Other presenting signs are related to the specific organ of involvement and the dog may exhibit lameness, seizures, or abnormal heart rhythms. Upon suspicion of hemangiosarcoma, the veterinarian will perform a physical examination of the dog. It is also important to provide the veterinarian with an accurate history of the dog's recent activities and behaviors. Work-up includes a complete blood count, chemistry panel, urinalysis and radiographs of the chest and abdomen. If available, ECG plus cardiac and abdominal ultrasound are very helpful.
Diagnosis is accomplished by biopsy or removal of the tumor.
This can be difficult because there may be multiple tumors present, the primary tumor site may prove challenging to determine, and there is great risk of severe hemorrhage. Treatment includes surgical removal of the primary tumor followed by chemotherapy. Various chemotherapy protocols exist which may include several drugs given in an exact order, including cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin and cytoxan. Long-term prognosis of dogs with hemangiosarcoma is poor. Studies have shown that surgery alone, usually a splenectomy, offers a median survival time of 19-83 days.