Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

    rewards header
    Become a member today!
    Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
    Already a member? Sign in
    Petco Pay LogoBecome a credit card member today!

    Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
    when you use Petco Pay!

    APPLY NOW
    Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Dog collapsed: Can vets diagnose splenic cancer without biopsy?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 40 lbs

My dog had to be euthanized due to a bleeding splenic tumor. We came home and found her collapsed. Rushed her to the vet, vet suggested splenectomy, we agreed. Then she did bloodwork and a chest x Ray and said she was very very sick and it was cancer and she advised against the surgery. She suggested we put her down and that she would have a month after surgery if she lived through it. I can’t find anything online that says they can tell it is cancer without removing the spleen and a biopsy.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Rodrigo Roca, DVM

Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 5th, 2019

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.
Vote Icon3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 21st, 2019

    Hello. It sounds like Daisy had a splenic hemangiosarcoma, a severe type of bleeding tumor. I have been able to palpate these masses in a pet's abdomen & recommended surgery to save their lives. Some dogs do very well, others do not, & bleed to death during surgery. This cancer can also spread to the lungs & liver, & these are considered terminal cases. It is possible that this might have been caught in August, it is just impossible to say if this would have saved her life, but without surgery she was destined to die. I am so sorry for your loss. I try & emphasize to people that the yearly physical is more about making sure a pet is healthy rater than just boostering shots. This is even more important as a pet ages. I am so sorry for your loss. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Vet Q & A
My dog died suddenly from hemangiosarcoma. Could I have known earlier?
I'm so sorry to hear about Luigi's passing! How awful. Hemangiosarcoma is unfortunately a common type of cancer in older, large-breed dogs, and the scenario you described with Luigi is also common - many dogs with this problem show no signs at all of illness until their abdominal tumor suddenly begins to bleed, at which point they become very weak and collapse, and may die within hours. Even with regular veterinary visits, there is often no way that the tumor could have been detected - most of the time, abdominal x-rays and ultrasound are required to diagnose this problem in its early stages, and unfortunately many dogs are not showing any symptoms at all to indicate a need for these tests. If the cancer was in his liver, then it's likely that this would not have been a treatable problem no matter how early it was found - surgery on the liver is extremely difficult and high-risk, even when performed by a specialist at a referral center. So try not to feel guilty - this is a terrible disease, but there's no way you could have known that Luigi had it, and very likely there is nothing that anyone could have done differently even if you had known. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog with a spleen tumor died at the vet. What happened?
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! As a veterinarian who specializes in cancer and sees a lot of splenic tumors on a regular basis, I can tell you that this could have happened as a result of an arrhythmia as some of these tumors that affect the spleen such as hemangiosarcoma can result in arrhythmias or a result of a splenic mass rupture causing significant internal bleeding. So sorry for your loss.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
Senior dog has an enlarged spleen and weight loss. Could it be cancer?
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!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My 10-year-old Weimaraner has spleen cancer. Need a second opinion?
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.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My dog died of hemangiosarcoma. Could a heart murmur check saved her?
I'm so sorry to hear about your dog's passing! Hemangiosarcoma is a nasty disease. Please don't blame yourself, as there is no way you could have known she had it - many dogs are acting completely normal and have normal physical exam findings, right up until the tumor ruptures and bleeds. Her heart murmur was entirely unrelated to the hemangiosarcoma, so even if you had taken her back in for her recheck visit, it's very unlikely that the tumor would have been found at that time. Abdominal x-rays and ultrasound is usually needed to diagnose it, and neither of these tests would have been indicated for her heart murmur. So rest assured, this was not your fault in any way. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
How to detect hidden internal cancer in dogs without surgery?
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.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog's abdominal mass: What's next after inconclusive biopsy?
The biopsy results are inconclusive, as they were unable to definitively diagnose what the mass is. This is often the case with bleeding masses in the abdomen - biopsies are often non-diagnostic, due to the fact that there is so much associated hemorrhage, which it looks like is basically all they were able to tell on the biopsy. It's likely that the only way an accurate diagnosis will be achieved is by doing an exploratory surgery of the abdomen. At that time, the mass can be visualized and completely removed (also typically the spleen as well). I recommend x-rays of the chest before this is attempted, as this is the most common site of metastasis. If there is disease in the lungs the prognosis is significantly worse, and this would likely factor into your decision to do the surgery or not.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Related Searches

Dog Health & WellnessDog Medicine and PrescriptionsPrescription Dog Digestive MedicationsDog Blood Pressure MedicationDog First Aid & RecoveryPrescription Dog Insulin & Diabetes MedicationDiuretics for DogsDog Vitamins & SupplementsAt-Home Dog VaccinesDog Pain Relief & Arthritis MedsVeterinary Diet Dog FoodDog Pain Medicine & ReliefDog Braces & SplintsHeartworm Medicine for DogsDog Asthma MedicationDog Thyroid Medication & Hormone CareAntifungal Medication for DogsDog Recovery Cones & Surgical SuitsDog Seizure MedicationDog Anxiety Medication
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Share

Styled arrow button