# Sadie - 3 years old - Lymphoma



## Ryn (May 2, 2014)

My Golden Retriever, Sadie from Gold-Rush Goldens in Princeton NJ was just diagnosed with Lymphoma 2 days after turning 3. Not sure how many other have dealt with Gold-Rush and have had similar experiences, but my heart is broken.

This was her yesterday, the day we found out she had lymphoma. 









Leading up to this she had been acting very lethargic, threw up and wouldn't eat her food; and when Sadie doesn't eat her food I know something is wrong. Brought her to a local animal hospital and had an x-ray done, something was clearly in her stomach, we just didn't know what. I also had a CBC done (blood work, which came in the next morning), her WBC count was over 50,000; the normal range would be anywhere from 3,000-10,000.

I decided the morning of finding out about her WBC that I would bring her to Oradell Animal Hospital to have a sonogram done. Tests come back, she indeed has lymphoma and has about a year to live. I broke down immediately. The lymphoma is concentrated solely in her stomach and hasn't spread to any organs or anywhere else for that matter. All other lymph nodes that are easily detectable by touch on the outside of her body are completely normal in size, which is why this wasn't detected earlier. But, she has a softball size cluster in her stomach. I asked the doctor how long we would have if we didn't take the chemotherapy route; they told me 1 month. A single month of life left for my 3 year old baby girl. I contemplated not taking the chemo route before I knew she'd only have 1 month to live. But after I heard, I decided to immediately begin chemotherapy as the cancer was spreading really fast through her GI tract.

As of last night her first round of chemo is complete. She's feeling a lot less lethargic and much hungrier and energetic with her steroid prescription. Although she was given the easiest injection of chemo first, I'm hoping her responding well to the initial medication is a precursor for the rest of the treatment to come. It's nice to see her feeling a little better, but we have a long and difficult road ahead of us.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

Wishing you the best on navigating through this terrible disease. Fingers crossed for continued improvement!! I know you will get lots of support from people going through this or who have gone through this with their beloved family members.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

I am sorry. That is to young. There is someone on this forum who's dog I believe is going on a year. Your girl is young so she may suprise you.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

I'm very sorry you're going through this with such a young dog.


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## Parker16 (May 30, 2016)

I feel for you and Sadie. Although I wouldn't wish this on anyone, I feel very sad that she's so young with a lot more to experience in her precious life. Why does this happen?? I hope she continues to feel better with chemo. *hugs*


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## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

I am so sorry. I have dealt with hemangiosarcoma but not lymphoma so I have no advice but just good wishes.


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## dlmrun2002 (Mar 4, 2011)

So sorry to hear about Sadie. I swear she is a Golden that trips my trigger. So beautiful. It just freaks me out all these cancer stories. 1/2 year out losing my Golden girl Skye it's no wonder I haven't gotten a pup yet. I'll say a little prayer for your awesome Sadie.

dlm ny country


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## 4goldengirls (Jun 10, 2014)

I am so very sorry for you and your pup. She is much too young to have this diagnosis. Prayers and best wishes.


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## Dave S (Aug 11, 2016)

I'm sorry to hear about Sadie, especially at such a young age. She's a beautiful dog, I hope treatments go well and she beats that year estimate!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Sadie*



Ryn said:


> My Golden Retriever, Sadie from Gold-Rush Goldens in Princeton NJ was just diagnosed with Lymphoma 2 days after turning 3. Not sure how many other have dealt with Gold-Rush and have had similar experiences, but my heart is broken.
> 
> This was her yesterday, the day we found out she had lymphoma.
> 
> ...


Your Sadie is absolutely gorgeous and I am sorry to hear this news. I know many people on here have gone through lymphoma with their dogs. I hope people can share their experiences.


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## kansas gold (Oct 8, 2007)

Sorry to hear your news about your beautiful girl. My thoughts are with you and Sadie.


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

I am so sorry to hear about your Sadie  . She looks like a very sweet girl. We had a Gold Rush boy Cosmo that we lost to hemangiosarcoma at 8 YO. Unfortunately in our area there are a ton of Gold Rush dogs. A lot of my friends have had their dogs and have had similar stories. I'm just curious do you know who Sadies sire is? Try and take one day at a time and enjoy every moment with her


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## danoon58 (Jul 1, 2015)

Your Sadie is beautiful! I am so sorry for the horrible news. I hope the chemo works well and you have lots more time with her.


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## Ryn (May 2, 2014)

Thank you everyone for your warm wishes and prayers during this difficult time. I'll be sure to keep you all updated on this unfortunate journey we are now undergoing. 



LynnC said:


> I am so sorry to hear about your Sadie  . She looks like a very sweet girl. We had a Gold Rush boy Cosmo that we lost to hemangiosarcoma at 8 YO. Unfortunately in our area there are a ton of Gold Rush dogs. A lot of my friends have had their dogs and have had similar stories. I'm just curious do you know who Sadies sire is? Try and take one day at a time and enjoy every moment with her


Thank you and I'm sorry to hear about Cosmo. Gold Rush has really beautiful and wonderful dogs that unfortunately have a bit of a downfall. Sadie's sire is Gold Rush Troubadour (a.k.a. Tru) and the dam is Gold Rush Elsa, who is now retired and living in North Carolina. I was contemplating giving Anne/Amy a call to let her know about Sadie. I'm curious if any others in the Tru x Elsa 1/31/14 litter have developed cancer.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

I think you should let them know about Sadie. If I was a breeder, I would want to know.


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## ShadowGolden (Sep 4, 2012)

Ryn said:


> Thank you everyone for your warm wishes and prayers during this difficult time. I'll be sure to keep you all updated on this unfortunate journey we are now undergoing.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you and I'm sorry to hear about Cosmo. Gold Rush has really beautiful and wonderful dogs that unfortunately have a bit of a downfall. Sadie's sire is Gold Rush Troubadour (a.k.a. Tru) and the dam is Gold Rush Elsa, who is now retired and living in North Carolina. I was contemplating giving Anne/Amy a call to let her know about Sadie. I'm curious if any others in the Tru x Elsa 1/31/14 litter have developed cancer.


I am so sorry about your sweet Sadie. I would definitely call Gold Rush so they know. My Shadow is Gold Rush (from Gold Rush Happy Days x Gold Rush Forever Amber). 

Crossing paws for Sadie; she's young and she can be a fighter.


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## Yaichi's Mom (Jul 21, 2012)

I am beyond saddened and then very angry to read that another very young Golden is stricken with a fight with the demon cancer.

I am so sorry to read about the devastating diagnosis you have just received with your precious Sadie.

Please be strong...help her fight this...she is so, so young.

Please immediately change her diet...eliminate all carbohydrates.....cancer loves carbs and feeds on them. If you are able, move her to a totally biologically balanced appropriate diet ( preferably raw or home cooked, but it needs to be balanced)....no kibble no matter how "good" it is.

Please take some time to watch this:





Please eliminate anything that may be compromising and making her immune system weaker: flea/tick/heartworm medications and any other toxins you can think of.

No more vaccines. 

Read, read, google and attempt to find a holistic vet who can help guide you on this difficult journey.

My heart is with you on this journey you are on with your beloved Sadie. 

May you have many more years with your girl....


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## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

3 of our former goldens were Gold Rush Little Bear and Gold Rush Maggie. All three of them did die of cancer but they were 10 and 11 years old. 
My thoughts are with you during this awful time. Sadie is beautiful!


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## Ffcmm (May 4, 2016)

I'm so sorry you have to go through with this while she's so young, but i'm praying lady luck is on your side because of her age too, and i hope she beats the odds. It's horrible for any dog to have to go through cancer- even worse because she's so young and she ought to have much longer.

Wishing you and dear sadie all the best, keep fighting!


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

Ryn said:


> Thank you and I'm sorry to hear about Cosmo. Gold Rush has really beautiful and wonderful dogs that unfortunately have a bit of a downfall. Sadie's sire is Gold Rush Troubadour (a.k.a. Tru) and the dam is Gold Rush Elsa, who is now retired and living in North Carolina. I was contemplating giving Anne/Amy a call to let her know about Sadie. I'm curious if any others in the Tru x Elsa 1/31/14 litter have developed cancer.


I think you probably should call but I'm curious to see the response you get. When Cosmo suddenly died (he died 10 days from his diagnosis) I did call Gold Rush. Anne answered the phone and was very sweet but told me I should talk to Amy and gave me her phone #. When I called Amy she seemed very annoyed and basically told me Anne should retire and never should have given me her #(apparently it was her cell #) . She then told me almost 9 was practically the life span for goldens and eventually they all get cancer. She also wasn't interested to hear anything about Cosmo, didn't want to know his sire or dam. She then told me about her available puppies. After feeling a bit put off and doing a little research about Gold Rush I decided not to get another puppy there. I do think years ago they were a quality breeder but has been on the decline. I hope Sadie has many good days and responds well to her treatment. Good luck.


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## Otis-Agnes (Nov 24, 2015)

I'm so very very sorry for you and Sadie. Our Haylie was diagnosed with that at age 5 (we noticed her neck was extremly swollen). We took her for chemo every other week for a year. We were "lucky" that she loved her vet and loved going there. She lived a very happy additional year. Agnes


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## B and G Mom (Oct 29, 2014)

I really hope she continues to handle her treatments well and that she responds well to them. Keeping our fingers and paws crossed for her. So young, it's hard to hear, can't imagine how devastating it is for you.


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## Kalhayd (May 4, 2016)

I am so very sorry for Sadie's diagnosis. Much too young. Thinking of her and you.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Sadie*

I am so very sorry to hear that Sadie is ill. Please keep us posted and I will be praying for her.


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## swishywagga (Nov 13, 2012)

Sending positive thoughts and prayers to your beautiful Sadie.


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## Yaichi's Mom (Jul 21, 2012)

You may consider contacting the Keto Pet Sanctuary.

That have some remarkable success with dogs that have been abandoned for various cancers. Many of the cancers have been dramatically slowed from metastasis and many have been cured.

Keto Pet - Human-Grade Cancer Therapy for Dogs

https://www.facebook.com/KetoPet/






Ketogenic Diet To Treat Cancer In Dogs And Cats | Veterinary Secrets Blog with Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM

Could a Change in Diet Cure Your Dog?s Cancer? | Modern Dog magazine


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## Ryn (May 2, 2014)

Hi everyone, I figured I'd jump on and give you all an update. The past month of chemotherapy was proving to be quite successful, the softball mass inside of Sadie's stomach was shrinking and we were all relieved. Sadie was dealing with the ups and downs that come with the destruction of her cells and trying her best to tough it out. 

Unfortunately, this past week has gone in the opposite direction. The lymphoma, although confirmed to be B-cell(the better and less aggressive lymphoma) is proving to be _incredibly_ aggressive. It has already gained resistance to the chemo. 2 days ago I had noticed that Sadie's eyes had a slight shade of yellow to them and she was urinating orange. I took her to the hospital immediately to have an ultrasound done. My worst fears were confirmed, the cancer had begun to spread to vital organs. The size of the lymph nodes were slowly beginning to grow out of her stomach and into her liver. Sadie's life expectancy has dropped considerably, giving her only weeks to live(if we're lucky) with the continuation of treatments. My heart is so heavy and filled with sadness. Sadie means so much to me, she has been the light of my life for the past 3 years and I'll never be able to fully reciprocate the amount of _pure_ love and happiness she's brought to me, my family and everyone who knew her. I don't know what my life will be like without her. I always thought I'd be able to watch her grow old. I'd eventually get married & have children and I thought I'd always have my Sadie there watching and playing with the kids. I guess life had different plans for us.

Tonight is Sadie's second night staying at Oradell Animal Hospital. I went to visit her today in the afternoon and brought her some of her favorite foods as the doctors had been unsuccessful with getting her to eat. A baked potatoe(which she scarfed down), and a full chicken from Boston Market. I laid on the hospital floor with her in my lap, we stared at each other in the eyes. She was speaking to me through her eyes, I could feel the pain radiating out of them; it was like she was begging for help. I tried to compose myself, but it was just too hard. I told her how beautiful and strong she was and how I wished so hard that there was something I could do to make her better. I'd do anything to make her better. I told her that she was going to see Shannon(my little sister) and that she was going to take very good care of her.

When it was time to leave Sadie mustered up all the strength she could to stand up and walk to the door with me to go. She didn't want the doctors to take her back, she just wanted to come home with me. I knelt down and kissed her all over and promised her I'd be back tomorrow. It's for her own good that she stays the night one more time.

All the bitterness in the world couldn't take away from my Sadie's sweetness.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

I'm so very, very sorry. Spoil her rotten - and give her an extra chicken nugget from me. Hugs to you both.


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## swishywagga (Nov 13, 2012)

My heart breaks for you both, sending you hugs and prayers.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

{{ hugs }}

Love her gently while you can, and let her go peacefully when you must. I am so very sorry you are walking this path.


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## tikiandme (May 16, 2010)

I'm so very sorry about Sadie...hard to find words...


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## LeoTheGolden (May 10, 2016)

So very sorry about Sadie... It is heartbreaking ...


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## smp (Apr 27, 2016)

Hugs and well wishes from our Sadie to yours.


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## joro32000 (Feb 25, 2017)

I am reading your posts with tears in my eyes. Very unfair for Sadie and yourself, only 3 years old ans she is going through so much. I truly hope there will be a miracle and she pulls out of this.


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## B and G Mom (Oct 29, 2014)

My heart continues to break for you both. I'm so sorry that things have taken a turn for the worse. I hope she does a little better since you got her to eat. Poor sweet baby...


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## kansas gold (Oct 8, 2007)

My thoughts are with you during this heart wrenching time.


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## Otis-Agnes (Nov 24, 2015)

I'm sitting here at work crying for both of you. Agnes


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Ryn*

My heart is breaking for you and Sadie!


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## brianne (Feb 18, 2012)

3 years old. This is just so wrong! 

Sending prayers to you and Sadie for comfort and more quality time together.


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

I am so sorry for what you and Sadie are going through. She is so young and this is all so unfair!! I hope she was able to come home with you so you can snuggle together!! Thoughts and prayers are with you!!


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

I'm so sorry for what Sadie and you are going through


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## alphadude (Jan 15, 2010)

So very sorry to hear of Sadie's illness,especially at such a young age. Cancer SUCKS!

On a related note, I would be EXTREMELY angry if I called the breeder of my dog that had developed cancer at 3 years old and was treated rudely like that. 

From what I've read online, they have a less than stellar reputation since the daughter took over the operation. Lots of pups bred that are dying of cancer extremely young.


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

I am so, so sorry to read about your sweet Sadie. Such a sad, sad news, brought me to tears. It is not fair, she is so young and I know how much she means to you. Sending hugs and love and praying for a miracle.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

So sorry to hear about Sadie's illness.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

Thinking of you and Sadie. Lost my Smooch 7 years ago.


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## MagsFabre (May 25, 2017)

I am so very sorry to hear about Sadie. It is so hard to go through, especially so young. Our Maggie was diagnosed on January 5 with lymphoma. We opted to not to chemotherapy and we just lost her this past Saturday, May 20. She was only 4.5 years old.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your Maggie. 4.5 is way too young to lose a dog to such a horrible disease.


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