Pet Organ Removal

The spleen has many jobs, including storing extra blood, acting as a filter for blood, and helping to fight infection. However, pets and people can live without a spleen. Without a spleen, lymph nodes will take over most of the spleen’s vital duties.

Spleens can be removed because of trauma, or torsion, or a splenic mass. Splenic masses are very vascular and will leak blood into the abdomen, causing a swollen appearance or even fainting due to abrupt changes in blood pressure. Generally, by the time we see swelling or fainting, the mass will have grown quite large. An enlarged spleen can be discovered by palpation from a veterinarian, an X-ray, or an ultrasound.

Signs of spleen issues may include weight loss, swollen abdomen, lethargy, decreased appetite, fainting spells, or the sense that your pet seems “not quite right.” It is important to see your veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis, as these signs can mean any number of problems.

If the spleen is removed due to trauma or torsion, most pets have a good prognosis. If the spleen is removed because there is a mass, there is a possibly that the tumor may have spread to other parts of the body. A chest X-ray and/or abdominal ultrasound can look for spread prior to surgery. Surgery may not be recommended if the spread has already occurred and/or the procedure may decrease your pet’s chances for a full recovery.

Although rare, immediate post-op concerns for having the spleen removed are internal bleeding, blood clots leading to stroke, heart arrhythmias, or infection. The only long-term concern would be a higher risk for infections.

Although removing the spleen (splenectomy) is a high-risk surgery, we perform splenectomies regularly at Helping Hands and have a record of consistent success. If you have been told your pet needs a blood transfusion, that will need to be performed by your regular veterinarian or at a 24-hour emergency hospital. Helping Hands does not offer blood transfusions or any diagnostics.

Bloodwork ($105.00) is required for your pet’s procedure. The bloodwork we perform at Helping Hands shows us basic organ function values (kidney and liver) to help make the safest choices for anesthesia. The bloodwork we perform at Helping Hands is not diagnostic. It is always recommended that you discuss surgery and sedation with your primary veterinarian if you have any concerns. There is always a risk when sedating any living animal.

We are an outpatient facility, which means the pets go home the same day of their procedure. While many of our clients take their pets home after surgery, we always recommend you talk to your veterinarian to see if they recommend overnight monitoring be performed with them or an emergency hospital. We always encourage owners to consider a transfer for post-op care after surgery.

If so, you can return to your full-service veterinarian or a 24-hour facility for continued care at your expense. We are here to get your pet through surgery and back into the hands of either your veterinarian or any 24-hour emergency hospital for post-op care. We are simply one piece of the puzzle.