3 Facts about Hemangiosarcoma (HSA)

• Hemangiosarcoma is a type of cancer of blood vessels. It is mesenchymal in origin and commonly affects large breed dogs such as German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, and Boxers. It is more common in older dogs.

• HSA can be splenic, cardiac (right atrium) or cutaneous/subcutaneous

• If the tumor ruptures, it is life-threatening as internal hemorrhage occurs. If it is a splenic tumor, splenectomy is recommended followed by Doxorubicin. If it is a right atrial mass, then tapping (called pericardiocentesis) is recommended, also followed by Doxorubicin. It is possible for a dog to have both splenic and cardiac HSA so a diagnostic work-up (including chest radiographs, echocardiogram and abdominal ultrasound) is highly recommended. This can also help investigate possible metastasis.

References:

1) Veterinary Partner. Veterinarypartner.com

2) Tilley, L. P., & Smith, F. W. (2005). The 5-minute veterinary consult: Canine and feline. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

3) Yin, S. A. (2010). The small animal veterinary nerdbook. Davis, CA: CattleDog Pub.