Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Chronic splenic torsion causing lethargy and belly pain in two dogs
By Reinhart, Jennifer M et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2015·From the Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Chronic splenic torsion in two dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old spayed female poodle was brought in because she had been lethargic, not eating well, and had low red blood cell counts for four months. Another dog, a 5-year-old castrated male French bulldog, had mild belly pain and was intermittently not eating for two weeks. Both dogs were diagnosed with chronic splenic torsion, a condition where the spleen twists, using abdominal ultrasound. They both had surgery to remove the spleen and fully recovered afterward. This case highlights the importance of ultrasound in diagnosing this condition, which can have vague symptoms.
People also search for: dog lethargy and not eating · poodle anemia treatment · French bulldog abdominal pain diagnosis
Abstract
A 5 yr old spayed female poodle (case 1) was presented with a 4 mo history of lethargy, inappetence, and nonregenerative anemia. A 5 yr old castrated male French bulldog (case 2) was presented with a 2 wk history of mild abdominal pain, dyschezia, and intermittent anorexia. Both dogs were diagnosed with chronic splenic torsion based on changes in splenic position, echogenicity, and/or echotexture identified on B-mode abdominal ultrasonography, as well as either decreased or absent splenic blood flow on color-flow Doppler ultrasonography. Both dogs underwent splenectomy and had full resolution of clinical signs. Presentation of chronic splenic torsion is variable, and clinical signs can be nonspecific. Abdominal ultrasound with Doppler evaluation is an important diagnostic step that can lead to appropriate surgical intervention and good long-term prognosis.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25955145/