# What caused your golden to cross the rainbow bridge?



## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

My pain is still raw, I get very emotional thinking about Buddy's last days. He was not diagnosed and he was a week shy 9 and half old... I will just copy what I posted on one thread...His nose was bleeding, was not fungal, not cancer, did nose scoping found nothing, his red blood cells count was going down, and white was going up, blood tests, x-rays, and then he got really bad sores on his body, and on his lips, did biopsy and did not get results back, we had to let him go. He lost weight and stopped eating, Buddy who was crazy about food. The vet thought it is cancer somewhere inside or maybe autoimmune disease, I did everything at that time but now at night when I can't sleep I question that "everything". What I did wrong, what I missed to do, did not figure out that yet. My boy was gone, that's only matter.
Buddy I love you, I miss you every second of the day.


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

Even though we have our new furbaby, the pain of loosing Jake & Lillie is still very raw. Jake's liver gave out on him, after years of seizure treatment. Last September his Frontline treatment triggered a very high fever & severe abdominal swelling. Started giving him milk thistle & force feeding him baby food. This brought him out of it for almost 2 months. It hit him again right before Thanksgiving & we knew that he was ready. I can honestly say, that decision was one of the toughest we've had to make after 30+ yrs. together. We were both with him @ the vets office. Absolutely one of the saddest day of my life. Having lost both parents by the time I was 22 & my only sister in 2004, I've had plenty of goodbyes. He wouldn't go, he was such a fighter! The vet first put the needle in his arm, then his jugular, and finally straight in his heart. This was 2 days before Thanksgiving of last year. But we still had our sweet Lillie. Early New Year's morning, she vomited a couple of times. Figured no biggie. She died on my bathroom floor at 11:30 a.m. New Year's Day. I can't even describe the grief! Let alone the guilt! 20+ years with Goldens in our home leaves a very empty house when they are gone. Our vet (Lillie was from his Daisy) was devastated as well. She had some fluid buildup in her abdomen, he checked it out. Said that it was probably her heart. Not a day goes by that I don't miss my babies. Maddie is almost 8 months now & I've loved her since the moment I met her, but I still miss them.


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## aussieresc (Dec 30, 2008)

I lost Ranger to histiocyticsarcoma. He was diagnosed and gone within a week.


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## softballmom (Sep 6, 2011)

Casco was diagnosed with cancer at 13, did not investigate primary tumor, but had about a month before it became too difficult to her to breathe. Fenway passed at 7 years but had been diagnosed with a weak/faulty heart valve at one year. She had a walk that morning, was always full of herself, went out after the walk to relieve herself and had collapsed at the front steps--so swift. Never had any signs of distress. Gone way too soon. We miss her and Casco so much.


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

I have a beautiful picture of Lillie, taken on Christmas morning. She looks so healthy & happy. I'll try to attach it. Not really sure how to do it though.


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## baileyboym22 (May 28, 2011)

So much heart and heartbreak above and with Bailey. Bailey went to the bridge with my and our vet's help at 12 and 1/2. He did exactly what I asked him to do, which was hold on a few years until I could face loosing him after my mom had died. My dad had passed about seven years prior to that. I'm forty five. Dad died at 60 and mom at 67. 

At points we found spots on his spleen, after days of being rather lethargic. Then...He was fine. He started with the fatty tumors, and then had a growth that was removed clean. Bailey lived a healthy, generally, long lived life, his last year clearly his last as mobility impacted him more and more. One night he wouldn't get up. We took him to the ER vet and his bloodwork was a mess, his heart erratic, and showing signs of early kidney disfunction. We helped stabilize him, get to my vet and he seemed to rally again while further tests were going. That night was his last. It's too hard to talk about still. We sat outside, looking at the stars when getting up was too much work for him. As Bello sleeps now, I look at that young face and think about the years with him ahead and Bailey as a pup...


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## Bigguy (May 26, 2011)

We have had goldens for almost 20 years. Our first had congestive heart failure at 10...It came on overnight...the next morning we had to have him put down. Our second golden..who was 5 when we needed to our first put down, was devastated....made our hearts break for 3 months as he could not understand where his buddy went....we had him for almost 13 years. Then he had cancer. Mast cell... We had him operated on..and got 6 more beautiful months with him in our lives...and then, had to have him put down last Dec. The cancer was back and spread.... He was in considerable pain....he needed to go and we said our goodbyes...broke my heart in two...to this day I watch over his grave and wish he were still with me....I miss him badly.

We now have a new little guy in our lives. Seems, that living without a golden in your
life just isn't possible.......


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## Kula's mommy (Aug 19, 2011)

I am still in so much pain as I just lost my Kula at 13 years last month.I found her in the dog house and our Vet figured a heart attack or multi organ failure to how quickly she went.It's very hard to even talk about her and I'm so blessed to have found this site for support.


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## duckdog (Mar 20, 2010)

Our first golden, JJ, we brought into our house the first year we were married. She had to be put down at 9 and a half from complications of leukemia. She had started to develop masses in her abdomen and was unable to hold down food or water.

Just under a month ago, our current Golden, Rosie, passed away at 14 with our help from declining health from two strokes, failing hearing, rapidly developing blindness, balance issues, and most of all uncontrollable pain from developing severe arthritis. We could have redone the approach to pain management, but I was already having to hold her upright so should could potty. My wife and I just said that enough was enough, and that we would mercifully let her go. Keeping her here would have been just selfish of us. She gave us a great life for a Golden and it was just time.

I will carry the memories of those two dogs for the rest of my life. The were such wonderful, loving, affectionate, spoiled, coddled, and loved by us dogs you could imagine.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

We don't really know but we've always guessed it was cancer. Carmella's appetite tapered off for several months and then one week she just rapidly went downhill. Her stomach became noticeably larger and one day she collapsed and never got back up. The next morning she died before the vet could get to the house. The vet said it was likely some kind of cancer that had metastasized to her internal organs and that's why she was so swollen looking. Cancer is the devil!

We had 14 1/2 great years with her.


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## goldensmum (Oct 23, 2007)

We lost Kelly at 10 years old to lung and liver cancer, Ralph was 13 when we lost him - he had a bloat/torsion and although we got him to the vet in time 5 days later his kidneys stopped working, Ginny was 15 , she started to vomit blood we took her to the emergency vet, and to cut a long and distressing story short when we picked her up from there and took her to our own vet the following morning she said her organs were shutting down. So not 100% certain about her. Holly was 14 - she was diagnosed with kidney failure and when we thought we had turned a corner with her she had a massive stroke.


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## Tuckers Mom (Nov 12, 2010)

I lost my BFF and My Heart dog Frazier January 23rd 2011 to fibrosarcoma, a fatty tumor gone bad after many years that he lived with it. He had a spongy mass for 5 years or more, then all fo the sudden it grew massive (6 mos) and he could no longer cope with it. It was the worst day of my life, and continues to make me sad daily. We never have enough time to keep our fur babies alive and happy.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Our bridge boy had cancer, we didn't have it confirmed by blood tests because of his age. 

We and our Vet agreed that undergoing treatments would be too hard on him and would not prolong his life. We had 15.5 wonderful years with him, he was basically in hospice his last year, we made the most of each day were given.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

With our help Maggie crossed the Bridge at almost 14 y.o. There was nothing apparent other than declining health due to old age.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

My Cody passed last year at 10 due to cancer. He had a large mass that was pushing his eye out of the socket.....he was gone within 2 weeks after being diagnosed.......


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I lost all three of my past generation to cancer: Joplin, Raleigh, and Acadia. Joplin was well over 15, but Cady was only 9. I live in fear of finding cancer in my four now, because statistically it is not if but when. It is the only thing about goldens that I would change if I had that magical wand or the funding for 1000 great science centers.


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## KatieBlue'sMidnightSky (Feb 22, 2011)

My first golden-girl love, Katie, passed away January 5, 2011 after just turning 5, 5 days earlier. She passed away due to acute kidney failure - cause unknown but suspect Valley Fever, which she had been battling since she was 3 when it attacked her heart.

I will always love you girl! You were my first and forever golden love! Run! Run! Run! Run and play until we meet again!

Sorry! I know this isn't a memorial thread--I just couldn't help it! It's still so fresh in my heart!


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## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

My heartdog Sandy died at 12 and a half because of cancer on Feb 15 2007. She had 2 seizures and we found that she had a huge tumor on her liver that had spread to her brain (the vet thought it had spread to her brain because of the seizures) She went to the Bridge 3 days after we found out about the cancer...Breaks my heart to this day.


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## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

I know she wasnt a golden, but my girl Riley passed to the Bridge at 7 (way to young) on Jan 12 2010. We dont know what happened to her...she was fine in the morning..by 2:45 AM we had to send her to the Bridge.... this also breaks my heart


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

Miss Lillie the Skilley. My sweet baby girl. I miss you so very much. This was taken last Christmas morning--a week to, almost, the minute she went over the bridge. Hugs & kisses little girl. 

Sorry the picture is so big. I'm a newbie.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Maddie'sMom2011 your Miss Lillie was such a beautiful girl. So much expression in her smile and in the eyes. Eyes are what I like the most about goldens, their golden heart, and soul, and love is all what you can see in their eyes. 
This is really hard thread to read, so much love and pain met in every single post.


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## PrincessDi (Jun 8, 2009)

Our Di was 11 and we lost her to hemangiosarcoma of the spleen on 05/21/11. It's still so hard to believe that she is gone. We lost Golda on 04/7/2007 at almost 17 years old to congestive heart failure. Loosing them is like loosing a piece of ourselves. So very sorry for your loss.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

We lost Ginger to Lymphoma at 5 years of age in early January 2006. We also think it may be partially from Lyme Disease too because she was just recently diagnosed with that and her back leg swelled up 3 times the size it should have been.


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## KiwiD (Jan 14, 2008)

We lost our beautiful Maddie to hemangiosarcoma on May 21 (same disease and same day as Di above) at 10 years, 2 weeks old.


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## MyBuddy22 (Oct 29, 2010)

I lost my first Golden Buddy to hemangiosarcoma (Spleenic Cancer) last September (20th), its almost been a year. It was a really hard time, Buddy was so special to our family. He was a member of our family, I miss him so much. He was so smart and sweet. I love that guy! <3
He made people smile everywhere he went. Look at his picture in my signature, he loved swimming!


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## Luna2 (Dec 24, 2007)

we have had many goldens[still do]and every one that we have lost,was to cancer..its heartbreaking..our oldest was 18..our youngest 7.cancer is a monster..


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Smooch and Snobear*

We lost our 11.5 year old, female, Golden Retriever, Smooch, to hemangiosarcoma on December 7, 2010 and we lost our 10.3 year old,
Male, Samoyed, Snobear, to hemangiosarcoma, on March 27, 2010.


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## longhorn34 (Sep 14, 2011)

Austin had the exact same symptoms this Tuesday morning (9-13-11). Took him to vet, and discovered through xrays, a baseball size tumor on liver and spleen. I helped him go to the bridge that afternoon... 
My girl Amber passed 4 years ago from lupus and a spleen tumor. 

A large part of my heart has gone with both of them. I am honored to have been a part of both of their lives. Austin's passing is still very raw and painful. These dogs are just so loving and giving, it makes it almost unbearable to not have them in our lives.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

longhorn34 said:


> Austin had the exact same symptoms this Tuesday morning (9-13-11). Took him to vet, and discovered through xrays, a baseball size tumor on liver and spleen. I helped him go to the bridge that afternoon...
> My girl Amber passed 4 years ago from lupus and a spleen tumor.
> 
> A large part of my heart has gone with both of them. I am honored to have been a part of both of their lives. Austin's passing is still very raw and painful. These dogs are just so loving and giving, it makes it almost unbearable to not have them in our lives.


I'm so sorry about your Austin and your Amber. They bring so much joy, love into our lives, making our lives so complete and so much better. When they leave the pain is so unbearable, a huge part of you goes with them. 

I find peace in knowing my boy is no longer in pain or suffering and take comfort in knowing that one day we will be together again. I know he's with me in spirit, I can feel him everyday. I just hope he knows how much we loved him, what he meant to us, and how much we miss him.


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## My three boys (Jul 31, 2011)

*Cancer*

I lost my son Bear to cancer on 07/23/11 one day after being told he had cancer he was only 1 1/2 years old I have his brother in live in fear everyday that he will get it also. Every time he does something different or out of place for him i call the vet thatnk god he is a great vet.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

WE LOST OUR FIRST GOLDEN, SCOOTER, AT AGE 5 YRS 2 MONTHS TO SUDDEN HEART ATTACK. HE WAS AN a-1 DUCK RETRIEER, NEVER ANY INDICATION OF HEART TROUBLE UNTILHE WA ROLLING ON HIS BACK AND JUST WENT TO HIS SIDE DEAD. THIS WAS AUG. 22, 1999

I LOST MY HUNTER (AVATAR) OCT 16, 2003 AT AGE 4 YRS 2 MONTHS TO LIVER DAMAGE AND AIAH BROUGHT ON BY PROHEART6 INJERCTION --IT WAS PULLED BY FDA 10 MONTHS AFTER HIS DEATH DUE TO SO MANY DEATHS, LEAD BY AIHA AND LIVER DAMAGE. 

WE LOST BUCK ON MAY 15, 2007 TO HEART ATTACK AT AGE 12 YRS. 3 MONTHS. HE WAS A FULL BROTHER, LATER LITTER, TO SCOOTER, OUR FIRST GOLDEN.

WE LOST KAYCEE, LITTERMATE TO HUNTER, ON MAY 25, 2008 (1 YR 10 DAYS AFTER LOSING BUCK) TO CANCER. SHE WAS 8 YRS 9 MONTHS.

NOT A GOLDEN, BUT LOT MY LAT IRISH SETTER, BOOTS, AT 12 1/2 YEARS TO BONE CANCER JULY 9, 1997.


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## Otter (Feb 23, 2011)

Wow. This is a tough thread to read.

We lost *Henry *to osteosarcoma in the fall of 08. He was only 8. He was the perfect Golden. Just a big happy-go-lucky dog. He was great. If you click his name it will take you to a thread on another forum with some more info about Henry and his short fight with cancer (pages 1 and 4).

Last February we lost Giggles to lymphoma. Giggles was half sister to Henry (same sire). She was a super sweet dog. Very loving and huggable. Her cancer came on really fast, no warning signs at all. One day she just didn't seem herself. We immediately took her to the vet. She was gone in less than a week. She turned 10 last fall. *Here *is a picture of Giggles in my into here at GRF.

Otter.


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## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

We lost our Golden boy Phoenix to bloat on March 25, 2009. He was only 8 years old. It was the worst day of my life!!! He was a big goofball of a dog, so loving and gentle. Feels like it was only yesterday we lost him.

Our 11 year old Reno has hemangio but still doing well 3 months post op.


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## MommysBears (Sep 26, 2011)

I'm new to this board. We're looking for a puppy after losing our Golden Thunder in Oct. 2009. We had no clue what was going on until one night I called him to go outside one more time before bed and he didn't come. We thought he was just stiff (he was 11). My husband took him straight to the after hours emergency vet. They did ultrasounds, etc. and determined he had cancer and the tumor had ruptured. We enjoy his 11 years though and will always have great memories!


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## Irina (Dec 5, 2010)

We lost our sweet Beam to splenic hemangiosarcoma last October (29). She was only 8.5yo. We miss her terribly.


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## Tmac21 (Sep 23, 2011)

We lost our wonderful golden Oscar 13 days ago. He just turned 7. He was gone in the span of 8 hours, the result of a corn cob. Ruptured his small intestine and went into septic shock. He went downhil quickly to where chances of success in surgery were very slim. Worst night of my life and I miss my bud terribly.


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

Sunshine was born with severe SAS, we new this when we took her at 3 months. She was only given 3 years at the most but she died 1 month shy of her 8th birthday. Still to soon but we had a wonderful 7 years. I will always miss her.

My MIL has lost 4 Goldens all to cancer. Scully just this week. It was quick and she wasn't sick or in pain, we have to take that as a blessing. Scully was her happy play self until the day she couldn't get up. Hard for us but a blessing for her.


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## GTJester (Jun 5, 2011)

Lost my Buddy on June 6th of this year to cardiac hemangiosarcoma. 

Worst time in my life. Currently re-looking over the thread I'd started in the senior center and feeling all those emotions again. 
Reading all the stories on this board is somewhat like staring into the abyss for myself.
I know I'll be sad, but I can't look away. Somewhat a form of external validation knowing I'm not the only one who feels strongly for our furry companions while empathizing with all of the suffering.

I'm so very sorry to everyone here, the loss of our friends is a pain too great for words.


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## bad2menagerie (Oct 15, 2011)

I lost my Golden Girl KC 9/26/11 to cancer. The week before she started to limp and when the vet checked, sure enough there it was and growing fast; I only got to spend one more week with her. The vet figured she had the tumor only 3 weeks, but it was cutting off the circulation in her leg. She just turned 9 in August. 

She is the one who helped me with my grief of having to put my other beautiful girl Tasha down who had an agressive tumor in her rear leg. She had just had her crucia ligament repaired less than 2 months before, and then ended up with a tumor in that exact spot.

I miss them both very much, but have such fond memories that I will cherish forever. Goldens are truly perpetual puppies.


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## Helo's Mom (Oct 16, 2011)

I lost my first golden boy on May 2, 1992 due to liver failure. Probably cancer. He was almost 12 years old. I was so devastated at losing Jake that I couldn't get another golden retriever until 1998 when I got my sweet boy Leo. He passed away Jan. 16, 2010 from kidney failure and pancreatitis. I kept him alive as long as possible with medicine and a special diet but when he couldn't eat or get up anymore I had to make the tough decision and I still cry. He was my heart dog. I still remember him smiling and wagging his tail at me that last day. He loved his momma and I don't think he wanted to leave me anymore than I wanted to lose him.


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

I lost mine when she was 10 yrs old,in 5 days.She was breathing hard when exercising and had lost a lot of weight.when we tested her,she had a large mass pressing against her chest & stomack and was bleeding,internally.
She died of cancer(hemangioscarcoma).
She was an amazing dog and to this day,I still miss her.


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## 2tired (Oct 19, 2011)

MikaTallulah said:


> I was just wondering what caused most golden's to pass away. My Lucky passed at 13 11/13/2010 from liver cancer that spread to his spleen causing it to rupture. I did not even know he was sick. No weight loss or gain. No changes in behavior or activity level. He was playing ball the previous evening. He just was slow getting up in the morning which was not like him and his belly was hard. The emergency vet did surgery because an x-ray showed blood in his abdomen. She told me after opening him up his spleen had ruptured so she removed it and no further bleeding was present. However she did find a football sized tumor on his liver. I told her not to wake him up. I did not want him to suffer in anyway. Why put him through so much pain to only have a few months at most more with him?


We have a very similar story. My Casey passed away this past Sunday, October 16. He was fine in the morning, had his usual walk. At noon, you could see he was not himself. By 5pm we had him to the emergency vet. An abdominocentisis showed he had blood in his abdomen . As he was critical at that point in time, we chose to gently help him to the rainbow bridge. Likely diagnosis was a hemangiosarcoma that was bleeding. Casey was 13 as well.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Lost Pennie at 7 yrs to a swallowing problem. She lost the ability to swallow one day. She also couldn't close her mouth or lift her head very high. The vet was at a total loss as to what the problem was. There are no specialty vets in Alaska. So we were lost. 
Since she couldn't move her mouth or swallow we use a turkey baster to feed her. Unfortunately we could tell most was going in her lungs. We decided that the best thing to do was end her suffering. She was physically healthy accept for the one problem. It would have been nice to find out what exactly it was that caused her problem. It was so frustrating.


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## BallardRunner (Mar 6, 2011)

We lost our first Golden, Murphy, on August 30, 2011 to hemangio. He had been diagnosed 3 weeks earlier (to the day). Spent the first 2 of those 3 weeks in decent spirits - we had several parties for him (he was very popular).

The last week was rough. We had to spend three days out of town for a wedding. Our dear friend who knew Murph his whole life spent the entire weekend with him - every single hour. It was trying - Murph was getting weaker everyday and uninterested in food.

Murph waited for us to get home. I spent Monday, August 29 at home with him. The vet gave me some medicine to help with his appetite (never in my life thought that would be necessary); we decided to try that for a couple days and help him go if it didn't work. 

The next day, I was about to go to work but wanted to see if Murph would potty before I left. Took him into yard, he walked about 25 feet and collapsed. I carried him in (still alive), put him on the couch, and called my wife. We spent another hour with him waiting for the vet to open so we could help him across. 

I sat in the back seat with him on the way to the vet. He passed away about a half mile away from vet's office in my arms - the last words he heard were "mom loves you, dad loves you, go find Steve" (Steve was his best bud - a mastif who crossed a couple years ago). 

He knew we had come to terms with the situation and did things his way - very typical. We didn't quite have 9 years with him, but he solidified a Golden's spot in our hearts and home forever.


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## my4goldens (Jan 21, 2009)

We lost our first golden 12 years ago to brain cancer. He started having seizures when he was around 7 or so, he died from it about 9 or 10 months later. Since then we've had four goldens, my Tess died in April at 11 years old to hemangiosarcoma. When she was diagnosed they saw multiple tumors on her spleen and liver, so there wasn't much we could do for her. Five days after diagnosis a heart based tumor burst and I chose to euthanize her.


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