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MedicalDictionary.comThe Free Veterinary Medical Dictionary
Surgical Procedure🐕 Dogs🐈 Catshematologic immunecardiovascular

Splenectomy

🗣️ Pronounced:spleh-NEK-tuh-mee
In One Sentence (Plain English)

The surgical removal of the entire spleen, most commonly performed for bleeding splenic masses, trauma, or splenic torsion.

Editorial Status: Verified from peer-reviewed veterinary sources (v1.0)
Updated: 2026-01-15

💬 In Plain English

A splenectomy is a major surgery where a surgeon completely removes the spleen. In dogs, the spleen frequently develops large blood-filled tumors (splenic masses) that can rupture and bleed into the abdomen without warning. During the surgery, the dog is placed under general anesthesia, an incision is made down the belly midline, and the surgeon carefully ties off and seals the numerous blood vessels feeding the spleen using surgical clips, sutures, or advanced bipolar vessel sealers (like a LigaSure). Animals can live completely normal, full lives without a spleen.

🔬 Clinical & Technical Depth

For Vets & Technicians

Formal Clinical Definition

Total surgical excision of the spleen through ligation or electrosurgical sealing of the splenic artery, vein, and short gastric vessels. Indications include bleeding hemoperitoneum, splenic neoplasia (hemangiosarcoma, hematoma), splenic torsion, or refractory immune-mediated hemolytic anemia.

Why Veterinarians Use It

Veterinarians perform splenectomies as emergency life-saving procedures to halt acute internal hemorrhage from ruptured splenic masses or electively for non-ruptured nodules.

Clinical Context Encountered

Very frequently performed in emergency triage when older large-breed dogs collapse from hemangiosarcoma or benign splenic hematomas.

Clinical Reference Guide (Surgical Procedure)

Anesthesia Required?No (Awake or Sedation)
Typical Duration
🚨 Red Flag Warnings (When to Contact an Emergency Vet)
  • •Cardiac arrhythmias (ventricular premature contractions [VPCs] and ventricular tachycardia) develop in up to 25–40% of dogs in the first 24 to 48 hours post-splenectomy, requiring continuous in-hospital ECG monitoring.

❓ Questions to Ask Your Veterinarian

Take these actionable questions with you to your next clinic visit or appointment:

  • 1Was my dog stabilized with IV fluids or blood transfusions prior to entering surgery?
  • 2Did the entire spleen get submitted to a veterinary reference laboratory for formal histopathology?
  • 3Are there any ventricular arrhythmias (VPCs) visible on the continuous post-operative ECG monitor?
  • 4What are the chances that this mass is a benign hematoma rather than malignant hemangiosarcoma (the 2/3 rule)?

Academic & Clinical References