Advice from Vet or those who have dealt with Spleen mass please.
Hello! Looking for advice from either a veterinarian or a family who has gone through a similar situation.
Quick rundown: 12 year old pitbull, no prior health issues. Noticed funky breath in May, took her for a consult. Found a bad tooth in the back, they did surgical labs prior that came back abnormal. We then did xray and bile test. Xray came back with a large abdominal mass. Bile test was normal. Referred to specialty unit. Had an ultrasound. Mass is on the spleen. ONE lymph node nearby is inflamed. Got the call today that the cell sample taken from the spleen did not appear to be cancer! Great news. However, the vet is still concerned of a more "hidden" cancer or underlying issue because during these few weeks of diagnostics she lost about 7 pounds and is down to 50. Gave me the option of a splenectomy or palliative care.
Dog pros: still enjoying her favorite things, car rides, walks, soft foods
Cons: sleeps a lot, abdomen distended from mass, wakes up about every 3 to 4 hours to use the bathroom as the mass is pressing on her kidneys and intestines, soft frequent stools although still continent, age.
Knowing these things, would you put a 12 year old dog through a major surgery. Have you? They told me to take my time with a decision. Cost is not an issue. The only hesitation i have with proceeding with the surgery is unnecessary pain and suffering if there is some chance these are her last weeks. Any advice is helpful but please limit to those with veterinary knowledge or have had pets with the same surgery. Just weighing all options right now. Pic for attention. Her name is Smithers and this was taken a few days ago. ☺️