Those of you who have been coming to our hospital for a while have probably heard us talk about Wellness testing.  This is the blood work that we recomend ALL pets get done on an annual basis during their yearly physical checkup.  Often, clients will question why such blood work is necessary when their beloved pet "looks fine".  It can be difficult to explain how well our pets hide pain and illness until a patient comes along that illustrates just how important a diagnostic tool blood work can be.

Hogan came to us the beginning of September because his mom had noticed he had been limping lately and having some difficulty standing up and getting around.  Being an 11 year old Golden Retrienver the obvious explanation would be that Hogan was limping from arthritis.  But as experience has taught us, the most obvious answer is not necessarily the correct answer.  Dr. McLaughlin took some of the fluid that had accumulated around Hogan's hock (ankle) to send off for analysis to see what was causing the inflammation.  Hogan was also due for his Wellness blood test which we did at the same time just to make sure all was well.  Little did we know that this simple test would save Hogan's life.

When Hogan's blood work came back Dr. McLaughlin was shocked to see that Hogan was severly anemic -- his red blood cell count was low and his platelet count (platelets are what allow us to clot after we have a cut) was low as well.  It was obvious that something more was going on inside Hogan than just a swollen joint or arthritis. 

Hogan was brought in for xrays which revealed a baseball size mass on his spleen that  had burst and was slowly bleeding.  Without immediate surgical intervention Hogan would not survive.  Hogan was admitted for the surgical removal of his spleen which was sent to an external laboratory for histopathology.  The results that came back were positive for hemangiosarcoma.

Hemangiosarcomas are a form of cancer which originates in the lining of blood vessels and the spleen. As might be expected of a tumor arising in the blood system they are highly malignant and can be found almost anywhere in the body since blood vessels are necessary in almost all body tissues although they do tend to appear in the spleen, heart and liver.

Hemangiosarcomas are most common in middle aged or older dogs which are medium sized or larger but can occur in any breed. German shepherds are reported to be more susceptible to this tumor than most dog breeds; however, golden retrievers also seem to have a higher than normal incidence.

Because these tumors arise in internal organs there is often little warning that they are present prior to time they cause severe clinical signs of disease. A common estimate of the average time from discovery of the tumor until death occurs in affected dogs is six to eight weeks but death occurs more rapidly than this in a number of cases.

Visible bleeding, usually in the form of nosebleeds, and signs associated with blood loss, such as tiring easily, episodes of unexplained weakness, pale color to the mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes, increased respiratory rates, abdominal swelling and depression are the most common presenting signs for patients with hemangiosarcoma. A few dogs just suddenly die with no clinical signs having been noted by their families prior to death.

Hemangiosarcomas can cause very large tumors, sometimes as large as ten or more pounds, when they affect the spleen. In most instances tumors of this size in this location are found on physical exam which is why physical checkups every 6 months are so critical to the health of pets. In other cases the tumor affects the heart and is hard to find on a physical exam and even easy to miss on x-rays. Sometimes there are hundreds of small tumors spread throughout the body and surgical exploration or an autopsy are the only ways to identify the problem.

Diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma can be accomplished in a number of ways.  Identification of a tumor in the spleen or heart raises a high degree of suspicion for this tumor. Abdominal swelling is also highly suggestive in an older large breed dog. If fluid is aspirated from the abdomen and it looks like blood it is even more suggestive of hemangiosarcoma. If this sample does not clot when left in a syringe it is also highly suggestive of hemangiosarcoma.

If a tumor is identified when it is small it may be possible to remove the spleen if the tumor is there or even to remove tumors found on the heart and prolong the pet's life. Most of the time this will not make much difference, though. These are highly malignant tumors and most have spread by the time they can be identified.

Though Hogan had come in for a simple limp, the blood work we performed while he was here was a lifesaver.  Splenic masses are silent killers that can rupture and cause sudden death in their unsuspecting hosts. Had routine blood work not been performed that day, Hogan might not be with us today. 

Today Hogan is a happy little fellow who continues to bring joy to his parents.  Though it is difficult to predict how long his body can fight off the cancer, for now Hogan and his family are enjoying their time together.