Mass on spleen and hemorrhagic diarrhea

[AnastasiaS]

Hi @Dr. Christina and @Dr. Jeff,
I took my Yorkie to emergency clinic today as he has been having hemorrhagic diarrhea for 2 days now and it was worse this morning. During an ultrasound at the emergency vet, they found a mass on his spleen that is rather large (almost 5 cm). Attaching pictures and report.
1. Given the large size of this tumor, there is a higher chance of it rupturing?
2. If so, perhaps surgery is the safest option here?
3. Anything I can do to shrink the mass naturally? I know you have an older post with another dog who had a small mass and I read the recommendations there. But this tumor is quite large.
4. Coming back to the acute symptom of hemorrhagic diarrhea, nobody in the clinic can explain to me why he has it. What could be the reasons and what can I do to help him heal naturally? Should I add slippery elm bark to his food or something else that can heal the colon?
5. Holistic vet recommendations in my area would be appreciated, so I can see somebody in person (Northwest Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma). Phone consult with somebody who specializes in digestive issues / spleen masses would be super helpful as well.
Emergency vet docs: Ultrasound_spleen_oct2025

1. Percy, 15, male.
2. Neutered
3. Yorkie
4. Approximate weight - 12 lb
5. BEAM - normal. He didn't eat this morning since I had to take him to the clinic at 5:30 am but he did eat normal yesterday.
6. Diet - Viva Raw, boiled turkey, sweet potatoes, Honest Kitchen kibble, Verde organic ground beef from Fresh Market; raw meal options from the local holistic pet store. Occasional Blue Buffalo canned food or sometimes we get organic canned chicken / sardines / salmon.
7. Vaccination history / exposure to toxins, other medication - hasn't been vaccinated in years. No medication. Unaware of any toxin exposure, he lives a pretty protected life and doesn't interact with other dogs much except for his sister shih-tzu in the house.
8. Yesterday he had blood in his stood and a bit of bleeding from his rectum. This morning he had bloddy diarrhea all over the house and that's when I decided to take him to emergency clinic.
9. Is the condition better or worse from exercise, heat, cold, time of day, certain foods, emotional upset, being touched, excitement, etc? None of that, he woke up and started going all over the house.
10. Has any diagnostic work been done? Attaching notes from emergency clinic. They did blood work (normal), fecal exam (normal), ultrasound (found mass on his spleen)
11. Current and previous treatment - the clinic gave me Pro-Pectalin, Ursodial (there is sludge in his gallbladder) and they did subcutaneous liquids and anti-neausea meds (even though he didn't vomit).
12. Sludge in gallbladder.

 

[Dr. Christina]

Take a breath. He is active and eating in spite of the diarrhea and mass on the spleen. that is good, so focus on that as you make your next decisions.

How close is Van Buren, Arkansas? Broadfoot Veterinary Clinic has many different modalities available in her clinic. She has spoken for us at HA!.

More later,
Dr. Christina

 

[AnastasiaS]

Take a breath. He is active and eating in spite of the diarrhea and mass on the spleen. that is good, so focus on that as you make your next decisions.

How close is Van Buren, Arkansas? Broadfoot Veterinary Clinic has many different modalities available in her clinic. She has spoken for us at HA!.

More later,
Dr. Christina

Hi @Dr. Christina, I do see her occasionally, she is only an hour from me. She is very compassionate, however, Dr. Jeff didn't agree with the homeopathic medicine she gave me before for my other dog, so I am not sure now. I am also not sure homeopathy is going to be the only answer here considering the size of the mass. Also, I would like some thoughts on what to do to treat the acute symptoms and to heal the colon.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hey Anastasia!

I'm sorry to hear about Percy's diagnosis.

Did a vet radiologist read the ultrasound report? I ask because some really big splemic tumorsturn out to be benign hematomas and sometimes a radiology specialist can tell the difference.

Dr. PJ is great however she is not a pure homeopath. However, she is wonderful and has lots of other great tools in her toolkit. Maybe go back to her and see what she says and see if her approach resonates with you.

 

[Dr. Christina]

Good that you know PJ. I agree with Jeff (as would PJ) - she is not a homeopath. However, with all that is going on, her eclectic approach may be the best.

Remember that there are no right answers and no right experts. You will need to decide, then never feel guilty. Maybe an appointment with her to formulate a plan, then see how you intuitively feel about that. Maybe a conversation with Dr. Jeff about working with him as the homeopath. Maybe it could be a combination.

In the article in the resource library is also :

Flower essences
○ Spirit Essences - Intensive care, Happy Tummy
○ Bach - Rescue remedy, crab apple, gorse, hornbeam, olive
○ Green Hope Essences - Animal emergency care, Digestive woes
○ Perelandra - Viral (1 & 2), Bacterial (1&2)
2. Reiki, Healing Touch For Animals (HTA) by you or others
3. Marshmallow root (or slippery elm which is a bit harsher and less sustainable) or
Aloe vera to soothe the inflamed mucous membranes.

You said you had given remedies in the past - has Percy been a patient of Dr. Jeff? Or another homeopath? Did any remedy seem to make Percy feel lots better? Has he had digestive issues before?

Keep laughing and having fun with Percy.

Dr. Christina

 

[AnastasiaS]

Hi @Dr. Jeff and @Dr. Christina, thank you for the follow-up.
Percy had blood in his stool again today, so it continues.

To answer your questions:
1. We'll be doing ultrasound next Monday.
2. Yes, Percy has been a patient of Dr. Jeff before
3. Prevoius consultations were not about this issue and, yes, homeopathy helped before
4. No digestive issues before except an episode with gallbladder a while back when we first got him. He does have substantial sludge in his gallbaldder as the ultrasound yesterday showed and as you can see on the attachment.

My questions:
1. Do benign hematomas have the same risk of rupturing as malignant tumors on the spleen?
2. Is aloe safe for dogs as it's one of the recommendations I see above? If so, i always have aloe on hand - should I blend it with water and have him drink it and how much?
3. They have him on Pro-Pectalin right now for diarrhea and supposedly it helps with some of the colon healing. However, the main ingredient in it is Kaolin (clay!), which can coat the intestines and lead to mal-absorption. I know for sure that's what happens in humans but is it different for dogs and safe to give?
4. Is Ursodiol beneficial at all for gallbladder sludge? If not, perhaps there are natural and homeopathic alternatives to help the gallbladder?
5. What food is safe right now while he still has bleeding?

Thank you.

 

[Dr. Christina]

Have you made an appointment with Dr. Jeff or PJ yet?

1. Is aloe safe for dogs as it's one of the recommendations I see above? If so, i always have aloe on hand - should I blend it with water and have him drink it and how much?
A. Safe, though can rarely cause vomiting. 1/4 teaspoon per day. Straight gel (drinkable or from inside plant leaf) can be bitter, so may need to dilute just till tastes ok to you. However - see #2
2. They have him on Pro-Pectalin right now for diarrhea and supposedly it helps with some of the colon healing. However, the main ingredient in it is Kaolin (clay!), which can coat the intestines and lead to mal-absorption. I know for sure that's what happens in humans but is it different for dogs and safe to give?
A: Since giving this, you may want to hold off on the aloe. Yes, it is safe for dogs.
Better along with the Pro-Pectalin would be some of the suggestions I made above - vibrational essences would be totally fine.
3. Is Ursodiol beneficial at all for gallbladder sludge?
A: I do not know
A: If not, perhaps there are natural and homeopathic alternatives to help the gallbladder?
A. There are definitely ways to balance the vital force with homeopathy or other deep energy healing that would allow the body to naturally heal this.
4. What food is safe right now while he still has bleeding?
A: A bland diet of boiled chicken, low-fat hamburger, soggy white rice (double the water, so super cooked), oatmeal. Possibly fast 24 hours but not if it stresses him.

Dr. Jeff will have some more feedback on these questions. And keep focusing, as Dr. Jeff said, on happiness, love, everything to make each day fun for both of you.

Dr. Christina

 

[Dr. Jeff]

1. Do benign hematomas have the same risk of rupturing as malignant tumors on the spleen?

Good question! The answer depend on the nature and size of the tumor. In general hematomas are more robust and less likely to rupture than Hemangiosarcomas.

2. Is aloe safe for dogs as it's one of the recommendations I see above? If so, i always have aloe on hand - should I blend it with water and have him drink it and how much?

Safe, yes. If he likes it use it. If not, don't.

3. They have him on Pro-Pectalin right now for diarrhea and supposedly it helps with some of the colon healing. However, the main ingredient in it is Kaolin (clay!), which can coat the intestines and lead to mal-absorption. I know for sure that's what happens in humans but is it different for dogs and safe to give?

Short term it is safe.

4. Is Ursodiol beneficial at all for gallbladder sludge? If not, perhaps there are natural and homeopathic alternatives to help the gallbladder?

Potentially, yes. Right now however you may want to focus on natural healing and using a few artificial drugs as possible. Dr. PJ has some amazing alternatives that you may want to try.

5. What food is safe right now while he still has bleeding?

The best food is the ones he loves the most. Try to minimize carbs and sugars. You also may want to have him on Yunnan Baiyo to reduce bleeding. And a ketogenic type diet.

Yunnan Baiyao, to use or not to use?

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