Hi it's been a while since I have posted. My lab Annie has developed an enlarged spleen. The vet states the two main cause would be a cancerous or benign tumor of the spleen. He want's to do surgery on monday to remove her spleen. If he opens her up and finds cancer he would suggest we euthanize her. We had a radiograph done that shows the enlarged spleen. I am thinking if I bring annie in on monday it will be the last time I see her. I wouldn't want her to go through surgery if the cancer has spread. I am planning on canceling the surgery, which may piss the vet off. I would like to have secound opinion with an ultrasound of her abdomen to see if there is any other tumors. I have read that when these malignant tumors spread they will affect the heart and lungs. Why put her through the pain of surgery if there is no hope of survival. I love Annie she has been the perfect dog for the twelve years I have had her. When we got her she was a stray that came into our veterinary clinic, she had been hit by a car and had a fractured plevis. She ate yesterday but not this morning. She is urinating and her stools look normal, is able to get up and move around. She has done alot of sleeping. Last night I sleep on our livingroom floor with her. If anyone has any information to offer it would be helpful.

The doctor called me at about 12:30pm on a sunday. He explained her blood work showed slight elevations in kidney functions. I expressed my fears about not seeing Annie again if I brought her in for this surgery. He expressed that he thought she would have a good chance for making it through surgery, from her behavior on saturday. It is so hard to make this decisions. I will have to live with my choices. I do agree having the spleen removed before she would start to show more critical signs of illness is the right thing to do. The more enlarged it gets the more likely it could tear or rupture which could mean a life threating abdominal bleed out. I would hate to betray her trust. I expressed my concerns about her plate in her pelvis and the fact that she couldn't be stretched out, he said he could set her in a frog legged position for surgery to eliminate stress on her hips. I feel he is trying to help us. I am scared for her. I know at some point I will have to let her go. She is almost 14yrs and for a labrador that is a life time. I just can't let her go now. Please keep us in your thoughts.

You are in my prayers. I like your idea of a second opinion and an ultrasound, which is not invasive. But I don't understand why she did not want to eat. It sounds like you have to do things rather fast and that makes it all the harder.
Do what you feel is best for her. You didn't say what the vet said this condition leads to if surgery is not done right away. What does he think about an ultrasound as a way of "taking another look at everything"?

I mostly had big dogs all my life and I used to say I wouldn't worry about them unless they stopped eating because I never had a dog that didn't love to eat. I was going to tell you about my 12 year old German Shepherd but it is too sad to read. The short version is she did stop eating and I took her to the vet and it was cancer...the xrays showed that right away. I don't know anything about the spleen so I can't help you there.

The best advice I can give is as I said: Do what you feel is best for her. and..also what you feel the most comfortable with. The vet shouldn't get mad if you do postpone it..he has no right to do that..Annie belongs to you. He should accept whatever YOU decide, even if to take a short time and do an ultrasound. He is asking you to make a decision.....he should help make you feel as comfortable as possible about whatever you decide. I will pray for both of you and for a good result for Annie. Hugs to both of you in this very hard moment in time.

I went on Google and searched for dog "enlarged spleen"
I only copied the first link cause it talked about surgery, about all being okay, and I think it would help you to use Google for more information. It talked about Labs having a problem. Also a biopsy might tell whether cancer or not without removing the whole spleen.

Here's the link:

http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dspleen.html#Enlarged%20spleen

Hope this suggestion helps.

Thank you, I have also been looking for as much information on options, Most recomend removal of the enlarge spleen, with biopsy of the tumor if present. It can have a benign form or a malignant form that causes the enlargment of the spleen. If it is malignant we can try chemotherapy which may give her more time. She didn't have much of an appet*ite today but I boiled some chicken and removed the skin for her to eat which she ate readily. I feel with her losing her appet*ite we should move forward with surgery. We may have to make a decision at the time of surgery if we plan to euthanise if it is cancerous and has metastised. I have read that survival is much shorter possibly 6 to 8 weeks, I don't know if I could watch her struggle that long only to lose her. I am sorry for the loss of your sheppard it hurts to lose them, I wish they were here with us for a longer time. It will be a hard day for us tommarow. Hopefully Annie will do well and we can have her for a little longer. I will try to keep you updated, Martha

I'm glad you checked in and answered. My prayers are with you and your baby. I will be watching for your update.

we are waiting. Annie is having surgery to remove her enlarged spleen and our hope are that it is only enlarged and nothing else is found. I am trying to keep optimistic, good thoughts for her right now as she will need them. It is so hard to wait.

Waiting is hard.......just keep posting to occupy your thoughts. Good thoughts are flowing to Annie. Bless her heart.

Okay more news already. Annie has made it through surgery. The vet saw no evidence of tumors present on any other organs. Her spleen looks like it may have split or cracked open in three separate spots and had adhered to her omentum. For now she is recovering from surgery and as she wakes up we will see how she does. The vet may want to send home with us tonight so we can watch her, especially if there is the possibility that she will be calmer at home. We are having the spleen biopsied for evidence of cancer, and to see what it was caused by. She is still not out of the woods yet as being an elderly labrador she has quite a recovery. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers, Martha, Annies mom

That's good news.................one step at a time and this was a good step.

Good thoughts flowing to Annie and you.

Judy (Little Guy's Mom...my picture...passed on Sept 10th).

Annie came home just for the night. She had a hard nite her eyes dialated from morphine. I stayed with her constantly, to reasure her she would be okay. From 6pm to 12:56am she was restless, I had to stop her from getting up. I felt so bad for her and began to question why I had put her though this. Then after my eyes had shut and then opened she turned away from me and she was sleeping, still breathing hard but asleep, her paws twitched as if dreaming. She lay quietly and I fell asleep. When I woke up at 3:46am she had not moved and though I was afraid to check, she was still breathing. Thank god. Quietly breathing. I moved down beside her when she awoke and held her head softly next to me. She was more relaxed than she had been all night. About 6am I decided to get up she tried to follow. I put my shoes on and took her Iv bag and lease in hand. out to the deck and groon from her I had to pick my 70lb lab who is not used to being picked up down four steps, set her down gently and she walked right off. Slow down Annie, I had to hold her back. we walked about twenty feet and she was able to urinate. Relief. So for now it looks like she has a good chance to recover she is strong for a 13yr lab. I really wrestled with this question of doing surgery and every dog is different. I just couldn't not give her a chance. And for a time last night when she was really uncomfortable, low growling, I started to hate myself for puting her through this, but today luckily for her and for us she seems to be heading in the right direction. Thank you and everyone for your good thought and prayers, believe me Annie thanks you too.

Your message was so good to hear. Please continue with your updates during the recovery process. My heart goes out to both of you. You are taking such wonderful care of her. Give her a hug and a kiss on the snout!

Martha, you and Annie will be in my thoughts and prayers that she makes a full recovery. I can totally undertand why you decided to go ahead with the surgery. And labs are known to be a very strong breed as Annie is showing you now. Her behavior after the surgery is very typical since she has alot of meds in her body. I am glad that you have a close eye on her and are sleeping by her as well. That will bring her much comfort. Just be careful that she doesn't over due when she moves about. Give her lot's of kisses as she recovers from the surgery.

Be sure to take care of yourself and get some rest.

I love the picture of you with Annie...what a beautiful fur baby. She is the same color as my Lizzy was.

Please update us as we are all concerned.

Nancy

Best wishes, sending you positive waves and may all go as you want it to! Take care

THANK YOU EVERYONE,
Annie has been doing progressively better with every day that passes. It is Saturday and this is the first time I have been able to sit down to my computer. I had to go back to work on Wensday and hubbie stayed home the rest of the week to take care of her. We have to slow her down, so she has to stay on the leash. I think she feels better than she did prior to surgery. I can't tell you how happy I am about this, but I am sure you can imagine. I am so grateful that we have more time to share with her. I will try to get an updated photo of Annie.
Thanks again, Martha and Annie

So glad to hear from you and with good news. I prayed that you would get more time with Annie and I did mean years more. THis is a good start.....
Keep in touch as you can.

Oh Martha that is wonderful news!!! I have been thinking of you & Annie every day and praying for her recovery. Please continue to keep us updated.

HELLO.
Sorry it's been so long, back to work of course, bills have to be paid. Annie has been doing great she had her st*itches out on Monday night and Doctor said her biopsy came back clean, which is good news but he cautioned that there is always a chance that they can get a clean biopsy if there was no cancer present in the tissue that went to sample. He also stated he took several samples of areas that looked suspect. For now she is getting all of our love and we are of course very greatful to have this extra time with her. thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers for Annie, Thanks again Martha

It is wonderful to hear good news. We all appreciate your keeping us updated. Give Annie a hug from all of us and take some pictures of her during the Holidays. We would love to see a current picture when you can.