When I brought my 10 year old dog in for a rabies shot, my vet palpated and found he had an enlarged spleen. After doing research, I know that two thirds of these are malignant.
Here's my question: If with some dumb luck, this is not malignant, is there any harm in not removing the spleen?
If it is malignant, I know that the dog could have a fatal bleed, but the prognosis is so poor, that even with heroics, the time the dog has left is very short.

Sounds like that word I hate so much hemangioscarcoma :{... I would do tests to see if it has spread to other organs and if it hasn't I would have the spleen removed. I've lost 2 unrelated dogs to this :{ Prayers it's not cancer but either way your going to have to remove the spleen or the dog will suffer badly if she has a bleed.
Aloha,
jackie

Ask your vet.

I would recommend to do at least a sonogram and x-rays to detect any abnormalities in the spleen before doing a splenectomy. Some older dogs can have enlarged spleens and no have any pathologies associated with it.

I would hate to say a dog of 10 hardly has any time left. Depends on the dog. Many are living to 14 and 15 now. We use to think more of 12 or 13. Having said that, I just had the same on my 10 year old, we had surgery. Vet just happened like yours to find it. Removed the spleen and large growth. Came back non-malignant. Thank you God. Vet said seeing alot more of this in Labradors. But the chance of bleeding out would be awful. We are in the care of these wonderful dogs.

I agree on the ultrasound/sonogram. Unfortunately I lost my Stevie 2 years ago from an enlarged spleen. We did an ultrasound and found a mass. Vet said he could remove the spleen and she might do fine. She let me know the next day it was time and I let her go. She was 11.

Best wishes for your dog.

Sorry about the news. I hope it is not hermangiosacroma.

I found a lump on my 10 yr old boy last July.
My vet wanted to remove his spleen the next day after an x-ray showed a large mass. The vet said it was possible he may have to be put down if it was elsewhere once he opened him up.
I went to a vet who does my ultra sounds the following day..... it had spread to his liver and kidney.
This vet said a blood test could say for sure if it was hermagiosarcoma.
I was given a 4 mo. time frame.
My boy had many happy days. Walks and extra lovin' and a raw diet. He did well and I miss him so much. We lost him this past January. I'm glad in this circumstance that I did not do the surgery......as he enjoyed his last days. An ultra sound by a vet who is good at it should give you some answers.
Hugs... as I know this is not easy.

I just lost my almost 13 yr old girl to this in January. I noticed a lump in her abdomen and she stopped eating. My vet did x-rays and found an enlarged spleen. She had a mast cell tumor removed two months prior. We were referred to a vet who could do ultrasound and it was found she had multiple masses in her abdomen, lungs and heart. I brought her home and spoiled her for the afternoon. Then we freed her from her broken body that evening. Please do an ultrasound so you know where you stand.

I had an 8 year old shep mix who had a mass on her spleen, we did the ultrasound and everything else looked ok.. She had surgery and it turned out to be hemangioma. She went on to live to be 15. Best 0of wishes for you..