Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How common is splenic hemangiosarcoma in anemic dogs needing
By Hammond, Tara N & Pesillo-Crosby, S Anna·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2008·Department of Emergency and Critical Care, United States·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Prevalence of hemangiosarcoma in anemic dogs with a splenic mass and hemoperitoneum requiring a transfusion: 71 cases (2003-2005).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 71 anemic dogs with a splenic mass and fluid in the abdomen (hemoperitoneum) needed blood transfusions and were examined for a serious condition called hemangiosarcoma, a type of cancer. Out of these dogs, 50 were diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, which is a high prevalence rate. The dogs with this cancer had lower levels of certain blood components, like total solids and platelets, compared to those with non-cancerous splenic masses. This study highlights the importance of recognizing the signs of hemangiosarcoma and discussing treatment options with your veterinarian, as it often has a poor prognosis.
People also search for: dog splenic mass treatment · hemangiosarcoma in dogs symptoms · dog anemia and blood transfusion
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence of splenic hemangiosarcoma in anemic dogs with a splenic mass and hemoperitoneum requiring a transfusion and to identify factors that could differentiate between dogs with hemangiosarcoma and dogs with other splenic masses at the time of hospital admission. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 71 dogs. PROCEDURES: Medical records, blood bank logs, and histologic reports of dogs with a splenic mass and hemoperitoneum that required a transfusion between 2003 and 2005 were reviewed. Dogs that received a transfusion of packed RBCs, were splenectomized, and had a definitive histologic diagnosis were included. RESULTS: Signalment of dogs was similar to that in other reports. Malignant splenic neoplasia was identified in 54 of 71 (76.1%) dogs, whereas 17 of 71 (23.9%) dogs had a benign splenic lesion. Of 54 dogs with malignant splenic neoplasia, 50 (92.6% [70.4% of all dogs]) had splenic hemangiosarcoma. In addition, dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma had significantly lower total solids (TS) concentrations and platelet counts at admission. Finally, hemoperitoneum was strongly associated with a diagnosis of splenic hemangiosarcoma. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In this clinical population of dogs, prevalence of hemangiosarcoma was higher than in other studies. Dogs with hemangiosarcoma in this study had significantly lower TS concentrations and platelet counts at the time of admission, compared with values for dogs with other splenic masses. No other markers were useful in differentiating dogs with hemangiosarcoma. It is important to discuss the prevalence of and poor prognosis associated with hemangiosarcoma with owners when they are contemplating whether to proceed with treatment.
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/18279091/