Any Experiences With Spleen Removal?

[Wendie]

To avoid crying (again) at work, I'm going to keep this short and sweet.

 

Has anyone had their greyhound's spleen removed due to tumor(s)? If so, what was the recovery like and are you happy you went through with the surgery. If it was an option and you didn't take it, what helped you make that decision?

 

Thanks in advance for any input.

[OwnedBySummer]

Oh, dear. If I answered this fully, you'd be crying at work again! So without any details... I had this particular surgery attempted once. Would I try again with another dog with the same issue? Yes, I would.

Edited May 26, 2011 by OwnedBySummer

[MP_the4pack]

I did it with Pearl. She had one good day about a week after surgery. Then the tumors took over her liver. Growing at one centimeter a day. she was gone 3 weeks after surgery.

 

Brindle went in for surgery, but when they opened her up, she was loaded with cancer and let her go on the table.

 

I would do it over only if there were absolutely no signs that the tumor of the spleen ruptured. Otherwise, it's just a heartbreaker.

 

By the way, Pearl's splenectomy was done at OSU. So she had the bestest oncology care.

[Wonder]

Wendie- I think it also depends on the age....

 

Sparks was 12, I was all set to do the surgery to remove his spleen but after the US, we found that he just had an enlarged spleen and didn't need to remove it. That being said, I wanted to do the surgery even though in my heart with him being 12, it would not have been the right choice.

[Guest Lakota]

Trying not to cry as I write this.

 

In my case we didn't know about the tumours until one of them ruptured. It came on very suddenly. Blood transfuisions and many ultra sounds later, they established that they could remove the spleen; but felt it was likely that it had already spread to other organs. I had to make a very hard decision that way; but my guy was 13, so it didn't seem right to do it to him.

 

I wish you all the best with which ever way you go. Lots of us have lost our dogs this way, it really sucks.

 

[Annette]

Our hound, Icabod had his spleen removed when tumors ruptured. I was still in college and before cell phones. Roy had to make the decision without talking with me. If surgery wasn't done, he would have died. The surgery went well, it was the chemo that Icabod could not handle. Icabod made it 11 months post surgery. He was 10 years old when the tumor ruptured. We would do the surgery again if needed, but I don't know if we would do the chemo.

 

Annette

[Guest vahoundlover]

Not good news from here either. Kirston's ruptured/started bleeding (is that the same thing????? ) , cancer had spread all over.

IF we had caught it early, yes, I'd consider the surgery. We were told the only chance of buying time after the surgery was to do chemo as well.

 

I'm sorry your facing this.

[MP_the4pack]

I do want to add though, that if you do catch the tumor before it ruptures the first time (yes, it can leak and heal several time before a fatal rupture) and have it removed, the survival rate is about 90%.

 

But that's the trick. There are no symptoms until after it ruptures. Those in the 90% bracket had the tumors found by accident.

[TheFullHouse]

Our sweetie had a tumor rupture and he bled into his belly. The vet said they could take his spleen out and it might give him 3 to 6 months. He also told us that sometimes the tumor will rupture and seal itself and the body will absorb any blood but that chances were that it would rupture again. We opted not to put him through the surgery for just 3 to 6 months.

[Batmom]

{{{{{{{{{{Wendie}}}}}}}}}}

 

If it's a tumor or two that isn't a type to spread, success rate is high as MP already said. Dog can live just fine without a spleen.

 

Will be keeping you and your family in my thoughts.

[Wendie]

Our first step would be to do an ultrasound with a very experienced greyhound ultrasound specialist, who, in theory, would see other signs of cancer if it has spread. We wouldn't do surgery if those signs were there. But in my very LIMITED understanding, there is cancer that is not necessarily shown as tumors and therefore, might not be seen on an ultrasound, right?

 

I'd love an extra 11 months, but I wouldn't consider doing it for just 3.

 

Anyone have a magic crystal ball I can borrow? :

Edited May 26, 2011 by Wendie

[TheFullHouse]

No crystal ball but I can keep your sweetie in my prayers and hope you get good news.

[jodyksam]

:hope for clear answers and for a way to get an US done today

[Wonder]

E- if you do the US, bring a blanket for her so they can pad the thing they lay her in. She will be on her back.

[Batmom]

If there's a tumor on the surface of the spleen, might be able to do a FNA (fine needle aspirate) while doing the ultrasound. That could then be sent for biopsy ..... Whether there's time for that or not depends on the individual dog.

 

Just stinks to even have to be thinking about these things.

[Wendie]

Well, so much for that. Given the later hour of the day, we lost our option to do both the ultrasound and the surgery today and the next time it would be possible is Wednesday, which is too far away. I'm not willing to open her up without the ultrasound given how quickly the cancer has taken her body.

 

Thanks for your feedback guys. And please keep us on your thoughts, it's going to be a sad next two days around here

[TheFullHouse]

I'm so sorry.

[Batmom]

 

Sending hugs to all your family, Wendie.

[GeorgeofNE]

Not a greyhound, but an English Setter.

 

We elected to try the surgery; sadly when they opened him up, they found cancer everywhere, called my Dad, who asked them to put him to sleep. He never would have survived, and why torture him? He was 8 years old, and the most beautiful, sweet, kind dog, adept in the show ring and the hunting field.

[GreyTzu]

Dancer had a torsion of the spleen when she was about 6. We had it removed and she lived just fine another 6 or so years. :grouphug

[BauersMom]

I'm very sorry you are going through this.

 

My non-grey did have her spleen removed and she lived several years more fine - but we had caught it very early.

[Guest vahoundlover]

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[tbhounds]

Please don't assume the worst. This could very well be benign. Do they believe it's one single large mass? It very well could be a hemangioma. I have seen 9lb benign splenic tumors. One thing I will mention-- I would not aspirate the mass given the opportunity-- the needle will drag out possible malignant cells into the abdominal cavity-- not good.

[TinyMityMo]

Bailey had her spleen out. When they opened her up they found a bunch of other tumors throughout the connective tissue in her abdomen. They called me while they had her open to ask if they should continue. I told them yes so they removed the spleen and one other large tumor. We tried chemo supplied by Dr. Couto but if this ever comes up again I probably wouldn't do that since it made her feel bad and the tumors grew anyway. We had two more months with her. She recovered from the surgery fine. It probably helped that we detected it by my feeling lumps in her belly when she was roaching - not because anything ruptured.

I think it's fine to do chemo in a situation when you've removed all the obvious cancer to help prevents mets, but since she still had a bunch of tumors and the chemo wasn't going to cure her I shouldn't have put her through that. She probably would have had the same two months but felt lots better.

 

good luck.

[kudzu]

Another torsion dog here who had his spleen removed as collateral damage. It contained a couple tumors which were sent out to pathology. Report came back benign. He had recovered & was full of energy before the path report was back. Lived for another 5 years. His roommate did not fare as well. She had a couple of brief episodes of weakness & skipped meals. Vet found her quite anemic. Scheduled for US. We ended up in ER for that appt. Bad scene. I'd already done some research. Decided to let her go rather than do surgery. Necropsy showed cancer & it had already spread.

 

I'm so sorry. Sending prayers for your hound & you.