A canine case of splenic hemangiosarcoma complicated with infectious splenic abscess

A 12-year-old spayed female Yorkshire terrier presented with anorexia, and an intra-abdominal mass was examined at the Animal Medical Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed that the mass originated from the spleen. Total splenectomy was performed the following day, where evidence of past rupture of the splenic mass and a small amount of purulent ascites were found. No gastrointestinal perforation or abscess formation in other tissues was noted during the surgery. Intra-operative cytological examination of the ascites revealed a large number of degenerated neutrophils and macrophages phagocytosing cocci. The splenic mass was histopathologically diagnosed as a splenic abscess, concurrent with a splenic hemangiosarcoma. Bacterial culture examination of the ascites identified Staphylococcus schleiferi. Although surgical management had been successful, the dog eventually developed clinical signs suggestive of intra-abdominal hemorrhage attributable to hemangiosarcoma approximately five months after surgery. This clinical report describes that splenic hemangiosarcoma might have created a milieu favorable for the development of splenic abscess.