# Lost my 6 year old baby to hemangiosarcoma



## gold4me

My heart is breaking for you as I read your post. I hear the love you have for your boy. I understand the sadness, the hurt and the shock of what you have been through as we went down this very same road. Our Pete's story could be your Duggie's story. I am so very sorry but do want you to know that here you will find people that understand all of the emotions your experiencing and here you will find support and comfort! My thoughts are with you.


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## nolefan

I'm so sorry for your loss, I'm afraid your story, with mild variations, is all too common here. The reason I found this forum was the story of my first Golden, Baxter (my avatar photo), just like yours, at age 10. I am sorry that your boy was so young, the loss is horrible no matter what the age, but there is just something so very unfair about losing them long before they are old. 

I'm glad you shared photos of Duggie with us. Maybe when you are able you'd like to start a different thread or share some of his stories, how you brought him home, some of his quirks etc. Sometimes it helps to share with others who understand. My heart goes out to you, it's very, very tough.


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## B and G Mom

I am so sorry for your loss. I've lost three goldens (plus one I babysat for) to this horrible cancer. I can feel how loved he was in your posts and clearly you did everything you could for him. It's a silent killer - only the dog I babysat for had any indications he was sick. I know what you mean about the food dish, Belle's sat in the same spot for months. I couldn't put it away. Hopefully the good times will bring you some comfort, but so many of us here know your pain. 

Godspeed Duggie!


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## CashStringer

My heart breaks for you ... I'm so sorry for your loss! What a beautiful boy!


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## rabernet

I am so very sorry for your loss, he was a beautiful boy.


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## Altairss

So sorry for your loss its so hard isn't it. it sounds like what we went thru with Sparkles with her ruptured spleen. She went from just a little fluid feeling in her belly to bloated in just a couple of hours and then was gone


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## AmberSunrise

I am so very sorry for your loss - he was beautiful & much too young.

Fly free Duggie.


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## tikiandme

I'm so sorry you lost your sweet boy.....


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## solinvictus

I am so sorry for your loss of your sweet Duggie. So many of our beautiful dogs are taken by this horrible disease. It is a silent killer and please understand that in so many cases even if you would have discovered what Duggie had sooner, it most likely wouldn't have made a difference in the outcome. Thank you for sharing the pictures of your handsome boy. We would love to read some of the wonderful stories about Duggie's life when you feel you can share them. So many of us have lost one of our beloved goldens to hemangio or another cancer, understand your grief, pain and share your sorrow.


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## jennretz

I am so sorry for your loss. He was so beautiful.


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## potteryman

that is awful sickening and sad, i feel for you


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## Duggie's Mom

gold4me said:


> My heart is breaking for you as I read your post. I hear the love you have for your boy. I understand the sadness, the hurt and the shock of what you have been through as we went down this very same road. Our Pete's story could be your Duggie's story. I am so very sorry but do want you to know that here you will find people that understand all of the emotions your experiencing and here you will find support and comfort! My thoughts are with you.


Thank you so much. I loved Duggie dearly. My husband used to joke around and say that if he and Duggie were in trouble I'd probably save Duggie. He and I just shared a very special bond. I'm so sorry to hear about Pete - it is such an awful cancer and not the way that you want to see your boys go. I really appreciate your kind words...it is comforting to know I'm not alone.


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## Duggie's Mom

nolefan said:


> I'm so sorry for your loss, I'm afraid your story, with mild variations, is all too common here. The reason I found this forum was the story of my first Golden, Baxter (my avatar photo), just like yours, at age 10. I am sorry that your boy was so young, the loss is horrible no matter what the age, but there is just something so very unfair about losing them long before they are old.
> 
> I'm glad you shared photos of Duggie with us. Maybe when you are able you'd like to start a different thread or share some of his stories, how you brought him home, some of his quirks etc. Sometimes it helps to share with others who understand. My heart goes out to you, it's very, very tough.


I'm so sorry to hear about Baxter. He was a beautiful boy. You're right it is a very tough pill to swallow when they are young...its never easy losing your baby at any age but I think (in my experience growing up with goldens) I was able to step back and say they lived a fairly full life and it made me feel a little better. I think too as they get older you know its inevitable...at 6 you think they just have so much more time. It is just unexpected. I would love to share some of his stories soon when I feel like I may not cry all over my keyboard. Thank you for suggesting that and for your kind words.


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## Duggie's Mom

B and G Mom said:


> I am so sorry for your loss. I've lost three goldens (plus one I babysat for) to this horrible cancer. I can feel how loved he was in your posts and clearly you did everything you could for him. It's a silent killer - only the dog I babysat for had any indications he was sick. I know what you mean about the food dish, Belle's sat in the same spot for months. I couldn't put it away. Hopefully the good times will bring you some comfort, but so many of us here know your pain.
> 
> Godspeed Duggie!


I'm so sorry to hear about your losses  
It kills me to know that he was so sick and I had no idea. It's difficult not to reflect and pick apart every potential scenario where I may have missed a sign...and it hurts so much to know that the only way to help him was to let him go. 

We drop 2.5 hours to pick up Duggie and bring him home in 2010. He slept in my arms the entire way home. On Saturday I lay with him with my arms wrapped around him and didn't let go even when I knew he was gone. 

Thank you so much for your support.


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## Duggie's Mom

Thank you all for your replies and kind words about my lovely boy. I started to respond to each reply individually and there are probably much easier ways to respond to multiple messages. 

I am so sad to hear that of everyone that has gone through a similar situation. In some ways it comforts me knowing that I didn't just ignore the signs and that there just may not have been any. It is so hard to accept that there is so little that could be done. 

Right now it just feels so empty in the home - even with a newborn. I was so looking forward to several more years with Duggie. Feels like a bad dream I can't wake up from


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## Pilgrim123

What a tragic loss of a special boy with the kindest eyes. I'm so sorry.


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## 4goldengirls

So very sorry for your loss. Cherish your happy memories and may those memories get you thru this difficult time.


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## 3 goldens

I am so sorry for the loss of your beautiful boy. As has been said here several times, many of us have gone through this. We lost our Great Pyrenees, Shaggy to hemangiosarcoma Sept. 23, 2014. He was fine one day, being a normal Pyr with patrolling the yard (despite having been blind his entire life), eating his 3 meals, wanting ear rubs, etc. The next morning he couldn't get up, wouldn't eat. Got him to the vet and it was to late, nothing could be done. There had been a tumor on his spleen that ruptured. We would not let him suffer one minute more and we held him as our vet sent him to the Rainbow Bridge at age 7. And then it struck us again last year, Our golden girl, Sophie had been on Adequan for a month and so much improvement in her joints. And as with Shaggy, fine one day, collapsed the next morning and our vet sent out a teck with stretcher tohelp us get her to the hospital. She had a tumor on her liver that had ruptured. Again, we would nto let her suffere for the few hours she had left and we held her as he released her. she would have been 13 on Jan. 89. 

You are right, this is a horrible cancer andit take far to many dogs. Bless you sweet boy and again, I am so sorry.


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## Karen519

*Duggie*



Duggie's Mom said:


> Thank you all for your replies and kind words about my lovely boy. I started to respond to each reply individually and there are probably much easier ways to respond to multiple messages.
> 
> I am so sad to hear that of everyone that has gone through a similar situation. In some ways it comforts me knowing that I didn't just ignore the signs and that there just may not have been any. It is so hard to accept that there is so little that could be done.
> 
> Right now it just feels so empty in the home - even with a newborn. I was so looking forward to several more years with Duggie. Feels like a bad dream I can't wake up from


I am so very sorry to read about Duggie, just love his name. I will add him to the Rainbow Bridge List and I'm sure my Smooch and Snobear will watch over him. There is NOTHING you could have done, it comes on so fast.
My husband and I have also lost 2 or 3 dogs to hemangiosarcoma!


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## nolefan

Duggie's Mom said:


> I'm so sorry to hear about Baxter. He was a beautiful boy. You're right it is a very tough pill to swallow when they are young...its never easy losing your baby at any age but I think (in my experience growing up with goldens) I was able to step back and say they lived a fairly full life and it made me feel a little better. I think too as they get older you know its inevitable...at 6 you think they just have so much more time. It is just unexpected. I would love to share some of his stories soon when I feel like I may not cry all over my keyboard. Thank you for suggesting that and for your kind words.


I know we all grieve differently, but this board was a gift to me after Baxter died. I needed a Golden fix on many days and it helped to see photos of Goldens and feel connected to other dog people. Eventually I needed a project (even though I was busy with small children) and spent a lot of time researching and learning about reputable breeders and health clearances and a host of other things on this board. Now some of the members here are my friends in real life and have opened up a whole new world to me. It helped me survive a hard part of my life. I hope this forum will help you too. Keep coming back.


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## Sweet Girl

I'm so sorry for your loss. I didn't lose my girl at a young age, but I also lost her to cancer and this forum helped me so much, too. It also helped me in the first week after she died to have a project - for me, it was going through all my photos of her, and making a book of her life. Putting them all in the right order, choosing the ones that really represented her life. It was therapeutic in that first few days when I could barely stop crying. And now, I have it to look through it every year on her birthday.


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## ceegee

I'm really sorry you lost your lovely dog to this crappy disease. Having gone through the same thing with my "heart" dog (she was 8 when she died), I empathize completely. It's a tough pill to swallow, and I wish you peace and strength.


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## dlmrun2002

From one Dougy to your Duggie. I feel your pain. Godspeed to your awesome dog. They are SO stoic when sick...it's like they don't want you to worry about them. I hope you feel better soon. Patience is a virtue. Have hope and faith for better days.

Doug M ny country

missing my Skye RIP 6_29_2016


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## murphy1

I'm so sorry for the loss of your boy. If you believe as I do, He'll be waiting for you.


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## alphadude

DM, So very to hear about the loss of your handsome Duggie to despicable hemangio. So many of us on this forum have similar heartbreaking stories to tell of losing seemingly healthy, vital goldens *way before their time*. 

I personally lost my best friend, and once in a lifetime dog Axl to this horrible cancer back in September @ 8.5 years old. I know the terrible grief you are now experiencing all too well. I wish there was some wisdom I could share that would make this easier to deal with but there isn't. 

Don't beat yourself up (like I did) because you either didn't notice subtle changes or take action sooner. The result would have been the same. Unfortunately with this vile disease, once they become symptomatic, it is too late. The ONLY good thing about hemangio according to what I was told by multiple vets, is that it is not painful for them.


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## kayohn13

Duggie's Mom said:


> I'm so sorry to hear about Baxter. He was a beautiful boy. You're right it is a very tough pill to swallow when they are young...its never easy losing your baby at any age but I think (in my experience growing up with goldens) I was able to step back and say they lived a fairly full life and it made me feel a little better. I think too as they get older you know its inevitable...at 6 you think they just have so much more time. It is just unexpected. I would love to share some of his stories soon when I feel like I may not cry all over my keyboard. Thank you for suggesting that and for your kind words.


Your boy Duggie sounds like a wonderful dog and I am so sorry to hear of his loss. I just lost my Allie at the end of December, and it still hurts so much. I agree with what you say above, about it being so much harder when our loved one dies at a young age (my Allie was 7). I can't give any advice as I am having such a tough time myself, but know that we are all here with you. Many hugs to you, your husband and baby boy.


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## Duggie's Mom

3 goldens said:


> I am so sorry for the loss of your beautiful boy. As has been said here several times, many of us have gone through this. We lost our Great Pyrenees, Shaggy to hemangiosarcoma Sept. 23, 2014. He was fine one day, being a normal Pyr with patrolling the yard (despite having been blind his entire life), eating his 3 meals, wanting ear rubs, etc. The next morning he couldn't get up, wouldn't eat. Got him to the vet and it was to late, nothing could be done. There had been a tumor on his spleen that ruptured. We would not let him suffer one minute more and we held him as our vet sent him to the Rainbow Bridge at age 7. And then it struck us again last year, Our golden girl, Sophie had been on Adequan for a month and so much improvement in her joints. And as with Shaggy, fine one day, collapsed the next morning and our vet sent out a teck with stretcher tohelp us get her to the hospital. She had a tumor on her liver that had ruptured. Again, we would nto let her suffere for the few hours she had left and we held her as he released her. she would have been 13 on Jan. 89.
> 
> You are right, this is a horrible cancer andit take far to many dogs. Bless you sweet boy and again, I am so sorry.


I'm so sorry you had to go through this you had been through this several times. i can't imagine...I am having a hard enough time with Duggie's loss. I suppose one can equate it to a person having a heart attack despite appearing perfectly healthy. Even so, it's difficult enough to deal with the loss of your babies let alone the shock of it happening so quickly. 

I'm having a difficult time thinking about anything else but Duggie. Our son is 4 weeks old and I am feeling a little guilty now that I'm so consumed by losing Duggie. Trying to get my act together here.


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## Duggie's Mom

kayohn13 said:


> Your boy Duggie sounds like a wonderful dog and I am so sorry to hear of his loss. I just lost my Allie at the end of December, and it still hurts so much. I agree with what you say above, about it being so much harder when our loved one dies at a young age (my Allie was 7). I can't give any advice as I am having such a tough time myself, but know that we are all here with you. Many hugs to you, your husband and baby boy.


I'm so sorry to hear about Allie  I hope things get easier for you...thank you so much for the kind words.


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## Duggie's Mom

alphadude said:


> DM, So very to hear about the loss of your handsome Duggie to despicable hemangio. So many of us on this forum have similar heartbreaking stories to tell of losing seemingly healthy, vital goldens *way before their time*.
> 
> I personally lost my best friend, and once in a lifetime dog Axl to this horrible cancer back in September @ 8.5 years old. I know the terrible grief you are now experiencing all too well. I wish there was some wisdom I could share that would make this easier to deal with but there isn't.
> 
> Don't beat yourself up (like I did) because you either didn't notice subtle changes or take action sooner. The result would have been the same. Unfortunately with this vile disease, once they become symptomatic, it is too late. The ONLY good thing about hemangio according to what I was told by multiple vets, is that it is not painful for them.


I'm so sorry to hear about Axl :frown2: 

Thank you so much for your comments. I have been feeling guilty even though I have been told that there was nothing we could have done even if the cancer was caught sooner. Its hard to accept as I worked from home and spent so much time with Duggie. I felt like I should have noticed any changes even if subtle. I understand that it probably wouldn't have changed the prognosis for Duggie had I noticed a little earlier. I keep replaying the past several months in my head just trying to think of anything that may have seemed odd. One thing that I did notice was that he went white in the face quite early...wonder if that had anything to do with him being ill. My poor little guy :crying:


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## Duggie's Mom

dlmrun2002 said:


> From one Dougy to your Duggie. I feel your pain. Godspeed to your awesome dog. They are SO stoic when sick...it's like they don't want you to worry about them. I hope you feel better soon. Patience is a virtue. Have hope and faith for better days.
> 
> Doug M ny country
> 
> missing my Skye RIP 6_29_2016



Thank you so much...I really appreciate your kind words. Skye was absolutely adorable by the way. What a beautiful retriever.


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## Duggie's Mom

nolefan said:


> I know we all grieve differently, but this board was a gift to me after Baxter died. I needed a Golden fix on many days and it helped to see photos of Goldens and feel connected to other dog people. Eventually I needed a project (even though I was busy with small children) and spent a lot of time researching and learning about reputable breeders and health clearances and a host of other things on this board. Now some of the members here are my friends in real life and have opened up a whole new world to me. It helped me survive a hard part of my life. I hope this forum will help you too. Keep coming back.


Thank you so much. It is therapeutic to talk about Duggie here and the pain that comes with losing him. It's been so nice to hear from others and know that with time it will get easier. I will need my golden fix as well...one day, when we are ready we will probably get another dog. It makes me sad to say that now as I would give anything to have Duggie back but I also can't imagine having a dog in my life. I have grown up with either labs or goldens and they just bring such joy...plus I can't stand the quiet in our home, even with a newborn. Duggie will forever be my baby though. I could never and would never try to replace him


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## Duggie's Mom

Sweet Girl said:


> I'm so sorry for your loss. I didn't lose my girl at a young age, but I also lost her to cancer and this forum helped me so much, too. It also helped me in the first week after she died to have a project - for me, it was going through all my photos of her, and making a book of her life. Putting them all in the right order, choosing the ones that really represented her life. It was therapeutic in that first few days when I could barely stop crying. And now, I have it to look through it every year on her birthday.


Thank you so much, I love that idea. My husband and I have been gathering all of Duggie's photos...1600 and counting :grin2: I think I took the majority of them lol. But they are either on our phones, camera, etc so we have been trying to consolidate them all. I have been watching a lot of video clips of him which I love. This way, I never forget what his bark sounds like or when he smiled or the way he played.


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## Duggie's Mom

ceegee said:


> I'm really sorry you lost your lovely dog to this crappy disease. Having gone through the same thing with my "heart" dog (she was 8 when she died), I empathize completely. It's a tough pill to swallow, and I wish you peace and strength.


Thank you so much for the kind words - I really appreciate it. I'm sorry you lost your girl at a young age as well


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## alphadude

Duggie's Mom said:


> I'm so sorry to hear about Axl :frown2:
> 
> One thing that I did notice was that he went white in the face quite early...wonder if that had anything to do with him being ill. My poor little guy :crying:


Perhaps it is just a coincidence, but Axl started getting a so called "sugarface" between 4 and 5 years old. 

I always found that odd and a bit troubling, especially because he was a phenomenal athlete in the best shape a dog could possibly be in, his entire adult life. Because of his insanely active lifestyle, even right up until his death, I was repeatedly told by vets that worked on him, that he had the physique, heart, legs, hips, eyes, and lungs of a much younger dog.

He also had a "benign pigmented tumor" removed from his nose just past his 6th birthday. 

Perhaps early whitening is a possible genetic marker for a predisposition to hemangio???


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## Betsy

I am so so very sorry. He was so loved...and knew it.?


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## nolefan

Duggie's Mom said:


> ... I have grown up with either labs or goldens and they just bring such joy...plus I can't stand the quiet in our home...


I found that the emptiness in my home without a dog in it depressed me almost as much as the grief over missing the individual dog. I think that is why we are called 'dog people.'  It is a slap in the face to wake up each morning and before you even put your feet on the floor it comes flooding back that he is not there to let out, he won't be begging for breakfast etc. So many things are just 'wrong' without a dog against your ankles when you're relaxing. No dog will ever be Duggie, he filled a special place in your family, he deserves to be mourned. I didn't mean to give the impression that I thought you needed a puppy anytime soon. A puppy is way too much work when you are busy with a baby, but it's nice to have something to look forward to down the road. Sending you hugs, it's a long road, don't forget we are here.


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## Yaichi's Mom

I am beyond sorry to read about the loss of your precious Duggie. I too belong to the club no-one ever wants to belong to....one who has lost a beloved golden to the evil dreaded hemangiosarcoma.

I found this forum in desperation for help when my bridge girl Yaichi suddenly collapsed, with no apparent warning or symptomology to ever make me suspect that there was anything wrong until the collapse. Like many here, I also felt guilty thinking I should have known something was wrong before the whole world changed in a blink of an eye. 

Your precious boy was so young to be felled by this evil disease....I am so, so sorry.


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## Sweet Girl

alphadude said:


> Perhaps it is just a coincidence, but Axl started getting a so called "sugarface" between 4 and 5 years old.
> 
> I always found that odd and a bit troubling, especially because he was a phenomenal athlete in the best shape a dog could possibly be in, his entire adult life. Because of his insanely active lifestyle, even right up until his death, I was repeatedly told by vets that worked on him, that he had the physique, heart, legs, hips, eyes, and lungs of a much younger dog.
> 
> He also had a "benign pigmented tumor" removed from his nose just past his 6th birthday.
> 
> *Perhaps early whitening is a possible genetic marker for a predisposition to hemangio???*


Oh my God. I hope it isn't. My 3.5 year old is already showing a bit of white around her nose and mouth.


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## MyMaggieGirl

I am so sorry you lost your Duggie so young to that horrible disease. He was a beautiful pup.


We lost our Flirty to the dreaded hemangio, age 10 years. It came on so suddenly. 


Be easy on yourself, it's a huge loss in your life and it will take some time to feel better. Soon the tears will become less and less. Cyber hugs to you.


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## Kalhayd

I am so very sorry for your loss. We lost our pup to cancer when she was almost 11-years old. We didn't even know what kind of cancer until 3 months after her death. 


Sending love and prayers


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## whemtp

Sorry for your loss. I lost my dog Shelly who was age 5 in a similar way in 2009. Here is one of her funny pictures.


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## aesthetic

I'm sorry for you loss, that too at such a young age. She was beautiful


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## Cpc1972

So sorry about your loss. We lost Jake to this cancer in Jan 2015. Had him for three weeks after he was diagnosed. There truly are no signs. He was begging for my bananna five minutes before he collapsed. And was just as excited as always when my niece got dropped off that day. Went outside and came back in and just collapsed on the day we had him put to sleep. He had no other symptoms after the first collapse. We drained the fluid and he was a normal dog for three weeks. It was so hard not knowing what day would be his last. Your on pins and needles. He was so good those three weeks we thought the vet might of misdiagnosed him. What we didn't know is our next puppy was born on Christmas Day of 2014. The house was way to empty without a dog. Hopefully one day you will be able to open your heart again.


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## alphadude

Sweet Girl said:


> Oh my God. I hope it isn't. My 3.5 year old is already showing a bit of white around her nose and mouth.


SG, I wouldn't be any more concerned than you'd normally be. It was merely conjecture on my part. I would certainly HOPE that someone would have spotted the pattern by now if it that were indeed true.


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## azzure

Just another note of support. I lost my Gus to hemangio last April at the age of 7 and 1/2. He was absolutely fine until suddenly he wasn't. We were able to bring him back once by draining the sac surrounding his heart and he was fine again for a month. The day he died he had been out playing and having a very fine morning. It's so tragic and I hope that veterinary medicine can get a handle on this awful disease one day.


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## Duggie's Mom

Thank you everyone for your kind replies. I had a few quiet days to myself...well, as quiet as it could be with a newborn in the house. I needed some time to come to terms with what happened to Duggie. 

I replayed the last year in my head thinking of any changes I may or may not have noticed. I know there was nothing I could do any way to prevent what happened but I couldn't help but think about it. Twice this year I noticed he head a 'head bob'...I mentioned it to the vet some time ago and he didn't think much of it. Just said to make a note of it if it happened again and it could be something completely benign or could be seizures. He did a check a basic neurological exam and didn't notice any issues. 
Then, I noticed that Duggie seemed to be scared to go down the stairs and was also scared of thunder and car rides. He wasn't always that way. It seemed to come on rather suddenly so not sure if its related or not...he did have a torn CCL at one point so the car and stairs may have been more related to that. I know the outcome wouldn't have changed anyway even if I noticed the symptoms early on...just couldn't help but think about it. 

I picked up an urn with his ashes and his collar on Friday. It's funny, picking it up from the hospital was tough but comforting once I had him home. I put away his bowls and a couple other things that I haven't touched since he's been gone. I've also been watching a few videos and going through photos. 

I'm sorry to hear about others having to go through similar stories...it really is such an awful disease. Its difficult to not only deal with the fact that you're baby is gone but the shock of it after not expecting it. In some ways I'm comforted that he didn't suffer for very long. I think that would have been all the more heartbreaking. 

To the comment about dogs going white early...that would be interesting to see if there was a correlation. I have heard some dogs go white early if they are anxious dogs. I will say that Duggie started going white around 4 but this past year he looked older than some of our friends dog that were 9 years old. I'm sure in his case his poor body was going through a lot


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## Duggie's Mom

azzure said:


> Just another note of support. I lost my Gus to hemangio last April at the age of 7 and 1/2. He was absolutely fine until suddenly he wasn't. We were able to bring him back once by draining the sac surrounding his heart and he was fine again for a month. The day he died he had been out playing and having a very fine morning. It's so tragic and I hope that veterinary medicine can get a handle on this awful disease one day.


I'm so sorry to hear  
I totally agree, I hope they find a solution sooner rather than later. Goldens are such wonderful dogs, it just isn't the ending they deserve...


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## Dave S

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your Duggie, he was a beautiful dog and died much too young. Like many people here, I lost my Allie to hemangio, 6 months ago today. I still miss her so much. The speed at which they first show any visible signs to leaving us, is what I've had trouble with. It's not easy, but I hope things get a little better for you over time.


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## RileyBird

*Lost My Best Friend*

I just lost my sweet Riley, 12 year old, to the very same thing. She was find just a few days ago. Then the very same symptoms. No interest in any kind of food, even her favorites. She was throwing up and shaking. Ended up taking her in to have her checked out and came home alone. Such a gut wrenching feeling and i don't think i'll every be able to get over losing her.


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## alphadude

RileyBird said:


> I just lost my sweet Riley, 12 year old, to the very same thing. She was find just a few days ago. Then the very same symptoms. No interest in any kind of food, even her favorites. She was throwing up and shaking. Ended up taking her in to have her checked out and came home alone. Such a gut wrenching feeling and i don't think i'll every be able to get over losing her.


So very sorry to hear about Riley. This vile disease sucks and most of us know exactly what you are feeling.


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## mylissyk

Hemangiosarcoma is pure evil that steals our dogs. I'm so sorry for everyone, myself included, who has experienced this....


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## smp

Hugs to everyone affected by this. We lost our Maggie to it as well. It is so unfair.


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## Kayla2727

*I feel your pain.*

I am so incredibly sorry to hear about your sweet Duggie! In so many ways, your story is identical to the relationship I shared with my 7 year old golden Jack and what we went through with him nearly 6 weeks ago. Jack suddenly was lethargic and not wanting to eat, but our first trip to the vet was unable to detect anything besides a low red blood cell count that they tried to treat with prednisone. He bounced back and was completely back to normal for 3 days until we came home one night and he was unable to catch his breath, had cold and white gums, and his heart was racing. We stayed up with him all night until we could get him to the emergency vet the next morning, where they found blood in his abdomen. It took me 3 more vets to accept the diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma because they could never actually see a mass, only the internal bleeding, but it was enough for us to decide against the exploratory surgery as we couldn't stand the idea of losing him on an operating table. We brought him home and gave him the best last day we could, which included visits from his loved ones and cheeseburgers in the park, and then he laid in my lap and looked my partner in the eyes while we told him how much we loved him and said our goodbyes. He was my best friend, my soul mate, and my everything - I feel your pain and my thoughts are with you during this most difficult time.


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## Duggie's Mom

Kayla2727 said:


> I am so incredibly sorry to hear about your sweet Duggie! In so many ways, your story is identical to the relationship I shared with my 7 year old golden Jack and what we went through with him nearly 6 weeks ago. Jack suddenly was lethargic and not wanting to eat, but our first trip to the vet was unable to detect anything besides a low red blood cell count that they tried to treat with prednisone. He bounced back and was completely back to normal for 3 days until we came home one night and he was unable to catch his breath, had cold and white gums, and his heart was racing. We stayed up with him all night until we could get him to the emergency vet the next morning, where they found blood in his abdomen. It took me 3 more vets to accept the diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma because they could never actually see a mass, only the internal bleeding, but it was enough for us to decide against the exploratory surgery as we couldn't stand the idea of losing him on an operating table. We brought him home and gave him the best last day we could, which included visits from his loved ones and cheeseburgers in the park, and then he laid in my lap and looked my partner in the eyes while we told him how much we loved him and said our goodbyes. He was my best friend, my soul mate, and my everything - I feel your pain and my thoughts are with you during this most difficult time.



I am so sorry for the loss of your Jack. I was in tears reading your post...you can tell how much you loved your boy in the way you talk about him. I totally understand why you sought other opinions - it's such a difficult diagnosis to accept. I found it particularly hard because Duggie didn't look or seem sick up other than having an off evening or morning here or there (this seems to be the case for may other dogs who have had this horrible disease). It was strange because I knew in my heart the diagnosis wasn't going to be good but I didn't anticipate that we only had a couple of hours left with him. We never got as far as doing an x-ray, bloodwork or ultrasound. The emergency vet commented on how quickly my little guy declined and wasn't sure Duggie would make it through the night even if they attempted to stabilize him. I just lay on the floor holding him and honestly I couldn't feel his chest moving up and down seconds before the vet put Duggie to rest. It is still incredibly difficult for me to write about him without crying. 

I think it's wonderful that you were able to take Jack home for one more day and spoil him. I can't imagine how hard that was for you but at the same time it's amazing that you were able to do it. You can really tell that Jack was loved and I'm sure he knew it. I know what you mean by Jack being your soul mate...I felt so lost without Duggie. Sometimes I still do. But I have a 3 month old baby at home and have to focus on him. Honestly, I am still angry to have lost my Duggie so early. I still look for him everywhere and watch videos of him all the time. As someone who didn't believe this initially, it gets easier...keeping busy helps. Looking at pictures/videos helps. Talking about him to anyone who will listen helps. 

My husband and I recently decided to get a puppy. I know, it sounds crazy to have a 3 month old and puppy in the house. But I am a golden lover through and through and can't imagine not having one in my life. I could never, ever replace Duggie. He was one of a kind and the dog of a lifetime. 

I am so sorry you have to go through this. I'm sad that our boys passed so young. It makes it sting just a bit more. Thinking of you during this difficult time. :crying:


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## Kayla2727

Duggie's Mom,

When I first lost Jack, I came to this site and your post was one of the first I saw after searching hemangiosarcoma. It brought me to tears knowing that someone else, even if I did not know them, was experiencing the same excruciating pain that I was. It took me 6 weeks to respond, because I could barely say let alone type Jack's name without wanting to curl up into a ball. Duggie was so beautiful too, his sweet face reminds me so much of Jack's.

Thank you for your kind words to my response, it's so comforting to hear someone else say that what we did for Jack was special because I still have so much guilt that we did not go ahead with the surgery or that we said goodbye too soon. That week was such a roller coaster, and although he was stable and relatively happy in the end, we had seen what the decline looked like and opted to say goodbye on our own terms as opposed to rushing him to the emergency vet again. I just hope he knew that we did that because we loved him so much, and that it was the hardest and worst decision I've ever made.

Congratulations on your new baby, and now your new fur baby! I'm so happy to hear that you decided to go with another golden retriever because this is something that my partner and I have been debating. He is scared that I will be "chasing Jack", which perhaps he's somewhat right about, but there's truly just something so special about the breed. How are you finding the emotions of having a new puppy while still mourning the loss of Duggie? Did you opt for another male or go with a female this time?

Please feel free to message me privately if you would like to chat further (I tried messaging you but apparently I need 15 posts before doing so) I wish neither of us had to go through such an incredibly hard time, but as I'm sure you feel the same, I would go through it all over again for those incredible years we had together.

So much love to you,

Kayla (Jacky's mom)


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## Duggie's Mom

Hi Kayla,

I don't think you should ever feel guilty about not opting for surgery. After all, you were Jack's mom and knew what was best for him. As many others have posted it is much better to let them go before they get to the point where you have no choice. Some members of this site that opted for the surgery were able to get extra weeks and months with their dog which is so wonderful and special. But, a lot of that depended on how far the cancer had spread and many other factors. We had just had surgery on Duggie's hind leg a few months prior and I couldn't imagine putting him through another. Plus I had a feeling it had already spread at that point as I noticed he had a head tremor, his hind legs slipped underneath him while walking that same week and he started to cough. I think no matter what though we all experience some level of guilt...I felt guilty for not noticing how sick he was especially since I spent so much time with him. 

I'm trying to think of what a nice life my little guy had until it was his time. We had so much fun together walking/running in the trails, sharing snacks and sneaking into bed with me when my husband left for the office. People thought I was strange because I'd sit on the floor with my 72 pound dog in my lap or I'd lie on my side while watching TV and he'd have his head on my stomach and sleep. He was part of all birthday celebrations - even if it wasn't his he'd get a vanilla cupcake. He got a barkbox every month and would wait for it to be delivered. Not to mention the mound of toys I'd get for him each month. He and I would also go for a walk twice a day for about 2 hours. He was extra special to me as my husband and I didn't have an easy time having children so he was truly my kid. I find it comforting to know that I did everything I could to make sure he was happy in his short time here. I loved him for every moment he was here on this planet - its funny I don't think there was ever a moment where I didn't give him my "all" and I'm so glad because that's what he deserved and more. 

The puppy hasn't come home yet. He'll be here in about 3 weeks. We had a hard time deciding - my husband was on the fence for sure. But its true, once you have goldens its so difficult to be without them. They are just an incredibly special breed. I do feel guilty some days...some days when I see pictures of the puppy I can't help but look at photos of Duggie. I have my moments. The breeder we chose is wonderful and you can tell really loves her goldens. Honestly we probably waited a while longer but we fell in love with her dogs. It will be a challenge for sure with the baby but hey, people have twins and they manage. In some ways I think Duggie's passing has also made me realize how special goldens really are. I don't want to spend my time without one. I also think that Duggie wouldn't want me to be sad...or that's the way I rationalize it in my head.

I will send you a PM with my contact. I think you can still receive messages - I just passed my 15th message today


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## Kayla2727

I love that Duggie waited for his BarkBox, I smiled largely out loud at that thought. I always thought about getting it for Jack, but he had "enough" toys according to my partner thanks to all our Pet Smart trips together. 
What you said about Duggie being like a child to you because you struggled to conceive gives me the chills - someone recently wrote on here that a Golden is so loyal that they will stay with you as long as you need them to, and of course that is never long enough, but I truly believe Duggie knew of the gift that you and your husband were about to receive and felt it would be okay for him to go now. Jack was there for me through a very tough breakup, followed by multiple job, apartment and location changes, and it was always just he and I until ultimately we settled into a new home this past August with the two-legged love of my life Clark. He made that house a home for me, and I think he saw that I was finally fully happy and content with my life, and no longer depended on him so heavily.
It's unfortunate we lost our boys so young, but I like to think that they lived so selflessly, so happily and so loved for the short years that we had them, that they were fulfilled enough to cross that bridge earlier than others.
I e-mailed you and look forward to continuing sharing the love we had for these precious creatures! Congrats on your 15th message!


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## Cliffordforever

Duggie's Mom said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> Sadly, this is my first post in the Golden Retriever forum though I have read through many posts over the years. I was so sad to see so many posts in this forum about hemangiosarcoma but it has helped me cope over the past couple of days. I wanted to share my experience despite it being an incredibly sad outcome and hope that it helps someone see symptoms that they may not notice otherwise.
> 
> Duggie was my everything. We spent most of our time together with me working from home. He was incredibly spoiled and totally deserved it. I absolutely love goldens and we are all partial when it comes to our own but his disposition and demeanor just made him so incredibly special. I wonder if I'll ever be lucky enough to have another pup like him. He was the dog that everyone stopped on walks to say hello to, the neighborhood dog that would lick all the kids faces, the dog that would just sense when you were sad and not leave your side. He had an incredibly sweet and loving soul. He was the type of boy that would have been a hit in a seniors home as he just had the ability to make people smile and feel good. He was truly, truly special. I try to think that he just was too special for this planet and he was just needed elsewhere.
> 
> Duggie was quite healthy and active until he was 5. It wasn't uncommon for him to ignore his kibble because he was always more interested in what we were eating. Sometimes he'd get overexcited and throw up after eating - it was something he did from when he was young and was thoroughly checked out so we never thought anything of it.
> 
> In February 2016 he tore his CCL and a TPLO was recommended. We didn't love the idea of a metal plate in his leg so we hoped it was a partial tear and tried conservative management with regular physical therapy. He did really well (going for 1 hour walks with no issues) until July 2016 so we opted for the surgery. An orthopedic specialist performed his surgery in August and Duggie recovered really well.
> 
> Fast forward to September through December there were no symptoms other than as I mentioned the odd day of not being very excited over his kibble though he'd usually polish it off eventually. That maybe happened once or twice between September through December. Again he threw up once or twice in the morning and once after a walk but generally this was after a lot of excitement or being fed a little too many snacks when my family would come over to visit. He had seen the vet a number of times since he had surgery...normal blood work (in fact great levels), very pink gums and built up to about 2-3 hours worth of walks with me a day.
> 
> New Years Day 2017 we brought home a baby boy. Over the next couple weeks there were days when he seemed a little distant. I thought it was maybe because bringing a baby home confused him/disrupted his schedule and perhaps a little less time with mom. I took he and the baby out for walks together and he loved it and made sure to carve out a good amount of time for play and snuggles so he didn't feel that much had changed. January 15 my parents were over and my mom commented on the fact that his tummy felt quite large. But, we didn't think anything of it because he was playing, happy and my sisters were over the day before and probably snuck him some food. The next day his tummy felt much smaller so we thought it may be gas. Duggie was also sleeping more during the day but again with the baby being here he was up at night so I didn't think anything of it. Fast forward to January 24 and his tummy felt large again. He was fine all day, played and went on 2 long walks and ate his breakfast. The difference this time was that he didn't want his dinner and refused cheese other exciting human food which shocked me. He wasn't interested in going on a walk at night and wanted to lie outside in the evening (unlike him). I called the vets and they said he may have just ate something but if he wasn't better in the morning to come in. January 25 he was his normal self...his tummy was normal size, scarfed up all his kibble and again went for 2 nice long walks. He was even pulling because he was so excited. One thing I did notice on each walk was that his hind legs slipped under him twice. I wasn't sure whether he slipped on some ice or not but it didn't seem overly wet to me. With the TPLO surgery I wondered whether the other leg was going but he didn't seem to limp afterward.
> 
> January 26 and 27 were good days. Nothing odd to report. He was his typical happy self.
> 
> January 28 we took him to the vets because even though he seemed to be himself I wanted to make sure everything was ok. I mentioned that his tummy seemed a little large a couple times over the past couple weeks but it was fine the next day. The vet mentioned feeling a 'heaviness' in his abdomen but that it could be gas. He said to monitor it for a week and avoid giving him snacks and other fatty goods. He said if we noticed it again he'd do an x-ray but he wasn't overly concerned. Again, his gums were nice and pink, he was energetic/happy, no problems noticed with his heart rate. I took him home and we went for a walk like usual.
> 
> That evening he wasn't overly interested in his kibble. We added a glucosamine supplement on top of his kibble that we hadn't tried before so we though maybe he disliked the taste. I fed him the kibble by hand to see if he was interested in it and he ate all of it with the exception of 3-4 kibbles that still remain in his bowl and I don't have the heart to get rid of just yet. I tried to take him for our evening walk and noticed he just walked slowly - he didn't want to go for very long. I came home and told my husband and said I was starting to get really worried. My husband disagreed (he's usually the more rational one) and said he's fine. Within an hour of coming back from our walk he just wanted to sit outside in the backyard. He didn't even want to come in when we called him. That freaked me out. I told my husband that Duggie that he needed to go to an emergency clinic. As we were heading out the door Duggie started to have quiet coughs that came in multiples. That scared me even more as my parents dog growing up had cancer and coughing was his first noticeable symptom.
> 
> Within 15 minutes of getting Duggie to emerg we were sat down and told that Duggie was very sick. His heart rate was 160, his bright pink gums were now extremely pale and he was incredibly lethargic. His decline was so fast. The emerg vet was shocked our regular vet didn't feel the fluid in Duggie's tummy. His poor tummy was filled with blood. The emerg vet recommended Duggie be euthanized as he would need a blood tranfusion, emergency surgery and chemo. He was also concerned with Duggie's rapid decline and felt that even if they tried to stabilize him that he may not even make it through the night.
> 
> We arrived at emerg at 10pm and said goodbye to our sweet, sweet baby at 1:00am. His gums had gone from a healthy pink to white in only a couple hours.
> 
> We are beyond heartbroken. He was much too young to leave us and we were so excited for he and our baby to be best buddies. It still doesn't feel real and I can't stop crying. I'll love him forever and never forget how special he truly was.
> 
> I'm so sorry for the long post. I wish all of you that have a pet with hemangiosarcoma a far better outcome than my Duggie had. The vet said he was symptom-less for so long that he likely didn't suffer much - I am trying to hold on to that.


Thank you so much for sharing this years ago. I just recently lost my Golden, Clifford to this same horrible disease on March 15, 2021. He was 6 1/2 years old.. way to young to die. Your story is almost exactly similar to mine. He was my soul day and never left my side. 
Clifford never had any health problems, he was always happy and was also the dog who everyone in the neighborhood loved, he licked all the kids faces, and even visited the elderly in the hospital. He touched everyone’s life he came in contact with. He was a very special dog and he didn’t deserve this terrible disease. I will never understand... why him?  

I just recently had a baby, who is 4 months old. I noticed Clifford’s behavior change a little after we brought our son home but I thought he was just sad he wasn’t the center of attention or that it disrupted his routine and the baby would wake him up at night. I started to get really concerned about 2 weeks ago when he wouldn’t eat his treats or any table scraps I would give him. He normally would eat anything!! He loved food! It also wasn’t unusal for him to leave his food in the bowl all day and eventually eat it later in the day. He also wouldn’t get up and greet me at the door when I got home and was laying in corners of the house. I noticed his back legs started to give out when he was playing with our other golden and I but down his behavior to depression and maybe his hips starting to bother him.

I would massage his hips every night and help him up onto the bed and in the car. He seemed a little more sluggish than usual but again, I thought he was just depressed. I started to take him on more walks, car rides, pretty much everywhere I went to make him happy. I noticed his started to lick his paws but assumed it was just an anxious behavior.

I decided to call the vet about 2 weeks after I noticed he wasn’t eating. My husband said he thinks he is fine, but I knew in my heart he wasn’t. The day before I took him to the vet, I found him sleeping out back alone in the cold. This is so unlike him, he slept in bed with my every night. I also noticed his pee was dark orange in color and his poop was runny with a small amount of blood in it. His stomach felt really hard, but I thought it was because he wasn’t eating.

I brought him to the vet at 10 am and we lost him at 330pm. The vet said he was very sick and had a fever of 103.6. His stomach felt very hard and she stated she felt a mass by his ribcage. We had X-rays done and it showed a large mass on his spleen and some possibly fluid in the abdomen. She then did blood work and it showed his liver enzymes were extremely high and there was nothing they could do as the mass had now spread to his liver. His gums turned pale and his breathing started to shallow. We decided to put him down so he wasn’t in pain anymore.
It was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. I felt so guilty that I did not notice he was ill sooner. He would have good days in between so I thought he was fine. I wanted nothing more than him and my son to grow up together and go on all our family adventures. It breaks my heart into a million pieces every time I think about it. I can’t stop crying.
Your post brought me so peace knowing I am not the only one who has gone through this and that our stories are very very similar.
Our sweet Clifford will be forever missed. Our house is not the same. How did you cope?


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## CCoopz

Very sorry for your loss. Clifford sounds lovely. 
I get teary 🥲 eyed just at the thought of loosing our 2 & 1/2 year old GR Teddy.


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## CAROLINA MOM

Cliffordforever- Very sorry for your loss of Clifford, he was beautiful.

The picture of him with your baby is precious.


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## dlmrun2002

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss of Clifford. So young makes it even harder. You can rest assured you gave him a great life and loved him endlessly and that is all he wanted. Hermangio's are so hard to swallow. You made the ultimate loving decision to not let him suffer any more. Godspeed to his wonderful soul and I hope time makes you feel better soon.
dlm ny country


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## Cliffordforever

CCoopz said:


> Very sorry for your loss. Clifford sounds lovely.
> I get teary 🥲 eyed just at the thought of loosing our 2 & 1/2 year old GR Teddy.


2 1/2 years old to Hemangiosarcoma? Ugh my heart is breaking.


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## CCoopz

Cliffordforever said:


> 2 1/2 years old to Hemangiosarcoma? Ugh my heart is breaking.


Oh no he’s healthy as far as we know. I was just saying we get upset at thought of loosing him. They come to mean so much to us.


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## Taoslover

Duggie's Mom said:


> Thank you all for your replies and kind words about my lovely boy. I started to respond to each reply individually and there are probably much easier ways to respond to multiple messages.
> 
> I am so sad to hear that of everyone that has gone through a similar situation. In some ways it comforts me knowing that I didn't just ignore the signs and that there just may not have been any. It is so hard to accept that there is so little that could be done.
> 
> Right now it just feels so empty in the home - even with a newborn. I was so looking forward to several more years with Duggie. Feels like a bad dream I can't wake up from


I am glad you shared Duggie’s story, and I am so sorry for your too-soon loss. This forum is the one place where you will find grief support. Everyone here loves their Golden and understands the unspeakable heartbreak of losing their best friend too early. I joined the Morris Foundation to learn more about cancer in goldens. Look up their golden retriever Lifetime study that is still going on. You are not alone, but the pain won’t stop for awhile. I thought hard about why losing my 8-year old Ozzie to cancer was harder than losing my 89 year old mother. I think she lived a long, good life and his wasn’t supposed to be over yet. Having a baby with you will help, but nothing will replace Duggie. It has
been three months since I lost Ozzie and I am getting an 8 wk old golden puppy in one week. I am scared to death but excited too. He has big shoes to fill, but I will promise him the same thing I promised Ozzie: I will take care of you, protect you, and be with you when times are hard. I did that for Ozzie and you did that for Duggie. Good luck and take the time to grieve. Time will help.


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## ECB

Duggie's Mom said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> Sadly, this is my first post in the Golden Retriever forum though I have read through many posts over the years. I was so sad to see so many posts in this forum about hemangiosarcoma but it has helped me cope over the past couple of days. I wanted to share my experience despite it being an incredibly sad outcome and hope that it helps someone see symptoms that they may not notice otherwise.
> 
> Duggie was my everything. We spent most of our time together with me working from home. He was incredibly spoiled and totally deserved it. I absolutely love goldens and we are all partial when it comes to our own but his disposition and demeanor just made him so incredibly special. I wonder if I'll ever be lucky enough to have another pup like him. He was the dog that everyone stopped on walks to say hello to, the neighborhood dog that would lick all the kids faces, the dog that would just sense when you were sad and not leave your side. He had an incredibly sweet and loving soul. He was the type of boy that would have been a hit in a seniors home as he just had the ability to make people smile and feel good. He was truly, truly special. I try to think that he just was too special for this planet and he was just needed elsewhere.
> 
> Duggie was quite healthy and active until he was 5. It wasn't uncommon for him to ignore his kibble because he was always more interested in what we were eating. Sometimes he'd get overexcited and throw up after eating - it was something he did from when he was young and was thoroughly checked out so we never thought anything of it.
> 
> In February 2016 he tore his CCL and a TPLO was recommended. We didn't love the idea of a metal plate in his leg so we hoped it was a partial tear and tried conservative management with regular physical therapy. He did really well (going for 1 hour walks with no issues) until July 2016 so we opted for the surgery. An orthopedic specialist performed his surgery in August and Duggie recovered really well.
> 
> Fast forward to September through December there were no symptoms other than as I mentioned the odd day of not being very excited over his kibble though he'd usually polish it off eventually. That maybe happened once or twice between September through December. Again he threw up once or twice in the morning and once after a walk but generally this was after a lot of excitement or being fed a little too many snacks when my family would come over to visit. He had seen the vet a number of times since he had surgery...normal blood work (in fact great levels), very pink gums and built up to about 2-3 hours worth of walks with me a day.
> 
> New Years Day 2017 we brought home a baby boy. Over the next couple weeks there were days when he seemed a little distant. I thought it was maybe because bringing a baby home confused him/disrupted his schedule and perhaps a little less time with mom. I took he and the baby out for walks together and he loved it and made sure to carve out a good amount of time for play and snuggles so he didn't feel that much had changed. January 15 my parents were over and my mom commented on the fact that his tummy felt quite large. But, we didn't think anything of it because he was playing, happy and my sisters were over the day before and probably snuck him some food. The next day his tummy felt much smaller so we thought it may be gas. Duggie was also sleeping more during the day but again with the baby being here he was up at night so I didn't think anything of it. Fast forward to January 24 and his tummy felt large again. He was fine all day, played and went on 2 long walks and ate his breakfast. The difference this time was that he didn't want his dinner and refused cheese other exciting human food which shocked me. He wasn't interested in going on a walk at night and wanted to lie outside in the evening (unlike him). I called the vets and they said he may have just ate something but if he wasn't better in the morning to come in. January 25 he was his normal self...his tummy was normal size, scarfed up all his kibble and again went for 2 nice long walks. He was even pulling because he was so excited. One thing I did notice on each walk was that his hind legs slipped under him twice. I wasn't sure whether he slipped on some ice or not but it didn't seem overly wet to me. With the TPLO surgery I wondered whether the other leg was going but he didn't seem to limp afterward.
> 
> January 26 and 27 were good days. Nothing odd to report. He was his typical happy self.
> 
> January 28 we took him to the vets because even though he seemed to be himself I wanted to make sure everything was ok. I mentioned that his tummy seemed a little large a couple times over the past couple weeks but it was fine the next day. The vet mentioned feeling a 'heaviness' in his abdomen but that it could be gas. He said to monitor it for a week and avoid giving him snacks and other fatty goods. He said if we noticed it again he'd do an x-ray but he wasn't overly concerned. Again, his gums were nice and pink, he was energetic/happy, no problems noticed with his heart rate. I took him home and we went for a walk like usual.
> 
> That evening he wasn't overly interested in his kibble. We added a glucosamine supplement on top of his kibble that we hadn't tried before so we though maybe he disliked the taste. I fed him the kibble by hand to see if he was interested in it and he ate all of it with the exception of 3-4 kibbles that still remain in his bowl and I don't have the heart to get rid of just yet. I tried to take him for our evening walk and noticed he just walked slowly - he didn't want to go for very long. I came home and told my husband and said I was starting to get really worried. My husband disagreed (he's usually the more rational one) and said he's fine. Within an hour of coming back from our walk he just wanted to sit outside in the backyard. He didn't even want to come in when we called him. That freaked me out. I told my husband that Duggie that he needed to go to an emergency clinic. As we were heading out the door Duggie started to have quiet coughs that came in multiples. That scared me even more as my parents dog growing up had cancer and coughing was his first noticeable symptom.
> 
> Within 15 minutes of getting Duggie to emerg we were sat down and told that Duggie was very sick. His heart rate was 160, his bright pink gums were now extremely pale and he was incredibly lethargic. His decline was so fast. The emerg vet was shocked our regular vet didn't feel the fluid in Duggie's tummy. His poor tummy was filled with blood. The emerg vet recommended Duggie be euthanized as he would need a blood tranfusion, emergency surgery and chemo. He was also concerned with Duggie's rapid decline and felt that even if they tried to stabilize him that he may not even make it through the night.
> 
> We arrived at emerg at 10pm and said goodbye to our sweet, sweet baby at 1:00am. His gums had gone from a healthy pink to white in only a couple hours.
> 
> We are beyond heartbroken. He was much too young to leave us and we were so excited for he and our baby to be best buddies. It still doesn't feel real and I can't stop crying. I'll love him forever and never forget how special he truly was.
> 
> I'm so sorry for the long post. I wish all of you that have a pet with hemangiosarcoma a far better outcome than my Duggie had. The vet said he was symptom-less for so long that he likely didn't suffer much - I am trying to hold on to that.


I’m so 😢 sorry. You will see him again I firmly believe our beloved pets will join us in heaven. Sending you a HUGE hug.


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