Hi,
I have a small breed (sounds like Bestie!), he's 13 years old.  Today, even before his breakfast, as he was standing I was cuddling him and gave his tummy a little squeeze.  He yelped.  When I felt it again it was very tight, like a drum.  He wolfed his breakfast down and has been doing everything he usually does when I'm at home. 
When he's laying down, sunbathing, I can feel that it's not as tight and he's fine with me stroking his tummy then.  But, when he stands, it's tight and obviously uncomfortable for him.
He's not been sick or lethargic, all is otherwise normal.
Is this just wind, or something more sinister?  he hates the vet so I'm holding off taking him for now.
Any info/advice gratefully appreciated. Thanks.

You can mention his breed here, it is only in breeding posts the breed is not to be mentioned as it could be construed as advertising.

> He wolfed his breakfast down

This would worry me regarding 'bloat', has he been walked, been running about within an hour of eating.

Again it could be wind, but bloat is an emergency as if the gut twists it dies very quickly.

Mint helps ease wind, will he eat an extra strong mint for example?

Hi
When I said "wolfed" I really just meant that he ate his dinner as he usually would, not that he ate it quickly or gulped it down.  Sorry for any confusion.
He doesn't walk very quickly these days but he had his breakfast about 10 mins after we got in, which is usual.
He had prostatitis several years back, which involved him being castrated.  I'm wondering if he has another prostate infection starting?  But would that cause a tender, bloated tummy?

Having a breed prone to this, my first thought with a tight hard stomach and it being uncomfortable, would be Bloat, with or without a torsion (GDV).    I had a panic recently with my Basset who, after his supper, looked quite blown to me and he was uncomfortable.  Typical with TDV is an inability to settle, standing hunched over, vomiting but bringing up white froth.

I let mine go until around 8 pm when I decided enough was enough - typically this was a Sunday.   I called my vet emergency number and thankfully, the vet we usually see was on duty and said bring him in.   He did all the necessary including x-ray and confirmed there was no torsion, and further that instead of gas in there, it was food which wasn't going through for some reason.   He was admitted for 2 nights (kept pulling his I/V drip out in any case) and discharged him the following Tuesday am.  With a sig.bill.

A simple bloat can be walked off if you are lucky, which I've done in the past, but if there is torsion, that means an emergency surgery.

If he's able to lie down sunbathing, I'd rule out Bloat.   But if there's a hard mass there, you really must see your vet and sooner rather than later really.

Thanks.  It doesn't feel hard when he's laying in the sun though, only when he's standing.
He's not frothing, drooling or vomiting, and is walking normally.  Everything about him is normal, and I wonder if it has been like that for a while but i've only just noticed today?
I'm keeping an eye on him, I want to make sure he is urinating ok, so will watch carefully on his walk later, as he doesn't usually pee in the garden.  If I can, I'll try and get a sample, just in case we go to the vet.

Just a quick update - I did take him to the vet last night and they wanted him back in this morning for scans & x-rays, so I will find out more later.
He was still the same this morning though, all normal, you wouldn't know there was anything wrong.

Thanks for the update. Hope he is ok.

Its'a spleenic tunmour.  Any advice info????  I;m in bits.

I am so pleased you took him to the vets, what have they said to you?  I have no experience of this but believe the spleen can successfully be removed obviously depends on age and whether he has any other health issues. 

Sorry you have such sad news, but I'm sure you'll do what you can for him to give him a good quality of life xxx

I am sorry it is  a terrible shock
Are they able to remove the tumour?
Sadly I have lost two dogs to a ruptured spleenic tumour which is usualLy when its found and far harder to treat if at all possible.ours couldn't  be treated
U have in your favour that if its  intact and hasn't spread freatmenti is possible.
If your vet doesn't feel able to deal with it a referral may be worth considering  to investigate all options .

Different breeds but a bit of reassurance,
GSD had an enlarged spleen removed aged about 4 ish, daughters Rott had spleen removed due to a tumor aged 10, both made full recovery. lost GSD from CDRM aged nearly 9 and Rott went on to nearly 14 when we lost her through general old age.
They have got it in time to operate so all should be fine.

Unfortunately due to the size of the tumour, the vet says it would probably have spread.  Coupled with his age, we said goodbye to him this afternoon.

So sorty! Thinking of you.

So sorry  thinking of u xx

So very sad, my thoughts are with you xxx

Due to his age, I believe your vet advised you correctly, fwiw.  So sorry this had to happen.

Thank you MamaBas.  I was upset by some of the replies saying that he could have lived without his spleen as I read all of those when we had returned from letting him go.  Although, from what I've read, it would only have extended his life by a few months and we would have to go through all the emotions again.
I was with him at the end and his last words he heard were I love you.

The likelyhood of the tumour having spread could be quite high and given his age and think your decision was wise.
I had an Irish Setter who was off colour when he was about 7 years old, vet said he could feel a mass and decided to operate to see what was going on. Phoned me later to say that there was a tumour on the spleen which if it was just there he could have survived, but it had spread to the liver and there was nothing he could do, so we let him go at that point.
It’s heartbreaking when it happens to you, but I think you were right. So very sorry

Very sorry if my reply upset you in any way, every case is different and your vet advised you on what he found when he examined your boy. My sympathy to you.

> I was upset by some of the replies saying that he could have lived without his spleen

On the other side A friend had her dogs spleen removed but it had metasisized and he only went on for a very short time after the op.

Another friends bitch was found to have a tumour too, and had a few more days before it was obvious it was time to say goodbye, both were around 12

Thanks Tatty-ead.

Very sorry to hear this Whatdog.

So very sorry for you. And well done to you for making the right decision and not waiting for him to become ill. Such a difficult choice to make, but you know it was the right one. Thinking of you at the horrid time x

I've had a few friends who have lost dogs with spleenic tumours and it seems that there is generally nothing realistic that they can do. So sorry to hear you had to say goodbye :-(

it does seem that symptoms only show once tumours are well advance and usually have spread to the liver.

I'm so sorry.  I know it is such a shock when this happens, we think they will live forever.