Why is my dog lethargic with high liver enzymes & swollen spleen?

Question

My 4 year old dog has been lacking energy lately. I took her to the vet and they said her liver enzymes were elevated and her spleen was swollen. I am very concerned. They did an aspiration of the liver and spleen. Does this indicate cancer? What are the potential diagnosis for these symptoms?

Jeffrey Milner · Accepted Answer

I am sorry to hear about your dog's health, but it sounds like you are taking the necessary steps to try and figure out the problem. Increases in liver enzymes can mean a very large variety of things. The most common includes various endocrine disease, primary liver disease, diseases of the bile ducts, cancers of the bile system or liver, or direct trauma to the liver. Enlargement of the spleen can be caused by the body's need to produce more cells, which the spleen play a role in. This is called splenic contraction. Unfortunately, some of the other causes of splenic enlargement can be masses. The most common two things to grow on the spleen are splenic hemangiosarcoma and a splenic hematoma. There prevalence is approximately 50/50. The needed aspirate of the liver and spleen should provide a fairly accurate diagnosis. However, sometimes larger tissue samples are needed to come up with a complete picture of what is happening. While cancer is certainly a possible culprit, these would be somewhat unusual for a four year old dog. Try and stay positive until you have some results back from your veterinarian. You and him can figure out the next step to take from there.

Why is my dog lethargic with high liver enzymes & swollen spleen?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

Why is my mouse's eye swollen, cloudy, and has pus?

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

My pet is breathing hard, not eating, and lethargic. What's wrong?

My pet has red spots all over. What's causing them and what to do?

My small pet is limping and can't bear weight. Should I see a vet?

My dwarf hamster has a shut eye and is limping. What should I do?

Share