Splenomegaly in cats. Diseases of the spleen in dogs. How to diagnose splenomegaly or splenic mass

Tumors of the spleen can develop from all tissues that make up the organ; probable sources of tumors can be blood vessels, lymphoid tissues, smooth muscles and connective tissue fibrous capsule.

The main reason for searching for a tumor of the spleen is splenomegaly - an increase in the volume of the organ compared to the norm. Splenomegaly is divided into homogeneous (increase in volume while maintaining shape) and nodular (formation of one or more nodes in the parenchyma. Below are the main pathological causes of splenomegaly in dogs and cats.

Table: Pathological causes canine splenomegaly.

Non-neoplastic lesions
Hyperplastic nodes
Hematoma
Splenitis (abscess, granulomas)
Organ congestion (congestive heart failure, splenic torsion, acute gastric dilatation/volvulus, some drugs)
Infections (fungal, bacterial, viral)
Benign tumor lesions
Hemangioma
Lipoma
Leiomyoma
Myelolipoma
Malignant tumor lesions
Hemangiosarcoma

Undifferentiated sarcoma
Fibrosarcoma
Leiomyosarcoma
Malignant histiocytosis
Plasmacytoma
Mastocytoma
Liposarcoma
Mesenchymoma
Myxosarcoma


Metastatic carcinoma

Table: Pathological causes of splenomegaly in cats.

Non-neoplastic lesions
Stagnation
Splenite
Hypereosinophilic syndrome
Hematoma
Extramedullary hematopoiesis
Malignant tumor lesions of cats
Mastocytoma

Myeloproliferative diseases
Hemangiosarcoma.

In dogs, when the spleen is enlarged, the law (rule) of two thirds applies: two thirds of cases of splenomegaly in dogs develop due to neoplasia, and two thirds of these tumors are hemangiosarcoma. In cats, the main cause of splenomegaly (up to 75%) is malignancy, and most often it is mastocytoma (first most common) or lymphoma (second most common).

Neoplasms of the spleen are more often observed in middle-aged and elderly dogs, with a breed predisposition in middle-aged and large breeds. The German Shepherd is not in first place in terms of predisposition to the formation of hyperplastic nodes, hematomas, hemangiosarcoma and lymphosarcoma, followed by the Golden Retriever and Labrador.

Splenic hemangiosarcoma most often affects dogs aged 8 to 13 years. A breed predisposition to the development of tumors has been noted in the German Shepherd and Golden Retriever.

With nodular hyperplasia of the spleen, German shepherds, cocker spaniels, Labradors, golden retrievers and poodles. There is a possible predisposition to nodular hyperplasia in females.

Biology, behavior, predictions

Below is a description of the most common spleen tumors.

Hemangiosarcoma of the spleen.

Splenic hemangiosarcoma develops from transformed endothelium blood vessels, characterized aggressive behavior– local invasive growth and high metastatic potential. More than half of dogs already have macroscopically detectable metastases at the time of diagnosis. The typical localization of tumor metastases is the liver and lungs; metastases form less frequently in other organs (omentum, peritoneum, brain, muscles and bones). The average lifespan of dogs only with surgical treatment ranges from 3 weeks to 2 months, with postoperative treatment With chemotherapy drugs, life expectancy can increase to 6 months. Feline hemangiosarcoma is characterized by less aggressive behavior and is much less common than in dogs.

Nodular (nodular) hyperplasia of the spleen in dogs.

Nodular hyperplasia of the canine spleen – neoplastic regional proliferation normal cells splenic parenchyma. Nodular hyperplasia, depending on the ratio of cell components, can be divided into lymphoid, hematopoietic, plasmacytic, fibrohistiocytic and mixed.

Nodular fibrohistiocytic hyperplasia of the spleen is accompanied by proliferation in the organ of a mixed population of spindle cells mixed with hematopoietic cells, plasma cells and lymphocytes. Nodular fibrohistiocytic hyperplasia of the spleen may present as transitional form between the node and a malignant tumor (eg malignant fibrous histiocytoma or generalized histiocytic sarcoma).

The treatment of choice for fibrohistiocytic nodular hyperplasia of the spleen is splenectomy; the average survival time after surgery is about 12 months. Survival is largely determined by a low lymphoid-fibrohistiocytic ratio and a high mitotic index; these factors are associated with a decrease in average life expectancy.

Mastocytoma of the spleen.

Splenic mastocytoma is more common in cats, in which up to 50% of mastocytosis affects the visceral organs. Splenic mastocytosis accounts for approximately 50% of the causes of splenic hyperplasia in cats. Average age The onset of tumors in cats is 10 years; no breed or gender predisposition has been identified. A malignant course with widespread dissemination and the formation of distant metastases is characteristic. Paraneoplastic syndrome with mastocytoma of the spleen of cats can be caused by the release of histamine by tumor cells (stomach ulcers, vomiting, anorexia). Splenectomy gives an average survival for feline splenic mastocytoma of about 12 months; the role of chemotherapy is uncertain.

In dogs, mastocytoma primarily of the spleen is quite rare; it is more often observed visceral form mastocytosis which follows primary skin lesions.

Lymphoma of the spleen.

Lymphosarcoma of the spleen in most cases is presented as part of systemic disease, V in rare cases in dogs, lymphoma may be limited to the spleen.

Malignant histiocytosis of the spleen

Malignant splenic histiocytosis is a rare malignant process characterized by progressive systemic invasion of multiple organs by morphologically atypical histiocytes. The spleen, liver, bone marrow and lymph nodes are usually affected. A breed predisposition has been noted in the Bernese Mountain Dog.

Canine splenic sarcoma

Several types of sarcomas have been described in dogs (see above), which are characterized by aggressive and malignant course and most animals die within 1 year of diagnosis, with the exception of mesenchymoma - 50% of animals survive 1 year. The biological behavior of spleen sarcomas (not lymphoid or vascular) is largely determined by the mitotic index; the higher it is, the lower the life expectancy.

Clinical signs

The history of splenic tumors is poorly specific, and signs may range from mild weakness to asymptomatic abdominal enlargement and sudden death with tumor rupture and massive blood loss.

When palpating the abdomen, an enlarged spleen is easily determined in most animals; further examination requires the use of visual diagnostic methods, with an emphasis on ultrasound examination of the spleen. Ultrasound best determines deviations in the structure and shape of the spleen; it is also ultrasound that best determines the presence of metastases in the abdominal cavity.

Radiographic examination of the chest cavity allows identification of metastases in the lungs. In view of this, with hemangiosarcoma, cardiac damage is likely (up to 45%), if this disease is suspected, an echocardiographic study is mandatory.

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are capable of more fully assessing damage to the spleen and the presence of metastases, but they are used quite rarely due to their high cost and poor availability.

Due to the fact that various rhythm disturbances are often observed in malignant and benign tumors of the spleen, an electrocardiogram should be assessed before planning anesthesia.

The final diagnosis requires pathological examination. Cytological examination Fine-needle biopsy samples obtained under ultrasound guidance make it possible to make an accurate diagnosis in up to 61% of cases with a low probability of complications. In other cases, the diagnosis is made after splenectomy and histopathological examination of the obtained material.

Treatment

The goals of treatment for spleen tumors are to slow the progression of the disease, control clinical manifestations, and maintaining an optimal quality of life for as long as possible.

In the absence of metastases, the method of choice is splenectomy (except for lymphoma); for canine splenic hemangiosarcoma, additional chemotherapy is performed. For lymphoma (lymphosarcoma), chemotherapy treatment is carried out in monotherapy.

Valery Shubin, veterinarian, Balakovo

Just admire what a wonderful drug one of our recent patients gave us!

This is a 14 year old cat who underwent surgery for acute intestinal obstruction(unusual, of course, for an older cat, but greed is not a vice, and the failure was due to a piece of bone, so I can understand it). Besides extra bone This ugly spleen was found in the cat.

According to the ultrasound, it should be noted that the drake also looked unappetizing, the parenchyma was very heterogeneous in echogenicity. However, the list of differential diagnoses that was on my tongue at the moment when I started to cut out pieces for histology was very quickly shortened when I scraped a section of parenchyma with a scalpel. Viscous, pliable, fatty, I would even say greasy. Ugh.

When you look at the cytology of such spleens, the main thing is not to forget WHICH organ you are looking at, and not to start looking for abnormalities of hematopoiesis where they should not be looked for (let me remind you that there was nothing bothering me except bone in the cat’s intestines). Because it looks like the most ordinary bone marrow, with all the myeloid, erythroid and platelet precursors, fat and macrophages. In this myelolipoma, the morphology of all cellular elements was absolutely normal, the M/E ratio was slightly increased, up to 2.5-3:1.

Histologically, it looks about the same as good, cellular bone marrow.

In some places, however, it is divided by large vessels and muscle trabeculae, reminding us that this is, after all, a former spleen.

There is even residual PALS here, but the arteriole has undergone hyalinosis.

Myelolipoma, in principle, can occur in a wide variety of organs and tissues. In humans, the most common myelolipoma is the adrenal gland, for example. And so much so that in human pathology myelolipomas are usually divided into “adrenal glands” and “other tissues”. A dog has even been described as having a myelolipoma in the spinal canal (note, the photos are exactly the same! :)) Already in the course of writing this post, I was surprised to discover from this article on veterinarian that for cats, myelolipoma of the spleen is not very typical. For dogs, yes, it is quite typical, but liver myelolipomas are described much more often in cats.

There are many questions regarding the origin and nature of myelolipoma that have not been resolved, mainly due to its complete biological non-hazard, as well as its extreme rarity. Should we consider it a tumor or not? If not, then why is it formed, replacing the usual extramedullary hematopoiesis and why is it found in animals with absolutely normal bone marrow, who had no need for additional sources of blood cells?

Wikipedia provides a link to, which discusses the monoclonality of the origin of myelolipoma cells (that is, it is a tumor, although it is personally unclear to me how such diverse and absolutely terminally differentiated cells, including adipocytes, can emerge from one precursor), but it is too expensive to look into it for a simple Russian veterinarian from the outback. :)

In any case, myelolipomas behave absolutely benignly, except that in some localizations they can spatially interfere and compress something necessary, and the prognosis for surgical treatment is favorable. We wish the same for you.

The spleen is a large formation that performs a large number of functions. If they are violated, it is possible various changes in this organ, including an increase in its size. The development of splenomegaly in animals is a fairly common pathology associated with a large number of etiological factors. To make such a diagnosis without special research quite complex, but its presence can be suspected by changes in behavior pet. This is due to the fact that an enlarged spleen in dogs and cats causes certain unpleasant symptoms.

Spleen diseases in dogs

The spleen is a fairly sensitive organ that responds to many adverse effects. This is why an enlarged spleen in dogs is a very common occurrence. However, it is very important to figure out in time what exactly provokes splenomegaly. According to statistics, greatest number diagnosed cases of this pathology are associated with the development of tumors in the tissues of this organ.

Oncological, based on the principle of occurrence, animal diseases are classified into primary and secondary (another name is multicentric). Primary splenic tumors in dogs are usually divided into hemangiomas, hemangiosarcomas, and various types of sarcomas.

Hemangiosarcomas are the most common. This type Oncology is characterized by a fairly high risk of metastasis, which occurs in the early stages of the disease. In the event that there is a rupture of this malignant neoplasm, There is Great chance severe bleeding in abdominal cavity. Often this development of events occurs in dogs aged eight to nine years.

Functions and principles of operation of the body

IN in good condition The spleen performs a large number of vital functions:

• hemorrhage;
• depositing volumes of blood that replenish the bloodstream in case of emergency;
• filtration of dead shaped elements blood, toxic substances, and bacteria;
• performance protective properties immune function.

At the same time, surgical removal of the spleen is not a catastrophic injury. Moreover, over time, the animal’s body adapts to changes and functions almost fully.

Enlarged spleen: causes

One should take into account the fact that an enlarged spleen in animals can be caused not only by the development of tumors. An important factor in this process is thrombosis of the vessels of this organ and the development of ischemic heart attack, various congestion. Splenomegaly is also possible due to injuries and hematomas, exposure to infections and toxic substances, as well as torsion of the splenic pedicle. Sometimes an enlarged spleen can be caused by the presence of advanced helminthiasis.

Treatment of an enlarged spleen

Treatment for an extremely enlarged spleen directly depends on the factor that caused such changes. In the event that splenomegaly is caused by the development of an oncological process, it is necessary surgical intervention. However, with a malignant tumor surgical treatment is not able to save the animal and can only slow down the course of the disease.

In order to prevent relapses or at least reduce the likelihood of their occurrence, chemotherapy treatment is prescribed after splenectomy. For this purpose, either one drug or a combined effect on oncological process. It should be taken into account that the prognosis in the presence of a malignant process in a dog’s body is unfavorable.

In the same case, if the enlargement of the spleen is associated with severe intoxication, detoxification therapy is prescribed and restorative drugs. If present in the body infectious processes antibiotics are prescribed (most often - wide range actions).

Enlarged spleen in cats

As for felines, they are susceptible to splenomegaly more dogs. This pathology is very common not only in older animals, but also in kittens.

Moreover, symptoms of spleen enlargement in cats are more pronounced. The key symptom of this pathology is a noticeable increase lymph nodes. In addition, with organ pressure on gastrointestinal tract possible complete anorexia and the occurrence of vomiting. Defecation disorders, weight loss and constant bloating intestines. Due to the relationship of the spleen with the process of blood formation, changes in the balance of formed elements are possible (lymphocytosis predominates with a shift towards abnormal cells).

Reasons for the development of the disease

The etiological factors of splenomegaly in cats are practically no different from the causes of this pathology in dogs. However, it should be taken into account that the development pathological process may be affected by differences in the diet of animals (in particular, the consumption raw fish, which can lead to helminth infestation).

How to treat an organ?

Treatment of pathological enlargement of the spleen is also similar to techniques acceptable for dogs. However, when appointing medications it is necessary to adapt to a significant difference in mass.

Due to the active development of decorative and service dog breeding, the growth of the dog population in the urban environment non-infectious pathologies animals are becoming a serious problem.

It is for this reason that scientists today recognize that abdominal diseases pose a serious threat to the health of pets (previously, the key attention of veterinarians was focused on the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system in dogs).

Moreover, even with timely treatment, it is very difficult to predict how long a dog will live, or whether it will survive at all. Therefore, if a dog has a severely enlarged spleen, it is very important to take it to a veterinary hospital as soon as possible.

Functions and principles of operation of the body

The spleen is a single organ, quite large, located in the upper left part of the abdominal cavity (the stomach is at the back). Visually resembles a gland and big tongue. The spleen consists of two parts - red and white pulp (pulp), each of which performs specific tasks. The red pulp (about 80%) is responsible for filtering the blood, utilizing protein and iron.

White pulp (20% of the total volume) recognizes pathogenic microorganisms, neutralizes them, protects the immune system from subsequent infections, and replenishes cell reserves immune system and lymphocytes.

In general, the tasks of the spleen include participation in the metabolism of iron and protein, immune, filtration and hematopoietic functions.

Thus, without being vital important body, the spleen nevertheless performs a number of functions aimed at the normal functioning of the body in general and the immune system in particular.

Types of tumors that form in the spleen

An enlarged spleen can be caused by various factors: infectious diseases And inflammatory processes, congestion caused by liver pathologies, cardiovascular failure, hematomas.

The changes are temporary and after appropriate treatment the indicators return to normal. It is much worse if neoplasia, splenomegaly and other neoplasms of the spleen in dogs contribute to the increase.

Tumors can be of two types - malignant and benign. The most dangerous and aggressive malignant neoplasm is hemangiosarcoma, which interferes with blood clotting, provokes bleeding and metastasizes.

Often diagnosed splenomegaly, which is a uniform enlargement of the spleen, is not cancer.

In some cases, cancer is diagnosed lymphoid tissue and blood cells, which can spread to the spleen. We are talking about malignant neoplasms such as lymphoma, lymphosarcoma, and leukemia.

Causes of spleen tumors

The exact reasons contributing to such a phenomenon as an enlarged spleen in dogs have not yet been established.

Benign neoplasms are most often the result of intense activity of the spleen or insufficient blood supply to the organ. The danger of non-cancerous tumors is that over time they can turn into cancer.

This can occur due to rapid cell division and mutation. However, this does not always happen; very often the degeneration of hyperplasia does not occur. It all depends on external and genetic factors.

Malignant neoplasms may be a consequence genetic abnormalities caused by exposure to radiation on the body, chemical substances, hormones. Cells of an organ that have undergone mutation complicate the normal process of cell death and regeneration.

This occurs due to the activation of cancer genes, the inactivity of suppressor genes and changes in genes responsible for apoptosis ( controlled process programmed cell death).

As for cancers of the blood and lymphatic tissues, they are caused by various viral infections.

If we talk about the frequency of tumors, they are quite common in dogs. It is believed that some breeds, mainly short-haired (pit bull terriers, Labradors, boxers and others), have a predisposition to the development of neoplasms.

It is noteworthy that German Shepherds Hemangiosarcoma is often diagnosed, and in Bernese Mountain Dogs - malignant histiocytosis.

Age is of great importance, this applies to individuals of both sexes. In older animals (after 5 years), tumors develop much more often than in young dogs. However, there are cases where neoplasms were diagnosed even in puppies at the age of 4-5 months.

Symptoms and clinical course

At home, it is not difficult to determine an enlarged spleen in dogs. It puts pressure on other abdominal organs, so the stomach increases in size and becomes bloated.

TO characteristic features also include:

• nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite (due to pressure on the stomach);
• temperature increase;
• the appearance of small blood points on the skin and gums (petechial hemorrhages);
• weight deficiency;
• weakness, decreased activity;
• anemia;
• diarrhea;
• renal failure (in severe cases).

If the cause of the enlarged spleen is a malignant neoplasm, a symmetrical enlargement of the lymph nodes is noted. When the level of calcium and gamma globulin increases, which is typical for cancer, the dog is constantly thirsty, therefore, urination becomes more frequent.

A rapidly growing tumor can cause splenic rupture, acute collapse, heavy bleeding in the peritoneum, breathing problems, which creates a direct threat to the dog’s life.

Defeating cancer, the symptoms and treatment of which are interconnected, is possible only after a high-quality diagnosis.

Diagnosis of spleen cancer

Making a diagnosis cancer preceded by certain diagnostic measures. Visual inspection animal and clinical picture, of course, not enough.

The difficulty is that neither ultrasound nor x-ray can differentiate cancer from a benign tumor (hyperplasia) with 100% accuracy. A blood test may also not be entirely informative, since the anemia detected in blood samples is nonspecific. Cancer cells they can be detected only in certain types of tumors.

Since splenic cancer in dogs has all sorts of clinical manifestations, and the spleen is in close relationship with other abdominal organs, it is for this reason that diagnosis should be carried out in a complex and include clinical, hematological and sonographic studies, angiocontrast radiography and the Doppler effect.

To identify a tumor, you will need a sample of it, which is obtained during diagnostic surgery and subsequent microscopic examination specially prepared and stained tissue sections - histopathology.

This procedure makes it possible to obtain information about the tumor, which helps predict the further development of cancer. A research method such as cytology, which is the study of cell samples, is not informative for spleen tumors.

Neoplasms of lymphoid tissue can degenerate into cancerous tumors, so their diagnosis is extremely difficult.

Treatment of spleen tumor

When faced with the problem of an enlarged spleen in a dog, especially when it comes to cancerous tumors, the owner must understand that the treatment will be complex and long-term, requiring a lot of strength and endurance.

For malignant and benign formations treatment is carried out surgically involving removal of the organ. The operation is called splenectomy. In hyperplasia, the tumor affects only the spleen; in cancer, it extends beyond its boundaries and metastasizes. But surgery is not a guarantee full recovery, it only slows down the progress of tumor development.

Chemotherapy is one of the most effective ways cause remission, thereby prolonging the life of a dog when it develops blood cancer, mast cells, lymphatic system.

However, the poisons and toxins that are part of the drugs used in chemotherapy, at the same time, have a detrimental effect on other organs, including to a greater extent to the liver. May develop. Unfortunately, the optimal chemotherapy treatment regimen for splenic tumors in dogs has not yet been developed.

Cancer treatment can be done with steroid drugs, which are anti-inflammatory drugs based on hormones produced by the adrenal glands. However, such therapy provides only a short-term effect (several months) and can provoke resistance of the malignant neoplasm to other drugs used in chemotherapy.

At a certain stage of treatment cancer tumor may stop growing, but not disappear. To prevent tissue death and subsequent intoxication of the body, the spleen should be removed.

During the postoperative period, you need to ensure that the dog does not lick the stitches - this contributes to their divergence and infection. The incision site must be clean and dry. If discrepancy cannot be avoided, swelling or bleeding occurs, you should immediately inform your veterinarian.

After the operation, the doctor issues a histopathological report, which gives a preliminary prognosis further development tumors.

No doctor can talk about final recovery from cancer. Competent and timely treatment guarantees the cessation of tumor growth and the absence of metastases, but no more. Under unfavorable factors, a new outbreak of the disease can be expected. The prognosis largely depends on the type of neoplasm.

Dogs with 1st and 2nd degree benign tumors After splenectomy they survive for at least 12 months. While with stage 3 cancer, even if the affected organ is removed and subsequent chemotherapy, only 5% of dogs survive.

What happens in a dog's body after the spleen is removed? Most likely, there is an increase in glycogen in the liver, which contributes to the accumulation of fat cells in this organ.

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
• - other malignant tumors with distant metastases(eg 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?

1. General clinical analysis blood. 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).
2. X-ray examination. Allows you to identify a tumor or fluid (in case of bleeding) in the abdominal cavity.
3. Ultrasound. Allows you to obtain information about the structure of the neoplasm and its location in relation to normal spleen tissue.
4. Needle biopsy (there is a risk of bleeding) - tissue is taken using a syringe with a thin needle and examined under a microscope.
5. Excisional biopsy ( exploratory operation, implying removal of the entire tumor under study). It is used if there is a clearly visible tumor in the spleen.
6. X-rays are used to detect metastases chest and ultrasound of other abdominal organs.

How to treat spleen tumors?

Treatment involves:

1. Surgical removal of the tumor. Unfortunately, in the case of a malignant tumor, surgery does not provide a cure.
2. Postoperative chemotherapy to prevent or delay the progression of micrometastases. Monotherapy or combination chemotherapy is carried out. However, survival is relatively short. For combination chemotherapy protocols, 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 spleen 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

1. Malaise.
2. Anorexia.
3. 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.

1. 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.