Enlarged spleen in cats – here’s everything you need to know!
This is a medical condition that can occur in all cat breeds and at any age. If you suspect your cat may be suffering from this issue, it’s best to take it to the vet asap. A cat’s spleen being enlarged is more often the result of bigger issues.
Cat Spleen Guide
The spleen is a long organ that is situated on the left-most side of the cat’s stomach.
Even though the organ is not vital for life, a spleen that’s enlarged can be an indication of more chronic or serious diseases.
An enlarged spleen will occur due to inflammation. This happens when abnormal cells enter the system through whatever the underlying condition may be.
Causes of Enlarged Cat Spleen
There is a range of causes of an enlarged cat spleen:
- Fungal infections like histoplasmosis
- Splenic torsion
- Autoimmune disorders like systemic lupus
- Bacterial infection
- Cancer like feline leukemia virus and multiple myeloma
- Infectious disorders like feline infectious peritonitis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Heartworms
- Heart failure
- Abdominal injury because of trauma
Symptoms of Splenomegaly in Cats
Because the spleen is responsible for filtering and storing blood, removing foreign bodies and old cells from the bloodstream, and helping with immunity, the cat might experience a range of symptoms.
Here are some of the more common symptoms of splenomegaly in cats:
- Fainting
- Weakness
- Lethargy
- Abdominal sensitivity or pain
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Swollen abdomen
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Weight loss
- Lack of appetite
Prognosis of Splenomegaly in Cats
Your vet will want to examine your cat and may do some or all of the following:
- feel for any enlarged lymph nodes
- check for an enlarged abdomen
- ask about medical history of the cat
- query other symptoms (eating habits, etc)
- take some blood for tests
- urinalysis may be taken by the vet
This will help the vet determine the problem, and show how other organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are affected by the primary condition.
Diagnostic exams like an ultrasound and an x-ray may also be done. All of these examinations may allow the vet to see the spleen and adjacent organs for abnormalities.
Treatments for Enlarged Cat Spleen
The treatment for enlarged spleen in cats will depend on curing the main condition, which is causing the causal inflammation.
Cat Spleen Removal
In instances of splenic trauma or torsion, the vet might need to get rid of all or part of the spleen of the cat.
This would be performed in the vet hospital under anesthesia. The vet makes a small incision in the abdomen of the cat. The entire spleen (or the affected portion) might be removed.
Medication
Corticosteroids may be prescribed by your veterinarian to reduce any inflammation on the spleen, as well as the other organs.
If the enlargement is due to a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be prescribed. Additionally, autoimmune main causes may be cured with immunosuppressants that work by suppressing the immune system’s reaction.
Cat spleen cancer will have other treatments, depending upon the stage, severity, and your budget for treatment.
Spleen Cat
For more information on cat spleen health and disease, see these resources:
