Please Support Leonard's Splenectomy!
I adopted Leonard in 2020 from Live Love Animal Rescue
I adopted Leonard in August 2020 after fostering him in July of that year at the request of Live Love Animal Rescue based in Long Beach, CA. I have owned and fostered several other dogs through different rescue organizations. Leonard has been my Emotional Support Animal since his adoption and he is a well-behaved and affectionate dog who has made tremendous progress with his training since being found abandoned in a public park.
Leonard's Spleen Has a 10cm Mass
We cannot know if the tumor is benign until it is removed for further testing. The good news is that preliminary imaging shows the mass has not spread and Leonard is in good health overall. I was devastated at this news when it was discovered during a routine examination on 07/15/2026 before Leonard was scheduled to have his teeth cleaned.
Leonard's Vet, Dr. Wagner of VegasPet, recommended bloodwork and imaging the same day. After that testing responded with the following update:
"I wanted to follow up with a summary of Leonard's recent examination, labwork, and x-rays.
The good news is that his bloodwork was very reassuring overall. His kidney values, liver values, blood sugar, electrolytes, proteins, and the remainder of his chemistry panel were all within normal limits, indicating that he appears to be a good candidate for anesthesia and surgery from a laboratory standpoint.
The most significant finding came from his abdominal x-rays. A large soft tissue mass, approximately 10 cm in size, was identified in the right mid abdomen. Based on its location, it appears to be arising from or closely associated with the spleen. There was also evidence of mild inflammation or a small amount of fluid around the mass. Fortunately, there was no evidence of spread to the lungs on his chest x-rays, which is reassuring.
While x-rays strongly suggest this mass is splenic in origin, they cannot definitively determine exactly where it is arising from or whether it is benign or malignant. For that reason, I recommend an abdominal ultrasound as the next step. An ultrasound will allow us to better evaluate the spleen, determine whether the mass is originating from the spleen, assess the remainder of the abdominal organs, and help us plan surgery. We work with a mobile ultrasonagrapher that comes to our clinic for scans. We can coordinate a date and time that works with both your schedule and theirs.
If the ultrasound confirms that this is a splenic mass, I recommend proceeding with a splenectomy (surgical removal of the spleen). Removing the spleen is both the best way to treat the mass and the only way to determine exactly what it is. The spleen will be submitted for histopathology (biopsy), which will tell us whether the mass is benign or malignant and whether any additional treatment would be recommended.
Because splenectomy is a major abdominal surgery, I recommend that Leonard be transferred to a local emergency hospital after surgery for overnight monitoring and pain management, then return to VegasPet the following morning for continued care and discharge planning. The hospitalization fee included on the attached splenectomy estimate is a generic placeholder; the actual overnight hospitalization charges would be determined by the emergency hospital.
If everything comes together as planned, we could potentially schedule the abdominal ultrasound next week and perform the splenectomy on Monday, August 3rd.
I've attached copies of both the abdominal ultrasound estimate and the splenectomy estimate for you to review. Please remember that the overnight hospitalization fee shown on the splenectomy estimate represents an estimate only, as those charges would come directly from the emergency hospital.
Please let us know if Leonard develops weakness, collapse, pale gums, abdominal distension, difficulty breathing, or any sudden changes before his scheduled procedures, as these could indicate bleeding from the mass and would require immediate emergency evaluation."
Leonard Has An Excellent Prognosis
Although I am still very concerned, I believe Leonard has an excellent chance to recover and continue to have a normal, happy, and productive life for years after the Splenectomy recommended by Dr. Wagner. A paid invoice from the first round of tests is posted now, I will post additional invoices for estimates of recommended care. I'm unable to fund the recommended treatment without significant hardship and I am very grateful for anything you contribute to Leonard's care. Leonard is my Emotional Support Animal and I would be devastated to lose him too soon.
About Me - David Anderson, Animal Rescue Volunteer
I have been the Cloud Architect for the Animal Welfare Defense Center (formerly Animal Welfare Data Center) since 2024 and have helped to build a database with more than 350,000 records of animals from municipal shelters in California (A-numbers records). The AWDC database was created through FOIA requests made to various municipal agencies and our goal is to improve outcomes for shelter animals through data-driven action. Dogs like Leonard are often discarded and also used for breeding when they are allowed to leave the shelter system without being spayed or neutered.
Leonard was discovered in a Long Beach park in 2019 and was placed by multiple rescues before I was asked to help with his training. Leonard made tremendous progress quickly and is one of the smartest dogs I have ever owned. He is playful, intuitive, well-behaved in the house and a general pleasure to have as a companion at all times. He sometimes looks like a baby seal and enjoys road trips and exploring new urban landscapes. Leonard has been my constant companion for the last 6 years and I cannot imagine being without him.
Rewards for Supporting Leonard!
Rewards will be announced soon, with plans to offer choices of handmade textile products, artwork, and digital services. I cannot afford Leonard's lifesaving treatment without support from the community, thank you for any donation you are able to make!
