# Does anyone have any idea how many goldens have had cancer here on GRF in the last yr



## iansgran (May 29, 2010)

I know there is a scientific study about this--someplace to report, but don't remember where I saw it. Perhaps here on the forum? My Subiaco died from osteosarcoma in May.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

It does seem like a lot. It would be interesting to know how many are active members and how many just found the forum because of the fact that their dog was sick.

The Great Pyrenees Club of America asks for all Pyr owners to document with them their dogs, any diseases or problems their dogs had, and the age and cause of death. I wonder if the GRCA has something similar?


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

They probably do. I know K9 data does. but it's voluntary.

It is just so tragic and I'd like us as a group who loved their dogs to find some good ways to help fight this disease. I plan to donate to CU and Morris as well as K9Cancer.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Our two old goldens died of cancer (Sam in late 2007 and then Danny in mid 2009). 

Sammy's death blindsided us, as he left us suddenly and shortly before Christmas. As we then knew the warning signs, we were a bit more prepared for Danny's who went peacefully. Both guys lived long, full, and happy lives, so we had no regrets.

My point is that golden owners need to be aware of all of the warning signs and react when they show. It isn't just feeling for lumps. It's also subtle changes that only an owner would recognize. My vet said that they trust the instincts of owners, because they generally know when something isn't right with their dogs even if there aren't any clinical signs. Oh, but there are plenty of other clinical signs too. 

Maybe you can't save your dog from cancer, but at least you can ensure that they do not suffer. And if all of your memories of your dog's ending days are mostly happy ones, then that is something you can live with. There is nothing worse than watching your dog slowly die and not doing enough to ease that pain or end it.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

I can't imagine anyone watching their dog dying slowly and not doing enough to ease their pain or end it?

Yes, we all need to know the warning signs but some cancers are **** sneaky. This one was. We had no sign until Selka began to limp the week before. If we had taken him in the day after he began to limp, they probably wouldn't have taken xrays and would have said to rest it etc.and come back if it didn't get better , which is what we did. By then he had the telltale lump on his shoulder.

I will fight til there is a cure for this rotten disease. Until we wipe it off the face of the earth.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Deb, the Golden Retriever Foundation does alot of research and support. It's one I like to donate to. http://goldenretrieverfoundation.org/


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

How many GRF members have lost a dog or dogs to cancer, or currently have a diagnoses of cancer right now?


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Are we taking a roll call? 1)Me.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Debles said:


> I can't imagine anyone watching their dog dying slowly and not doing enough to ease their pain or end it?


I think it depends...? 

Sometimes you have people who put their dogs through a lot of surgeries and treatments to 'save' them, and prolong their dogs suffering a few extra months. 

On one hand, I know it helps the people who aren't ready to say goodbye yet. Heck, with Danny we put him into surgery because we wanted those few extra months with him. He did not wake up after the surgery, and in retrospect I suspect it was better that way. We never saw him the way we had to see our first golden. 

With our first golden we had the joy of keeping him six more months after he got the death sentence (renal failure)... but the pictures of him during those months tell a completely different story. I think he was suffering a good portion of that time. It's something that has always hurt me, especially as he was my first boy.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Penny & Maggie's Mom said:


> Deb, the Golden Retriever Foundation does alot of research and support. It's one I like to donate to. http://goldenretrieverfoundation.org/



DUH, I knew that Betty. Slipped my mind.


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## Jackson'sMom (Oct 13, 2007)

My Gage died of cancer, probably hemangiosarcoma. I had taken him to the vet in October because he suddenly starting pooping much more than usual (I will withhold the other, more graphic details). He got a clean bill of health, and blood work was normal. In January, he collapsed while I was taking him for a walk. We took him to the emergency vet, who determined that his abdomen was full of blood. X-rays, MRI and surgery determined that the cancer had spread and there was nothing to be done. We were totally blindsided by his sudden death.


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

Erin had a cancerous tumor removed in Dec. She is still with me but I am afraid the tumor may be coming back. We go to the vet tomorrow, but I really don't want to know. I lost JOY to cardiac Hemangiosarcoma back in June. JOY had never been sick a day in her life and even though she had just turned 12, she acted more like 6. Hadn't started slowing down one bit. My first 3 dogs all died of old age at 15, 17 and 15. My last 4 died of cancer.


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

Claire's Friend said:


> Erin had a cancerous tumor removed in Dec. She is still with me but I am afraid the tumor may be coming back. We go to the vet tomorrow, but I really don't want to know. I lost JOY to cardiac Hemangiosarcoma back in June. JOY had never been sick a day in her life and even though she had just turned 12, she acted more like 6. Hadn't started slowing down one bit. My first 3 dogs all died of old age at 15, 17 and 15. My last 4 died of cancer.


Good luck with your vet visit tomorrow. Beau and I will be thinking positive thoughts.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

A related question would be, has anyone on this forum that has had multiple Goldens in their lifetime NOT had any die of some form of cancer??


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

I've had four golden or goldenX's in the last 8ish years. They were all older rescues. My third one died from liver cancer. Based on what I know now, it was probably hemangiosarcoma.

When copper had his spleen removed (02/2009) I thought his odds were 50/50. All his tumors were benign(spleen, stomach and lipoma that day) and I now know what a miracle that was. The vet said that in a golden, the chance of it being cancer is more like 9/10. I've heard that from other vets since then.


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## esSJay (Apr 13, 2009)

cubbysan said:


> It does seem like a lot. It would be interesting to know how many are active members and how many just found the forum because of the fact that their dog was sick.
> 
> The Great Pyrenees Club of America asks for all Pyr owners to document with them their dogs, any diseases or problems their dogs had, and the age and cause of death. I wonder if the GRCA has something similar?


There is the Open Health Registry that can be linked through K9Data pedigrees where only the owner or breeder can add/edit any information about that particular dog. 


In my personal experience my family has lost 1 of our 3 deceased dogs to lymphoma at 4½ years old. The other 2 were PTS for other health reasons (old age, arthritis/joints, etc.). We currently have 3.5 yr. old Skoker and 1.5 yr old Molson who are both cancer free so far. 

ETA: I just searched Molson's pedigree page for the OHR link and it appears to be gone. I also tried a google search for the OHR and nothing came up - anyone know what happened to it?


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## 2golddogs (Oct 19, 2009)

We lost Sundance in Nov 2008 to hemangio. No signs, just suddenly collapsed. I donate to the Morris Animal Foundation.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I also wonder how many golden owners had a hunch or an intuition that led to a vet visit and a clean bill of health, when cancer was really there. This happened to our Acadia- I just knew something was wrong, but she had a clean physical. She died two weeks later. 

When I search k9data's honorifics and COD for Hemangiosarcoma, it makes me feel physically sick. It's hard to get statistics bc some people write "cancer", some the specific type, and some nothing at all. Even if you just search "Honorifics" for "COD" the Osteosarcoma, Hemangiosarcoma, and Lymphoma etc are very sobering.


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## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

This doesn't apply to in the last year but your post prompted me.

My first golden got fibrosarcoma in Nov 2007. It was noticed immediately. It was stage 2. He had surgery and the vet was able to get clear margins. Problem solved. We thought we were proactive and had continued vet exams and blood work taken every 4 months. Nov 2008 rolls around and the exam and blood test came back all clear. Two weeks later he died of Hemiomangiosarcoma. We can be proactive as possible and when their time is up it is up.  When I say this I don't mean we shouldn't be proactive, that we shouldn't try to do all things possible, as some of our dogs make it through this disease and if those owners hadn't pulled out all the stops those dogs would not have made it. But those that don't know until right before don't feel bad sometimes there just isn't any warning signs. 
We just need to love them while we have them and give them the happiest and healthiest life that we can.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

2 Goldens, 2 deaths to Hemangiosarcoma. In both cases we saw the vet within minutes of the first symptoms. Our first golden woke up lethargic and not wanting to move. We lost him 2 weeks later when his surgeon called during his splenectomy to tell us it was so advanced he wouldn't live the week. We let him go on the table rather than let him suffer for just a few more days. This was in 2004 and it took that long to get a sonogram and then a surgery. Our second golden (Barkley) collapsed on a morning walk this January. He was the picture of health. He collapsed 5 days before his annual exam. He lived for 3.5 months post diagnosis, all but the last week very good days. His splenectomy happened about 24 hours after his collapse. Barkley donated a blood sample to the Canine Cancer Consortium that is asking for blood and/or tissue samples of dogs diagnosed with one of 5 different cancers including hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, melanoma and osteosarcoma. Hopefully this research will provide some clues about canine cancer. 

Our first golden's acupuncture vet said that many vets refer to goldens as tumor factories. How sad.


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## ChiPack (Jan 22, 2010)

I lost a golden to cancer in January...our dear sweet Wembley. She was only seven. It was very sudden. One day she was fine, the next day she nearly fell down the steps. She had the worst possible diagnosis with liver cancer that spread to the brain, but we did chemo anyway. She only lived about seven weeks after her diagnosis. I am sorry to all here who have lost their goldens, or any other dog, to this vicious disease!


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## Jackson'sMom (Oct 13, 2007)

I heard recently from a woman, very knowledgeable about all things canine, that she asked the chief of vet oncology at a major vet teaching hospital whether he thought the addition of genetically engineered corn in many (less expensive) dog foods is a test by the pet food companies to determine whether such corn is safe. His answer, without missing a beat, was "Definitely.' She, and he, believe that may be one reason for so much cancer in dogs. Tia is on a grain-free diet and Mila eats a reduced-calories premium food, so corn isn't an issue for my girls. But I do wonder whether genetically engineered foods contribute to the high rate of cancer in dogs.


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## 58loosy (Apr 18, 2010)

Sweet Breezy osteosarcoma March of 09'. 
sweet Ginger liver cancer '98. They both lived to be 12, of course I would have loved many more years with them, there 12 yrs. were filled with love. Now we have Lucy she just turned 1 yr.


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## Allie (Nov 30, 2008)

Allie was treated for Chrondosarcoma in January 2010. So far, so good.

The cancer could be laying dormant - the doctors say her life span will be cut short due to her cancer.

This cancer scares me. They got it all, but who knows? It breaks my heart!


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

My heart breaks. So much loss and sadness. ((((((((hugs)))))))))))


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## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

We have have had 6 goldens. My first pancreatic cancer in 1992, second cancer of the lungs(suspect hemangioscaroma) 2002, third hemangiosarcoma 2005, our last loss 2009, cancer in the lungs. We have our two babies now and I pray every day that cancer will not take them.


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