Senior retriever in tough spot

Our golden retriever is four months shy of 16. Recently, we noticed him having more trouble than usual getting up and down. He was also breathing more heavily. We took him to our vet who took an x-ray and told us there was a mass on our dog’s spleen.

Needless to say, we are pretty devastated but know that our dog is old. The vet suggested a follow-up with an ultrasound of the abdomen and the chest and then possibly surgery.

Does this make sense given the dog’s age? We want to do whatever is possible but also don’t want to put him through too much. What kind of mass is likely on the spleen and if we went forward with the surgery, what would his recovery be like?

Let me begin by saying that I’m sorry you and your dog are facing this situation but also to say that it is extraordinary your dog has reached this advanced age. Very rarely do I see retrievers get to almost 16 years of age! coupled leads The me clinical with to thoughts shortness signs of of weakness of cardiac breath disease, anemia brought on by blood loss due to either reduced production of red blood cells or overt loss, and respiratory issues.

With the findings of a splenic mass, I am most likely thinking of periodic blood loss from the spleen into the abdomen.

Does your dog have a distended abdomen? Do the gums look pale? In cases of hemangiosarcoma of the spleen, which is what this sounds like, one sees some or all of weakness, increased respiratory rate, abdominal distension and pale gums.

In a perfect world, further diagnostics are appropriate.

Bloodwork should also be done to measure any anemia. The reason for the diagnostics would be to learn if there is any spread of the likely tumor. Conversely, you could go straight to surgery to remove the diseased spleen if the dog’s bloodwork suggests he is a good is of candidate. a hemangiosarcoma, If the diagnosis the prognosis is poor and lifespan is perhaps six months but more likely one or two. Given the age of your dog, I would suggest you weigh your options with an honest conversation with your veterinarian and make an informed decision from there. Good luck!