The spleen works to store blood for emergencies, removes bad blood cells and helps the immune system. Your dog can live without its spleen, but if the spleen has a tumor, it can be fatal.
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Spleen tumors are common in dogs.
Types
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Malignant and benign tumors are common in the spleen, but it is difficult to diagnose which type without removing it.
Benign
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Benign tumors do not metastasize to the rest of the body, but they rupture and eventually the dog will bleed to death. Removing benign tumors cures your dog.
Malignant
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Hemangiosarcoma is a malignant tumor that quickly spread to other parts of the body. About half of spleen tumors are malignant.
Treatment
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Surgery to remove the spleen is the best treatment for all spleen tumors. Chemotherapy with drugs such as doxorubicin can help dogs with hemangiosarcoma survive longer.
Prognosis
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If surgery is not possible, chemotherapy can help reduce the tumor, but the prognosis is not good. Even with surgery and chemo, dogs with malignant tumors usually survive only 141 to 179 days.
Control Bleeds
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If your dog is having a bleed at home, you can wrap an ace bandage around the belly to apply pressure to help control the bleeding temporarily.
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