My dog ​​has an inflamed spleen

What is the spleen and what is it for?

The spleen is an organ that is attached to the stomach and performs important functions, among which the following stand out:

• Acts as a reservoir of blood, red blood cells and platelets.This implies that you can release them to the body when necessary.
• Serves as a blood filter, eliminating waste.
• It has an important role in the immune system.

The enlarged spleen will retain more blood , which will hinder its functioning and continue to increase its size.So, a vicious circle is established, since, the more it increases, the more cells it will be able to retain and, therefore, the more it will swell.This cycle produces detectable variations in blood analytics.That a dog has an inflamed spleen can be due to different causes, as we will see below.the most serious cases will be necessary to remove it, since it is possible to live without it.

Symptoms of spleen inflammation in dogs

Our dog may have an inflamed spleen as a result of various infections.This inflammation is known as splenomegaly and may go unnoticed, as it is rarely asymptomatic.If signs are present, the most common would be:

• Inflammation of the abdomen due to the enlarged spleen.
• Abdominal pain.
• Thinness even eating large amounts or, conversely, anorexia.
• Digestive disorders such as vomiting or diarrhea.

The specific symptomatology will depend of the cause behind this inflammation, as we will see in the following sections.Generally, any pathology that affects organs adjacent to the spleen (liver, stomach, etc.) will cause its enlargement and the symptoms of those organs disorders.An ultrasound and an x-ray can be used for diagnosis.Blood tests will also provide valid Bold information.

Diseases causing inflammation of the spleen in dogs

And is that infectious diseases such as hepatitis, metabolic or autoimmune , in addition to tumor processes, as we will see in another section, are likely to cause our dog has an inflamed spleen.When the cause of an infection, we can find clinical symptoms such as fever or anorexia.In these cases, an antibiotic treatment and the specific one for the primary disorder will be generally prescribed and the evolution will be observed.In any case, it will always be the veterinarian who assesses the status of the spleen and decides if it is necessary to remove it or not, depending on the risk/benefit presented by the two options.This removal, called splenectomy, will be explained in the last section.

Splenic torsion

Sometimes, especially in large-sized and deep-chested dogs that have exercised intensely, then swallowing large amounts of water or food, the torsion/dilation of the stomach occurs In this process, the stomach dilates and rotates on itself, twisting its entry and exit and preventing the dog from vomiting or removing gases.It is a veterinary emergency and, as the spleen is attached to the stomach, it is normal that, in these cases, it is also compromised its operation and increase its size.It is a situation that endangers the life of the dog and that should be assessed by a veterinarian as soon as possible.The person will determine the appropriate treatment.the dog has an inflamed spleen as a result of a pathology that, although it has its origin in another organ, directly compromises it.

Trauma

A strong blow, such as that caused by a fall from a considerable height, a kick or an outrage, may be responsible for our dog having a swollen spleen.In these cases, a bruise is usually formed.It is contained inside the spleen , with the risk that a large amount of blood is broken and released to the abdomen, causing a vital emergency in our dog, in need of emergency veterinary intervention.cases the blow is so brutal that the spleen breaks directly.These massive hemorrhages are manifested by pale mucous membranes (we can see whitish gums), cold, weakness or agitated breathing.Immediate veterinary attention is required, which may include a blood transfusion.

Image: alimentacioncanina.com

Cancer, another cause of inflamed spleen in dogs

Our dog may have an inflamed spleen due to the presence of tumors.These may be benign or malignant, so the first thing is to take a sample of the ba z or For a cytological study of the tumor, which is what will allow us to establish a treatment, as well as a prognosis on the life expectancy of our dog.If it is decided to remove the tumor or the entire spleen, first we must make sure that there is no metastasis, that is, that the cancer has not caused tumors in other organs.If so, intervention is not advised.

To obtain this information, diagnostic tests such as ultrasound are used., radiography and blood tests.It is not unusual for a tumor in the spleen to spread to the liver.Sometimes, after removal it is necessary to schedule a treatment of chemotherapy The life expectancy of our dog will depend, fundamentally, on whether the tumor is benign or malignant o.In addition, the larger the tumor, the more symptoms it causes.A rupture of the tumor will cause bleeding such as the one described in the section on trauma.

Splenectomy

Splenectomy consists of the total or partial removal of the spleen .It is reserved for cases in which maintaining the organ is more harmful than removing it, since, although it is possible living without a spleen, its absence causes damage to the dog, such as a greater ease of contracting diseases and/or a lower resistance to them.That is why it is recommended to keep the vaccines of these dogs without a spleen.As we have seen, that our dog having an inflamed spleen is not a minor issue and requires a quick and thorough veterinary evaluation.

If finally the veterinarian decides that the best option is to remove this organ, see our article on "Care for a dog without a spleen ".

This article is purely informative, at ExpertAnimal.com we have no power to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis.We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in the event that he presents any kind of with diction or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to My dog ​​has an inflamed spleen , we recommend that you enter our section on Other health problems.