Have you ever heard of splenic tumors in dogs and are afraid your fur nose could have them?
You may be wondering what symptoms you can use to identify spleen tumors in your dog.
You can find out everything you need to know about it in this post.
Spleen tumor symptoms in dogs: what are the typical signs?
If your dog is constantly tired and listless, has no appetite and vomits, these can be symptoms of a spleen tumor.
You can also recognize a spleen tumor in dogs based on a variety of other symptoms.
The general condition of your fur nose often deteriorates.
Severe abdominal pain is also a sign of spleen tumors in dogs. In addition, the abdomen appears swollen and sudden nosebleeds can be observed.
As a result of a large spleen tumor with internal bleeding, your dog may experience shortness of breath.
Good to know
Older dogs in particular are often affected by spleen tumors. If you notice the above symptoms in your elderly dog, you should contact the veterinarian immediately.
Pains
Spleen tumors are very dangerous for dogs. They can cause severe pain and shorten your dog’s life.
Benign tumors lead to an enlarged spleen, but do not destroy the organ if detected early.
The spleen becomes very tense as a result of the tumour. That causes pain.
In addition, an enlarged spleen can also squeeze other organs and inhibit their function.
Malignant tumors can damage the spleen and cause internal bleeding into the abdomen. If a dog has a malignant tumor, there is no chance of a cure for it.
bulging belly
A large spleen tumor can cause your dog’s abdomen to bulge.
A spherical abdomen can therefore be a sign of a spleen tumor.
A large spleen also pushes other organs aside, further tensing the abdomen.
That causes pain. Therefore, it may also be that your dog does not like to be touched.
If the spleen is ruptured, blood can leak into the abdomen. This, too, can cause your dog’s abdomen to swell.
circulatory problems
A spleen tumor can suddenly cause heavy bleeding into the abdomen. This can cause your dog to have circulatory problems.
Paleness mucous membranes can therefore also be a sign of a spleen tumor in dogs. They are often accompanied by anemia and an increased heart rate.
fatigue and weakness
If your dog has a spleen tumor, you can see increasing tiredness and weakness in him.
Because the tumor can cause your dog to eat less. As a result, he has less energy available.
But internal bleeding can also increasingly weaken it.
As a result, your dog will not want to move much and may appear very listless.
Danger
If a spleen tumor remains undetected and ruptures, the affected dog can bleed to death internally quickly and unnoticed.
A spleen tumor can also grow rapidly, so the condition of the affected dog can quickly deteriorate.
When should I go to the vet and what are the treatment options for a spleen tumor in dogs?
If you observe the symptoms mentioned in your dog, the suspicion of a spleen tumor is obvious. Therefore, you should contact the veterinarian immediately.
Surgery is often necessary for a spleen tumor. Only a small benign tumor in the spleen usually does not need to be removed as long as it stops growing.
To diagnose a spleen tumor, they will do a blood test on your dog.
Because a spleen tumor can cause anemia and affect the function of other organs. This can also have an impact on later therapy.
X-rays can be used to quickly identify changes in the abdomen. Once the spleen tumor has reached a certain size, it can be recognized quickly.
In addition, an ultrasound is often performed, since tumorous growths must be clearly assigned to an organ.
In addition, with a puncture and with the support of ultrasound, cells can be removed from the spleen and then examined.
Depending on the condition of the dog, a treatment then follows. The entire spleen often has to be removed.
Since the spleen is not a vital organ, your dog can live without it.
Whether it is a benign or a malignant spleen tumor can usually only be determined after the removal. The tumor is then examined in a laboratory.
If your dog has a benign tumor, it will take some time to recover after surgery. If the tumor is removed, your dog will usually get better quickly.
It is different if a malignant tumor has been identified. This is because the tumor has usually spread to other organs before it is discovered.
Chemotherapy can be considered for a malignant spleen tumor.
This can prolong your dog’s life, but will not cure it.
Has your dog ever had surgery for a tumor? Let us know how it was discovered in the comments.