Spleen disease in dogs: symptoms and treatment. Disease of the spleen in dogs. How to diagnose splenomegaly or splenic mass

Active and mobile by nature four-legged friends are often subjected to serious injuries accompanied by rupture (rupture) of internal organs. Violation of the integrity of the spleen is acute condition and requires immediate qualified intervention by a veterinary specialist. The prognosis depends on the cause of the pathology, the timeliness of laparoscopy, and the experience of the surgeon.

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Causes of splenic rupture

In veterinary practice, specialists usually encounter traumatic and pathological reasons splenic rupture in dogs.

Abdominal injuries

It is not uncommon for dogs to experience high-energy injuries. abdominal cavity. An animal falling from a height, being hit by a vehicle, harsh treatment by a person, fights between relatives for a female or territorial claims are the most common and obvious causes of injuries to a parenchymal organ.

The risk group includes dogs whose tasks include protecting herd animals (sheep, cows), which often cause injuries with their horns. Hunting breeds are often exposed to blows when chasing and baiting large animals (boar, elk, wolf).

Mechanical damage to the organ may be accompanied by a violation of the integrity of the capsule or pulp. As a result of a blunt blow to the abdomen, subcapsular hematomas and tears of the splenic ligament are often diagnosed. In rare cases, as a result of injury, torsion of a parenchymal organ occurs.

Pathological diseases

The cause of splenic rupture can be not only mechanical effects on the abdominal cavity, but also pathological processes leading to organ enlargement (splenomegaly). Veterinary experts note that the most common causes of the disease include:

- Toxic. As a result of poisoning of an animal with poisons and toxic products during internal organs, including the spleen, hemorrhages form. Poisoning most often leads to subcapsular hemorrhages.
- Immunological. Autoimmune diseases provoke the development of splenomegaly, which in some cases leads to rupture of the parenchymal organ.
- Oncological. Most common cause violations of the integrity of the spleen are neoplasms. Hemangiomas, hemangosarcomas and lymphosarcoma of a primary or secondary nature are the cause of acute splenic rupture in animals in 40% of cases.

In veterinary practice there are cases when, even with light physical load, minor trauma, even when straining at the time of bowel movement, the neoplasm in the organ ruptures. The situation is complicated by bleeding into the abdominal cavity.

Without an organ such as the spleen, an animal can exist relatively satisfactorily. A decrease in the immune and hematopoietic function of the body is corrected by biogenic immunomodulatory drugs and vitamin complexes.

Why is it sometimes better to euthanize?

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to help your pet. If time is lost, the animal has little chance of recovery. Death occurs between 40 minutes and 12 hours after organ rupture. The prognosis is also unfavorable if rupture of the spleen occurs due to the development of an oncological tumor.

Hemangosarcoma is characterized by the rapid development of metastases and, as a rule, by the time the spleen is affected, the animal has multiple tumors in other organs. In this situation, you should discuss with your doctor the advisability of euthanasia.

A ruptured spleen in a dog is most often caused by mechanical injuries And internal factors– tumors, autoimmune pathologies. The prognosis depends on the timeliness of the qualified assistance provided, as well as on the cause that caused the failure of the parenchymal organ.

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Painful and quite dangerous for the future rupture of ligaments in dogs. Active, inquisitive, and sometimes hyperactive four-legged pets are often exposed to a variety of injuries...

Pets, often small, are almost not characterized by the pathology of splenic volvulus. This disease means that the spleen is displaced from its natural position in the womb and becomes twisted in the intestines, which in turn leads to pathology. Both cats and dogs are susceptible to this disease.

Pathogenesis and etiology

The previously mentioned organ is attached to the abdominal cavity by ligaments. The caudal part of this ligament is longer than the cranial part. Because of this, the diaphragmatic end of the spleen is less mobile. This is the reason that when overfilled, the spleen moves towards the pelvis and its diaphragmatic part stops at the level of the lower ribs. The spleen, with its lability, causes the gastrodiaphragmatic ligament to overstretch, which makes volvulus possible. There are cases of congenital pathology.

There is another reason for this course of events. This can be caused by splenomegaly chronic stage. It can be caused by a previous infectious disease, invasive diseases, or autoimmune reactions. For example, gastric volvulus can lead to chronic illness dog's uterus.

Increased pet activity full stomach causes the spleen to descend to the xiphoid cartilage. Thus, the spleen has the opportunity to spread through the stomach. Once wrapped, it begins to irritate both the stomach itself and the duodenum and pancreas. The left gastric artery supplies the stomach in the direction of the greater curvature. By curling up, the spleen disrupts the blood supply to all organs that it affects.

Clinical symptoms of the disease

Splenic volvulus is not characterized by specific clinical symptoms. Often, the pet’s activity drops sharply, the mood becomes depressed, and the animal becomes lethargic. Within an hour after feeding, there is vomiting of undigested food and, possibly, an admixture of bile. Often there is no appetite at all. Palpation abdominal wall moderately painful, sometimes it is possible to determine the displacement or swelling of the spleen. Animal excrement is not formed into a mass and has the smell of a fermentation process.

Differential diagnosis

With this disease, first of all, the animal is checked for gastritis and possible neoplasms in the tract. Also diagnosed for pancreatitis, cholecystitis and others intestinal diseases. Studies such as x-rays of the womb and ultrasound scans are often used.

The main signs that research allows you to see are:
actual displacement and obvious enlargement of the spleen;
inability to see the caudal edge - the place where the liver does not obscure the spleen;
the presence of a round part with gas formation, resulting from squeezing.

It also happens that with pathology, some of the above symptoms may be absent.
An x-ray is initially recommended, but if in doubt, it is worth ultrasound diagnostics.

Treatment

Initially, it is clear that it is impossible to cure such a pathology with drops and tablets. Here we can only talk about surgical intervention. Of course, before the operation begins, the animal undergoes an adequate course of medication and anesthesia. All actions are carried out in compliance with hygienic rules of antiseptics. For surgical intervention use a paracostal incision on the left side or a median preumbilical laparotomy. Next comes a two-step manipulation. The first is splenectomy, and then splenopexy. In more accessible language, the first step involves removing tumors from the spleen, various defects, which could appear due to a pinched state and impaired functioning, and the return of the organ to its normal, natural position. Splenopexy is performed on younger individuals without structural changes the spleen itself after volvulus. The method is based on suturing the spleen to the peritoneum, connecting the caudal edge with the wall of the uterus at the place where they are in anatomical contact. An incision is made in the wall, and the spleen is sutured with three-layer sutures, and the wound is sutured with the same ones.

Rehabilitation process

After the operation, a course of antibiotics, vitamins and medications is prescribed to maintain the blood supply. Also, to restore the functioning of the digestive tract, enveloping and antispasmodics, as well as means to suppress the gag reflex. If the wounds are properly cared for, the stitches can be removed on the twelfth day.

In general, the pathology of splenic volvulus requires detailed diagnosis, surgical intervention and an intensive course of rehabilitation. With such a disease, pills with massages will not only be useless, but will also prolong the suffering, take away time, and maybe even the life of the animal.

Spleen damage often observed with tumors of the hematopoietic system. But the spleen as an organ itself can become the site of localization of primary tumors and metastasis of other malignant tumors.

An enlarged spleen in dogs (splenomegaly) is found quite often. In 43-75% of cases, the cause is tumors.

What types of tumors and mass formations of the spleen occur in dogs?

1) Primary:

- hemangioma
- hemangiosarcoma
- sarcoma (various types)

2) Secondary or multicentric:

- lymphoproliferative or myeloproliferative diseases (for example, lymphoma)
- malignant histicytosis, histiocytic sarcoma
- hemangiosarcoma
- mastocytoma
- others malignant tumors with distant metastases (for example, melanoma).

3) Non-tumor causes of splenomegaly:

- nodular hyperplasia
- hematoma
- thrombosis or heart attack
- stagnant changes
- extramedullary hematopoiesis
- torsion of the pedicle of the spleen.

The most common tumor of the spleen in dogs is hemangiosarcoma. This is a tumor high degree malignancy with hematogenous metastasis to early stages course of the disease. Rupture of the primary tumor can lead to acute and fatal hemorrhage. It develops in dogs aged 9-10 years.

What are the reasons for the development of spleen tumors?

The etiology of malignant tumors of the spleen is unknown. Their high prevalence among dogs of certain breeds ( German Shepherds, retrievers, Labradors) indicates the presence of genetic factors. Mutations of the PTEN gene may be involved in the mechanism of initiation and development of hemangiosarcoma.

What are the manifestations of splenic tumors?

Benign tumors of the spleen do not cause any clinical manifestations, even if they reach a significant size. The reason to consult a doctor is an increase in the volume of the abdomen, which occurs due to the growth of the tumor. Or such a tumor is discovered during a routine examination.

Animals with spleen sarcomas may develop nonspecific symptoms(for example, feeling unwell). They are identified during examination, x-ray or ultrasound examination, during diagnostic laparotomy.

Hemangiosarcoma may have the following manifestations:

- apathy
- weakness
- pallor
- anorexia
- fainting
— hemorrhagic diathesis(spontaneous recurrent bleeding and hemorrhages of varying duration and intensity)
- heart rhythm disturbances.

And other more severe manifestations:

— acute collapse after rupture of a primary space-occupying lesion
- abdominal bleeding (into the abdominal cavity)
- acute vascular insufficiency.

However, hemangiosarcoma may not give any clinical manifestations and may be an accidental finding by a veterinarian.

How to diagnose splenomegaly or splenic mass?

General clinical blood test. Hemangiosarcoma gives a number of hematological abnormalities: anemia (decreased hemoglobin), acanthocytes (damaged red blood cells) and schistocytes (red blood cell fragments), thrombocytopenia (increased bleeding due to a decrease in the number of platelets).
X-ray examination. Allows you to identify a tumor or fluid (in case of bleeding) in the abdominal cavity.
Ultrasound. Allows you to obtain information about the structure of the neoplasm and its location in relation to normal spleen tissue.
Needle biopsy (there is a risk of bleeding) - tissue is taken using a syringe with a thin needle and examined under a microscope.
Excisional biopsy (diagnostic surgery involving removal of the entire tumor being examined). It is used if there is a clearly visible tumor in the spleen.
To detect metastases, chest x-ray and ultrasound of other abdominal organs are used.

How to treat spleen tumors?

Treatment involves:

Surgical removal of the tumor. Unfortunately, in the case of a malignant tumor, surgery does not provide a cure.
Postoperative chemotherapy to prevent or delay the progression of micrometastases. Monotherapy or combination chemotherapy is carried out. However, survival is relatively short. For protocols combination chemotherapy it is on the order of 141-179 days, and only less than 10% of dogs survive more than 1 year.

What's the forecast?

The prognosis for dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma is poor. Metastasis in the early stages of the disease is typical for this type of tumor. In most cases, micrometastases are already present at the time the primary tumor is diagnosed. They progress rapidly and cause low survival - 15-86 days after tumor removal.

For other types of splenic sarcomas, the prognosis is also unfavorable. Survival is about 4 months. The cause of death of the animal is metastases.

Histiocytic sarcoma has an extremely unfavorable prognosis. Most animals are presented for euthanasia or die at the time of diagnosis from extensive metastases.

Spleen tumors in cats

Spleen tumors are less common in cats than in dogs. As in dogs, damage to the spleen is possible as a result of leukemia and lymphoma.

Classification of tumors and space-occupying formations of the spleen of cats

1) Primary tumors:

- mastocytoma
- hemangiosarcoma
- sarcomas (various).

2) Secondary or multicentric tumors:

- lymphoproliferative and myeloproliferative diseases (for example, lymphoma)
- hemangiosarcoma
- other malignant tumors with extensive metastasis (for example, adenocarcinoma).

3) Non-tumor causes of splenomegaly (or splenic masses):

- nodular hyperplasia
- hematoma
- stagnant changes
- extramedullary hematopoiesis.

About 15% of tumor pathologies of the spleen in cats are lymphoreticular and visceral mastocytomas.

Symptoms of visceral mastocytoma

Malaise.
Anorexia.
Chronic vomiting.

Presumably, these symptoms are associated with the formation of ulcers in the stomach and duodenum due to the influence of histamine on H2 receptors in the stomach. As the disease progresses, ulcers perforate, peritonitis and death of the animal occurs. Cases of splenic rupture have been recorded.

Anemia due to blood loss from stomach ulcers or duodenum(or as a result of bone marrow infiltration).

Treatment and prognosis of mastocytoma

Treatment consists of surgical removal tumors. The prognosis is unfavorable.

The spleen is the main source of circulating lymphocytes; it acts as a filter for foreign particles and bacteria entering the body, and also produces antibodies. Finally, it is an organ that takes an active part in blood circulation; the spleen serves as a reservoir of red blood cells, which may be needed at a critical moment.

The important functions of the dog's spleen are:

immune function;
hematopoietic function;
filtration function;
it is involved in the metabolism of iron and proteins.

According to research, dogs with short-haired breeds, such as boxers, bull terriers, Staffordshire terriers, Labradors and others, are most often susceptible to spleen diseases. If you look at age relationships, tumors most often occur in animals that are more than 7 years old.
Neoplasms that appear in the spleen can be either primary or metastasize from other organs and tissues. They are divided into three types - these are lymphoid, hemangiosal and fibrous neoplasms, originating from the corresponding tissues, which in the greatest number provided by this body.

Symptoms of a spleen tumor

General clinical picture A sick dog may be characterized by increased rectal temperature and lack of appetite. Also, in the presence of neoplasms, sporadic vomiting is characteristic.
The spleen is located deep in the abdominal cavity. If you conduct an examination by palpation, you can detect splenomegaly (increase in size) or volvulus of the spleen, as well as large formations on its surface. However, the percentage of errors in diagnosis based on palpation alone is quite large, so special diagnostic methods should be used. For a more accurate diagnosis, ultrasound examinations are performed. In some cases you can resort to X-ray examinations. Biochemical and clinical tests blood tests cannot give a complete picture of the nature of the lesion, but the presence of oncological processes is revealed.
Tumors in dogs can be benign or malignant, but any tumor in the spleen is equally prone to rupture and can cause very severe internal bleeding. Splenectomy of the spleen (removal) helps prevent spleen rupture. In some cases of focal tumor lesions of the spleen, organ-preserving (portioned) resection is possible.

Treatment of spleen tumor

Tumor diseases of the spleen in dogs can undoubtedly be classified as a surgical pathology. Not provided on time surgical care threatens massive internal bleeding with fatal outcome! We often receive patients in precritical condition. The cause of concern for owners is sharp deterioration condition of the animal, sudden pallor of the mucous membranes, shortness of breath, fatigue, hunched over forced posture, tense and painful stomach. All these symptoms suggest internal bleeding, possibly caused by tumor damage to the spleen. This is often confirmed by ultrasound.
Therefore, a quick diagnosis is very important here, which will make it possible to choose an adequate one, in in this case, method of treatment. Most often, this method is surgical intervention and removal of the spleen.
But, when it comes to hemangioma, the main problem is that it grows quickly and metastasizes. As a rule, even before it is discovered and removed. Almost 20% of dogs diagnosed with splenic hemangioma develop a similar tumor in the heart. Therefore, after removal of this type of cancer, chemotherapy is recommended.
The technical protocol for surgery may include transfusion of blood into animals with hemorrhage or animals with a giant splenic mass. The fact is that the spleen is completely removed and, if there is a large tumor on it, a fairly large mass of blood is removed from the body’s bloodstream. And it, this blood “removed” from the body with the organ, follows, in necessary cases compensate with donated blood. In milder situations, you can do without blood transfusion, limiting yourself to postoperative infusion therapy.

In conclusion, it should be said that comprehensive diagnostics diseases of the spleen need to be treated, the sooner the better. Prompt treatment can undoubtedly save the patient's life. And, of course, in dispensary terms, for early detection possible problems, it is recommended that all animals undergo a mini-examination once a year, including ultrasound - this is the main method for identifying tumors on the abdominal organs.

A gigantic, over 20 cm in length, tumor of the spleen in a Basenji dog. The weight of the animal is 9 kg. (!) The mass of the affected spleen is more than 1 kg. (!).

The case is quite advanced. For a long time, the owners noticed an increase in the volume of the dog’s abdomen, along with progressive thinness, but did not attach serious importance to this.
At some point, the dog became suddenly ill. The tumor burst and internal bleeding began. Only emergency surgery helped save the patient’s life.

Today the dog is completely healthy.

Tumor of the spleen in a cat. Timely identified by ultrasound. Removed to scale elective surgery. Due to early diagnosis and not leading to a crisis - the prognosis is favorable. The animal received all necessary postoperative care. There are no complaints about my health, even half a year after the operation. There are no metastases.

Tumor of the spleen in a dachshund. A neglected case. But not critical. The owners were concerned about the uneven shape of the body and the fact that when palpating the abdomen, a hard spherical formation was felt in the abdominal cavity. Ultrasound revealed a large tumor of the spleen. An emergency operation was performed. Delaying the situation in this case threatened to rupture the organ with possible fatal bleeding. So we made it on time. The prognosis is favorable.

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine M. Shelyakov

Spleen– large unpaired parenchymal organ, located in the abdominal cavity. Look like big tongue. The spleen is not a vital organ.

Its main functions are:

Hematopoiesis.
Depositing blood. The spleen has the ability to contract, allowing a rapid flow of red blood cells and blood factors into the circulatory system. This is important, for example, in case of blood loss.
Blood filtration. This organ removes old or damaged cells blood, as well as bacteria and foreign proteins from the bloodstream.
The spleen is part immune system body.

The causes of an enlarged spleen in dogs can be very diverse. This change occurs in many systemic inflammatory and infectious diseases is the norm and corresponds to an increase in the functional load on this organ. Also, the spleen may enlarge during congestion associated with heart failure or liver pathology. A fairly common reason why a dog’s spleen is enlarged is hematomas and tumor process. Tumors can be either benign or malignant. Of the malignant ones, hemangiosarcoma is most often detected - a rather aggressive type of tumor, often leading to splenic bleeding, bleeding disorders and metastasis.

Clinical signs of spleen damage are quite varied. Depending on the reasons for the enlargement of the spleen, the pathology can occur either asymptomatically or with life-threatening signs. Usually owners pay attention to an increase in the size of the abdomen. This can be observed both as a result of stretching by the enlarged spleen, and as a result of rupture of the spleen and abdominal bleeding.

Main symptoms:

Vomit
Refusal to feed
Weakness
Weight loss
Increased thirst and urination.

Diagnosing an enlarged spleen in a dog is not difficult. Often, a doctor can detect an enlarged spleen by simple examination and palpation. More accurate methods are ultrasound and abdominal x-ray. Identifying the reason why the spleen is enlarged can, on the contrary, be quite a difficult task. Blood and urine tests, tests for infections, and a spleen biopsy may be needed. Often, when the spleen is enlarged, dogs develop arrhythmias; the reasons for this phenomenon are not fully known. Most severe complication enlargement of the spleen is its rupture and life-threatening bleeding into the abdominal cavity.