Dr. Todd L. Prince, a board-certified small animal veterinarian, has been meeting the medical needs of dogs and cats for more than 30 years. Dr. Todd Prince focuses much of his work on diagnosing and treating animal cancers.
Hemangiosarcoma, or HSA, is a type of cancer found more commonly in dogs than in any other animal. It grows first in the endothelium, a layer of cells that lines certain organs and body cavities, and spreads into the blood vessels. It is most common in larger-breed dogs that are middle-age and older, male dogs being slightly more prone to the disease than females.
Some dogs develop dermal hemangiosarcoma, which originates on the skin as red or black growths on hairless areas. The disease is more common under the skin and is particularly prevalent on the liver, kidneys, or spleen.
Internal hemangiosarcomas often go undiagnosed until a dog presents with severe clinical symptoms. For example, the dog may develop a distended abdomen or a mass that is apparent to the touch. In other dogs, the first sign is internal bleeding, which causes periodic weakness and pale gums.
Hemangiosarcomas tend to have a poor prognosis. Surgery alone correlates with an average survival time of only three to six months. Chemotherapy can give a dog up to a year of life, although this may be longer if the mass is in the spleen alone and is discovered through routine abdominal ultrasound, before clinical symptoms develop.
Dr. Todd Prince 