound is more sensitive in picking up smaller masses but it is not 100%. No diagnostic tool is. Splenic hemangiosarcoma is unfortunately very common in GSD. I'm very sorry this happened to Gigi. As for your Lab, if she has tumors on her mammary glands then they are cancer - whether benign or malignant you can't know for sure without a biopsy. From the photo it looks pretty significant. If she is not spayed then there is a pretty good chance they are malignant. This is why we alway recommend spaying dogs if they are not going to be used for breeding. If you spay a dog prior to their first heat cycle (about 6 - 8 months of age) then the chance of them getting mammary cancer later in life is almost zero. Every heat cycle they go through increases their chances of mammary cancer exponentially.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like your veterinarian is suspecting that Delilah has a liver mass, or tumor, and that the liver overall is larger than normal. This causes the stomach to be displaced, or pushed backward farther than normal. The GB is the gallbladder (an organ near the liver that stores bile), and a cholelith is a stone in the gallbladder, or a gallstone. A round heart can be seen on chest x-rays when there is underlying heart disease. Older small breed dogs such as Chihuahuas are at increased risk of mitral valve disease, which is a degenerative disease of one of the heart valves. This can result in blood leaking backwards in the heart, causing dilation of some of the heart chambers. Often a heart murmur is heard with this disease. An echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) is needed to definitively diagnose this. I hope this interpretation is helpful!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Betty Lou. A lot of dogs develop splenic masses and many of them are not cancerous. There is no way to know by looking at the spleen. It needs be removed and submitted to the laboratory for a pathologist to evaluate microscopically. The same holds true for the liver. Just because a lesion is seen on the liver in surgery does not mean cancer has spread from the spleen. It is best in this case to remove the spleen and biopsy any abnormality in the liver. You may consider having an abdominal ultrasound performed prior to surgery by a board certified radiologist. This will allow a full evaluation of the abdomen and give you a better idea of what to expect in surgery. I hope this information helps. Good luck to you and Betty Lou!

I don’t think the heart looks terribly enlarged, maybe on the big side of normal. Ask the vet who took the rads if they are able to submit them to a radiologist for review. (A radiologist is a vet who spent at least 3 additional years to do a residency to specialize and study only imaging. Their expertise is really valuable in cases that are not clear cut and obvious.) If his lab work is all normal, and a radiologist is concerned about the appearance of the heart, then it’s logical to seek out an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) by a veterinary cardiologist. If a radiologist does NOT think the heart looks questionable, and Boo’s lab work is all normal, it might be worth considering an abdominal ultrasound (sonogram of the belly) to see if there are any abnormalities there (enlarged lymph nodes, abnormal spleen, any abnormality in GI or urinary tract, etc). I hope that’s helpful, sorry there is no easy clear cut answer. Interpreting X-rays is like looking at 1 piece of a puzzle. History and clinical signs, physical exam, lab work, and other imaging all tie in to the bigger picture. If you would like to have a consult, I may be able to help you further with more information, and would do my best to help point you in the right direction. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Blu is anemic and liver values are poor then I think you need to think about whether or not Blu's quality of life is good or not. An x-ray will show if there is free fluid in the abdomen (a bleeding tumor for example) or a mass effect (signs of a tumor or other changes). It is used to determine what the cause of the anemia and the liver values being poor are, and whether or not it is likely due to cancer. X-rays are also recommended of the chest to look for spread of cancer to the lungs. This is recommended whether you wish to pursue surgery or not so that you know if Blu has compromise to the lungs. These x-rays give you information that will help you determine if signs that you are seeing with Blu are relavent or not. For example, if Blu has x-rays that show spread of cancer to the lungs, when she starts breathing up then you know this is severe and euthanasia should be pursued and you shouldn't 'wait' on it. This is the same if we know if she has a mass in the abdomen, this will tell you that if she has a collapse or weakness episode, you will know whether or not it is a bleeding tumor, and know not to wait- as waiting will prolong suffering. If she is clinically unwell at this point and you don't wish to pursue surgery or other interventions, then euthanasia should be discussed. I'm sorry Blu is having these issues, I hope she feels better!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Likely from what you are telling me, as well as your pet's age the drs are looking for masses (tumors) in the gastrointestinal tract or otherwise that would be causing Logan to lose so much weight. If your blood work is fine diabetes (one of the more common) has been ruled out and this should also mean your liver and kidney function tests fell within normal limits in your bloods. An ultrasound may be beneficial as well in looking for abdominal masses. I'm sorry you're having this issue with your friend. It sounds as though he is very uncomfortable. My best to you both.