Diego was the picture of health—a playful, energetic dog who greeted every day with endless joy. When his owner brought him to us at Mannsdale Animal Clinic in Madison, Mississippi, for a routine dental cleaning and neuter, there was no reason to suspect anything was wrong. Diego had been eating, drinking, and playing just as he always had.

As part of our commitment to every pet’s safety, we ran pre-anesthetic blood work, which came back normal. But during Diego's physical exam, I noticed something concerning—his abdomen was swollen and firm to the touch.

Trusting my instincts, I opted for further testing. X-rays revealed a large mass in Diego’s abdomen, and an ultrasound pointed to his spleen.

Pets like Diego can’t tell us when something is wrong, which is why we do what we do.

With the help of Dr. Laura Leigh Winford, I performed an exploratory laparotomy and successfully removed a 5.07-pound mass. Luckily, the tumor was benign, but it could have been fatal if left undetected.

Following the surgery, Diego spent the night at our clinic for monitoring and was soon back home, playing and enjoying life.

"Diego loves everyone at Mannsdale!" says his owner Mila. “I’ve never had a pet who actually enjoys going to the vet until we found Mannsdale.”

Diego’s case serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventive care and routine visits.

To be able to look at them and do a great nose-to-tail exam to sometimes find things that owners may not have been aware of can make all the difference in their medical care. Being able to help them live the healthiest and longest life possible - not only for their sake but their owners makes it all worth it!