Any vets around? Dog with slightly enlarged spleen

[Mightyfedup]

My dog is 2-2.5 years old rescue. Normally fit and well. Immunisations, flea treatment and worming up to date. There was a period of 2 months that she did not receive her monthly spot on due to confusion about who did what and when.

She is very active on walks and loves to play and run around the house but also loves to chill.

She eats well but we have to be a bit careful with her diet as she can get diarrhoea. She has an occasional big throaty cough. Has only had one episode of vomiting.

She was checked by a vet in Feb and August this year with no issues found except needed to loose 2 kg.

She went for her immunisations this week and the vet and her colleague could feel a slightly enlarged spleen. Their advice was come back in 3 months.

Are there any canine specialist vets in London anyone could recommend? I am concerned it could be cancer and that she should have an ultrasound so would like a second opinion.

She had 9 puppies a year ago days before she was rescued. She was living on the streets in Romania.

I would be grateful for any advice or recommendations. Thanks

I'd suggest simply going back to your current vet and requesting bloods +/- ultrasound just to put your mind at ease. It may not be significant at all. As vets, we try to tailor our suggestions to what we guess that owners will be happy with, while still providing appropriate care for our patients, and many people would consider going straight for diagnostic imaging to be OTT and money-grabbing. The perils of the profession!

Thanks very much for your reply. I asked about blood tests and ultrasound but they said just come back in 3 months. They did not seem that concerned.

I think they are probably correct but if my client wanted a little more investigation, I'd be v happy to run bloods, as they should be also.

Ditto the go back and ask for bloods.

We've done it a number of times (dogs and horses). Wanted to put minds at rest at various times. Vets have always agreed and gone with what we've wanted.

Agree with villainous brood mare. Your vet has not done anything wrong and should be happy to investigate further if you are anxious, no need to go elsewhere before asking them. Cancer of the spleen is rare at such a young age, but some investigation can reassure you or find a problem if something is going on.

Coming from Romania should be big red flag with enlarged spleen for tick borne diseases such as erilichia or leshimonasis. Very commonly seen in dogs brought in from Eastern Europe I currently have two dogs from Romania being treated after positive lesh blood tests. Have worked for many years in quarantine kennels before the widespread pet travel scheme I have seen this many times.

Oops, OP, I missed the Romanian origin. Lonecat is absolutely right; ehrlichiosis and leishmaniasis are two possible causes. Go back to your vets this week. Make sure that they are aware that your dog came from Romania. Bloods would be the first step.

@villainousbroodmare we are getting so many dogs with complex travel histories currently that I am hypervigalent for this currently. My latest is a Thai ridgeback born in Russia moved to the Czech Republic and then moving to the UK.

A friend of mines dog died of spleen cancer earlier this year, perfectly healthy up until the day he really wasn't and then it was too late. It was awful to see him that way, he was older at 8 though.

But I wouldn't be taking any chances with the spleen so would be back and asking for more blood tests and if you are still not happy then ask for scans/further investigations from vet hospitals

Slightly off topic, and not meant in criticism of you, OP, but I will never understand the importation of stray dogs from Romania etc.