Splenectomy is a kind of surgery in which spleen is removed from the abdominal cavity.

Anatomy:

Spleen has been located in the anterior part of the  left side of the abdominal cavity adjacent to the abdominal wall where the last  ribs can be palpated.

Duties:

spleen has different duties including: reservoir for red blood cell to respond to hemorrhagic crisis fast, a cemetery for old blood cells to recycle them to use their iron again, also as a part of immune system it can produce antibodies against antigens.Although its function seems vital but splenectomy- removing spleen – can be done without any major consequence for body but somehow more susceptible to infections.

Diseases of spleen:

It can be congenital like nonfunctional spleen. In this situation there is no respond to vaccination and susceptibility to infections from puppy  or kitten era.

It can be acquired like splenomegaly- enlarged spleen- due to cancers such as hemangiosarcoma or parasitic infection or abscess.Cancers of spleen can be primary which means the source of the cancer is itself or can be secondary which means it has metastatic cancer that its source is another organ.

Hanna, female 13 years old dog, had spleen tumor which was suspected in radiography.Spleen sonography confirmed it.Therefore splenectomy was done and spleen was removed from the abdominal cavity.