Hemangiosarcoma

A hemangiosarcoma is a malignant tumor that arises from the vessels. For simplicity, hemangiosarcoma of the spleen will be the only type of tumor covered here. However, since vessels are everywhere in the body, hemangiosarcomas can develop literally anywhere, especially the heart, liver, skin, or bone.

The cause of this particular cancer is unknown.

This tumor grows within the spleen and can become quite large. If the tumor stretches too much, it can rupture and cause an animal to bleed internally. Many of these patients will suddenly die without the owner ever knowing anything was wrong. If the tumor has not ruptured, some pets will be lethargic, weak, and may have pale mucous membranes. Most of these tumors are constantly leaking blood slowly, so anemia is a consistent finding.

Immediate surgery is always indicated. An ultrasound of the liver should be performed to rule out metastasis since this tumor spreads rapidly. Chemotherapy will greatly increase the longevity of the patient, but most pets live less than 1 year after diagnosis even with appropriate treatment.While not extremely common, some masses on the spleen turn out to be hematomas which are completely benign tumors. Surgical removal is curative of the condition. Do not assume your pet has a deadly cancer without having a pathologist confirmation after surgery.