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WHAT IS THE SPLEEN ?

First broadcast on www.provet.co.uk .


This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.

You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

The spleen is a blood-filled organ that lies in the front of the abdomen, closely attached to the stomach. In humans and animals the spleen is often ruptured following trauma such as a road traffic accident. It can also become diseased.

The spleen is an important but non-essential organ. It is important because it serves many useful functions in the body including :

  • A role in immunity - helping to protect the body against infection 
  • A role in blood cell production and blood storage
  • Removal of exhausted red blood cells from the blood

It is non-essential because the body can survive even when the spleen is totally removed.

There are many disorders that can affect the spleen :

  • Enlargement of the spleen - called "splenomegaly" - is a common finding in small animal veterinary practice and this may be due to many factors including chronic infections somewhere in the body.
  • Traumatic rupture of the spleen - occurs following a blow to the abdomen
  • Cancer of the spleen - is quite common - especially in some large breeds of dog (eg German Shepherd Dogs). Often the cancer is well established before any signs are shown .

If the spleen ruptures due to trauma or a cancer, bleeding occurs into the abdomen, and this suddenly makes the animal weak and it may collapse. In severe cases the patient can actually bleed to death. Otherwise, there may be few  signs that the spleen is diseased. If the spleen is extremely large the abdomen may appear to be swollen or pendulous. 

A veterinarian can usually feel an enlarged spleen within the abdomen but he/she may need to perform a series of tests to determine the diagnosis including :

  • XRays - to identify smooth enlargement or a tumour mass
  • Ultrasound - to identify smooth enlargement or a tumour mass
  • Blood tests - for anaemia and other changes indicative of an infection or an immune problem
  • Take tissue samples - using needles or at surgery by opening the abdominal cavity (called a laparotomy). This is a useful procedure because it allows the clinician to fully examine the spleen before the biopsy is taken.

Treatment of diseases of the spleen is often possible, but if the organ is seriously affected, such as with a generalised cancer, it can be removed with few  consequences for the animal. 

 

Updated October 2013