Spleen Tumour

[cazza]

My 11yr old vizsla has a 9cm diameter tumour on her spleen (diagnosed
from a scan) Has any one had surgergy to remove a spleen and what has
the dogs quality life been life after. My Vizsla does not seem to be
in pain and her symptons was just extreme legargy yesterday nad after
a blood test she had slighly lowered platelets level and slightly
anemic so vet thought could be bleeding internally. She had a scan
today that shoed she had a 9cm diameter mass on her spleen. They can
operate and remove spleen and mass or leave it and try and stop her
knocking it so lessening the likely hood of further bleeds.

Do we put her through an operation and maybe pain and maybe dieing on
operating table or give her a good end and keep her as she is letting
her live out her days as a sofa dog next to her pack (the family)

thanks

cazza

[Ros Leighton]

Hi Cazza,
This is a very difficult decision for you, and there is probably no
completely right or wrong answer - it will depend on you and your dog and
your own feelings.
If it's any help, I'm aware of a 12 year old Vizsla that recently had his
spleen removed - he had a large lesion. He made a remarkable recovery and is
currently running through the Aussie bush with his owner on a special
holiday. Unfortunately, he also has a malignant tumour involving another
(external) part of his body, and the surgery for that is too extensive for
his owner to consider at this point in his life.

I also know of another Vizsla who had his spleen removed and lived several
years after the procedure.

Things to also consider are that sometimes small, but repeated bleeds from
the tumour can in fact be painful for the dog - blood irritating the
peritoneum (lining of the abdominal cavity) is painful. Often these bleeds
are not related to knocking of the dog/tumour, but as a result of the
increasing size of the tumour as it invades more tissue.

I wish you well with a difficult decision, but I hope it's helpful to know
of other Vizslas who have had spleenectomy and done very well afterwards.

Regards
Ros

[Chrissie Diron]

Oh Cazza, that is indeed a tough one, so sorry :-( It's true that dogs can live without a spleen, but it's not without its impact on the body. And the surgery is tough, as you've already acknowledged, especially on a dog who isn't the youngest any more and is out of balance (or you wouldn't have a tumour in the first place). My worry would be that the tumour is hemangiosarcoma, in which case, to be honest, you won't gain much by removing it or the spleen, as that is such an aggressive and invasive type of cancer - the likelihood is it's already spreading. We lost a dog to hemangio of the spleen just last year and he didn't display much in the way of symptoms, just inappetence and weight loss. By the time he really became ill, the end was upon him and he was gone within 48 hours (we let him go, it was time). People asked me if I'd have done anything differently if I'd known sooner about his cancer and to be frank I was grateful not to have known what was going on because for him surgery would have been possible (he was a strong boy overall) but it wouldn't have won us much and the treatments and drugs etc afterwards would have been miserable. He was not a boy to be medicated easily, very sensitive, and I would have spent the whole time worrying about him and it would just have been a daily hell. As it was we were blissfully ignorant until the very end and as a result he truly lived it up, didn't miss anything, never felt our anxiety and never had to endure surgery etc - he truly *lived* and enjoyed life until the last few hours. That was for me definitely kinder than subjecting him to surgery and treatments that would have made us all stressed and ultimately wouldn't have changed much about his life expectancy, certainly would have affected his quality. There are some natural treatments and supplements you could investigate to give her the best chances of a comfortable progression from here on in. Some actively fight cancer, slow it down, others just support the body to best deal with it, so that she may live well with it until it is time to call it a day. Quality of life is so important, especially in our old dogs, we owe it to them. There is a Chinese herb Yunnan Baiyao that stems bleeding internally and which might be useful if you choose to just go with it for as long as she's comfortable. I would seek out the support of a good holistic vet or homeopathic vet if you want to go that route. Whatever you choose be at peace with your decision and make each day with your girl count as a loving and special one.

From Chrissie and the Vitali Vizslas

Independent Norwex Consultant
Kick the chemical habit - go green and be clean, naturally! 

www.vitalk9.ca
www.canine-health-concern.org.uk
www.aunaturelk9s.com

[Pam Joyce]

Cazza
Can I suggest that you ask your vet to refer you to Suzanne Murphy at Animal
Health Trust. She's really nice but she'll tell it like it is. At least then
you can make your decisions from a point of knowledge.
We saw her after Csilla had two grade 2 MCTs removed. She gave us good
advice and (not wanting to tempt fate) Csilla is doing fine.
regards
Pam

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[Penny Waheed]

Hi Cazza

My Viz (now 12) showed a mass last year on her liver/spleen. She was
operated on laparoscopically and was found to have a benign mass on her
spleen which was removed along with part of her spleen.

Touch wood, she is now well. I will ask my vet for my details as I can't
remember it all exactly now and don't want to stuff wrong

Penny

-----Original Message-----
From: ukvi...@googlegroups.com [mailto:ukvi...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of cazza
Sent: 25 August 2011 18:30
To: ukvizsla
Subject: Spleen Tumour

thanks

cazza

--

[cazza]

After looking up on internet - i must say i am beginning to think that
surgery is not the way for me and her. Coz as 2/3 seem to be
malignant and life expectancy after surgery seems to be only 19-65
days wiyth no chemo and about 140days with chemo. I had already
decided no to chemo as i do not think a dog can understand the
treatment and side effects.

My Sisters vizsla had the same and did have the op but he was only 7
at the time and even then it took him a good year to be better. I
think over 11 time is not on her side and i would rather give her a
happy few months spoilt and content than 2 or 3 years after having had
a year of pain and discomfort.

She is almost back to her normal self today. She can again get
herself on the sofa - on wednesday had to carry her there. She is
eating (even if not dog food - steak , sausages and chicken :) - she
has never been keen on dried dog food)

She is lying next to me on the sofa making her happy noises. She
seems content being with her human pack.

I will discuss with vet but i think i will take the route of
supplements (vet did suggest this) and lots of love and cuddles and
while she does not appear to be in pain and hopefully is less anemic
if mass is not activily bleeding. The vet did mention she has a heart
murmur which she had no sign of before and reading up often spread to
right venticle so wonders if a heart murmur is caused by a growth
there too :(. I need to ask the vet this. Coz if spread then no
point in operating as life exceptancy is so short :(.



Thanks for your kind words

Cazza and Topaz

[Penny Waheed]

Hi

Just spoke to vets - Jez's DOB is 30/06/99. She had the op on 14/02/11.

It was done laparoscopically, and they removed a tumour about 4 - 5cms. It
was found, unusually, to be a hyperplasia around a fatty lypoma. She had
about a third of her spleen removed with the tumour. At the same time she
had a mammary gland removed as there was a lump there too and was spayed
(uterus remaining), so quite a major procedure. Like humans dogs can be Ok
without their spleen.

She recovered very quickly and at the moment is playing fetch with my
daughter in the garden.

Would think a laparoscopic investigation might help? to but be prepared for
worst (as I was).

Hope this helps, sure you will make right decision

Penny

-----Original Message-----
From: ukvi...@googlegroups.com [mailto:ukvi...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of cazza

Cazza and Topaz

--

[Susie Zarpanely]

Hi Penny
I can't believe Jez is 12!
 
Cazza, To make that sort of decision is heart breaking but...... if it helps dogs, tolerate chemo FAR better than humans. I made the same decision as you have made, with my Labrador. He sadly died with a recurrance 8 months later. Gallae on the other hand was given 3 months on diagnosis with a cancer affecting the inside of her cheek and the lymph node. She was treated with an aggresive course of chemotherapy and I was told at the time she could never be treated with any kind of chemo again. Two weeks later she was hunting pointing and retrieving pheasants. No side effects,she picked up within days. She spent a day at the surgery every 3 weeks where she was cuddled and spoilt rotten, she always went in bouncing with her tail wagging. (the downside for me, was the number of times she had to pee that night, with the vast amount of fluid put into her to protect her kidneys!!!!!!!)  5 years on she was still with us at 14 she died an almost natural death
Susie