Senior dog lethargic, heavy breathing, spleen tumor? Need second opinion.

I know it can be scary when thinking about possible cancerous masses in your pet. But really the only way to know for sure is to have these masses tested through your vet. They can be cancerous masses, inflammatory reactions or benign tumors (non-cancerous). The heavy breathing that Allie is doing does concern me a bit. This can either be a sign of pain or an underlying lung or heart disease. So a vet visit although no desired, is probably the bext best thing to do for Allie in figuring out what's going on with both concerns. Best of luck getting some answers and take care.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Dante. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian today if he is having difficulty breathing. He may have an upper respiratory tract infection, but there are more serious causes of trouble breathing. The veterinarian will examine him and make recommendations based on these findings. For example, if the lungs or heart sound abnormal, then x-rays of the chest are typically needed. Treatment is based on these results. The mass on the chest should also be examined. A procedure known as a fine needle aspirate is used to diagnose a skin or subcutaneous mass. The doctor will use a small needle to collect a sample of cells to evaluate under the microscope. This will tell if the mass is cancerous or not. It is unlikely though that the mass is related to his current clinical signs. I hope this information helps!

Poor Jasmine! These symptoms are pretty generalized so it is difficult to speculate on why Jasmine isn't feeling well; lethargy and a decreased appetite could indicate nearly any medical problem. It is the heavy breathing that has me the most concerned. This could indicate a number of serious issues such as a heart condition, ruptured mass, pneumonia, or severe pain. I recommend having Jasmine seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Poor girl. : ( Tumor can develop at any rate in pets so yes 6 months is plenty of time for a tumor to develop and show up. However, if there is a lot of fluid there, a tumor may not be readily visible on an x-ray. A CT or MRI scan is more sensitive to picking up small tumors or tumors that are obscured by fluid. A lung tumor or advancement of her heart condition are two likely possibilities to these symptoms. We have to keep in mind that heart disease can't be cured but only managed to a certain point with medication. It is possible that these symptoms are simply an indication that the heart condition may have surpassed medical management capabilities. If you are however still looking for options and cannot commit to advanced imaging (CT, MRI scan), then you can inquire with your vet about possibly increaseing China's medications. Lasix has a wide range of therapeutic index so it may be able to be increased. Another heart medication called Pimobendan also can be added to her treatment regimen. I am not sure if you meant to include this with your list of medications, b/c one of the medications seems to have been autocorrected to say "veterinary". Best of luck with your pet China and I hope that you can get her stabilized soon! Take care.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sparkie. It is difficult to say with only one view, but I think that his heart looks enlarged on the x-ray. His trachea also appears elevated. This can cause coughing. Did he have any blood work performed to look for internal abnormalities? I would also evaluate his joints and mobility as this can be a significant source of pain in an older dog. It is worth seeking a second opinion if you are not happy with his exam. You know your dog. I hope this information helps!

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.

How does a vet have no equipment to examine the dog? If that vet did not know what is going after looking at the dog I'm not sure how much I can tell you over the internet without looking at the dog. The most I can tell you is that at 14 years old this is likely cancer and you are not going to be able to fix it. I suggest you take him to another vet that does have equipment so you can try to get a diagnosis. A biopsy of the tumors are needed. If it is cancer it may have spread to his lungs and that is why is not able to breathe well. If you cannot afford to do all the testing to figure out what is happening then you may need to make the decision to euthanize him as it sounds like he is suffering and in pain. Please take him to another vet to get this sorted out.