Hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is a malignant tumor of blood vessel endothelium, and in dogs it most often grows in the spleen, the right atrium or the liver. It is the classic cause of an older large-breed dog collapsing with a belly full of blood, and it carries one of the poorest prognoses of any common canine cancer because microscopic spread has usually happened by the time it is found. The exam expects you to recognise it, stabilise the patient, stage it sensibly and give an honest outlook.
Key facts
Hemangiosarcoma at a glance- Species and system: dog; vascular endothelium (presents through the hemic system as hemorrhage, anemia and coagulopathy).
- Forms: visceral (spleen most common, then right atrium/auricle and liver; also lung, kidney, retroperitoneum, bone and others) and non-visceral (dermal, subcutaneous, intramuscular). The benign counterpart is hemangioma.
- Signalment: middle-aged to older dogs; Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds are most often named for visceral HSA. Short-coated, lightly pigmented breeds (Pit Bull types, Whippets, Greyhounds, Boxers, Beagles, Dalmatians) get the sun-induced skin form.
- Classic presentation: acute collapse, pale mucous membranes, tachycardia and abdominal distension from hemoabdomen, or cardiac tamponade from a bleeding right atrial mass.
- Zoonotic or reportable: no.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 4 tables, 3 figures, 3 self-test questions and 16 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.