Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
English setter with spleen cancer causing vomiting and tiredness
By Kerboeuf, Mikael et al.·Published in Veterinary medicine and science·2021·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Case report: Haemophagocytic histiocytic sarcoma in an english setter.
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old English setter was brought to the vet after showing signs of not eating, being very tired, and occasionally vomiting for a week. Blood tests showed several issues, including low red blood cells and platelets, and an ultrasound revealed abnormal spots on the spleen. Unfortunately, the diagnosis was haemophagocytic histiocytic sarcoma, a serious cancer affecting the blood and organs. The owners decided to euthanize their dog to prevent further suffering. This case is notable as it is the first reported instance of this type of cancer in an English setter.
People also search for: English setter vomiting · dog lethargy causes · haemophagocytic histiocytic sarcoma treatment
Abstract
A 4-year-old English setter presented with a 1-week history of anorexia, lethargy and occasional vomiting. Blood analysis revealed moderate regenerative anaemia, mild monocytosis, thrombocytopaenia, hypoproteinaemia, hypoglobulinaemia, hypocholesterolaemia and increased C-reactive protein. On ultrasonography, the spleen had multifocal hypoechoic lesions. Fine needle aspirates from the spleen and liver showed marked extramedullary haematopoiesis, an increased number of histiocytes, haemosiderin deposits and erythrophagocytosis. A tentative diagnosis of haemophagocytic histiocytic sarcoma (HHS) was made, and the owners elected euthanasia. On autopsy, the liver and spleen were enlarged. The spleen had an uneven surface and a yellow-tan spotted appearance. Histologically, the red pulp was highly cellular and dominated by erythroid cells, as well as a population of larger polygonal cells and aggregates of histiocytes. HHS was confirmed by CD11d immunolabelling. This represents the first documented case of HHS in an English setter.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33750030/