# cancer symptoms



## Rob's GRs

*Hemangiosarcoma*

My Lyndi was about 8 and a half years old and had hemangiosarcoma on the heart. 
At first I noticed about 4 weeks prior to her final day on Earth she was acting a little sore in her back and neck area. Often Lyndi would also sit down if I took her outside late at night as if she did not have the energy to walk out in the yard to go to the bathroom. I had a complete check up and blood work done up to check everything and all was good with that. So the Vet gave me some pain pills to try and we started to treat for possible arthritis starting in her back and/or neck. As the weeks went on things did not improve with her movements. About 3 days prior to having her put to sleep I noticed she was starting to look very uncomfortable lying down now. I called the vets and we switched to a different pain med. Well 48 hours laters she could no longer lay down and I could tell she had trouble breathing if she did. I called the vets and they had me bring her in the first thing in the morning for another evaluation. At the vets the next morning they then decided to do a chest X-ray. They took 4 X-rays and none of them were very clear. This they thought was do to possible fluid in the chest cavity. They want to trying taking some fluids from the chest cavity, when they did they found a lot in there. At the time they could not see on the X-ray what could be causing all this fluids in the chest cavity but all the prognosis's they gave me were all not good. They also thought the back and neck pain we thought she was having a few weeks prior was probably the beginning of fluid starting to accumulate in her chest cavity. Well there was no way I could have had Lyndi suffer anymore like she was with this fluid in her chest cavity, and since all prognosis were grim I made the decision right there to let her go and not to suffer another day. About two hours after letting Lyndi cross the bridge the vets called me to let me know that they did a necropsy on Lyndi and found a "fist size" tumor (hemangiosarcoma) on her heart. They then assured me that I did the right thing in letting her go and now had the answer to what was causing all the symptoms that started from a few weeks back.


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## AquaClaraCanines

These signs were apparent in all three dogs I can think of in my life that definitely died of cancer:

Loss of appetite
Decrease in coat quality

One dog actually got visable tumors all over her body! I was only nine. It was horrible, and I still recall it clearly. She was already diagnosed and under care, though. We put her down before she got really sick acting. One of the only things I am still mad at my parents for in my whole life is not letting me sit with her when she was put to sleep. Her eyes as they dragged her to the back of the vet still make me upset, 20 years later.


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## Jackson'sMom

Gage was 12 or so when he lost interest in eating. Three days later, he collapsed while on a walk. I took him to the emergency vet (on a Saturday) and we did x-rays that showed fluid in his abdomen. He also looked distended when he was lying on the floor, and his gums were gray rather than pink. A CT scan didn't provide much more information, although the vet suspected cancer as the cause of the bleeding. A surgeon was called in to open him up and try to find out what was going on. She deemed the situation "hopeless" and said she found a tumor on his abdominal wall (the source of the bleeding), on his liver, intestines and lymph node. We decided that he would not wake up from the anesthesia, to spare him post-op pain and suffering.

I had taken Gage to the vet 2 months previously because he was pooping excessively and the poop was always very mushy. She didn't find anything abnormal and blood test results were fine. I suspect that the cause of the changes in his bowel movements was the cancer, but that's just my speculation.

The vet believed Gage had either hemangiosarcoma (my guess) or lymphoma. We did not have a necropsy done.


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## Meggie'sMom

The only thing I noticed about Meggie was swollen lymphnodes under her neck. Very prevalent - other than that she was her happy bouncy hungry self.


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## Debles

I am taking Selka in next week to have all his lipomas checked. I am always worried one of them may not be fatty. I am also having his thyroid panel done just because he's almost 10.


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## sasha's mum

HI 
I have just found out my old boy Saxon has a cancerous lump on his neck, only found it on new years day, cant be operated on, so now it is a waiting game, but to look at him you would never believe it, hes fine, nothing at all has changed, yet, we also now have a 4month old pup, so maybe she is keeping him going, who knows, he is 14 so hes done so well, but im dreading the parting, have had another retiever that made it to just before 12, again cancer, but his was very bad


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## bb'smom

Boomer was fine...no symptoms until I noticed what I thought was a fatty tumor on his flank and two little bumps under his "armpits" Needle Biopsies were ambivalent, but more bumps sprung up in just a few days. Vet did a chest x-ray before surgery to remove the largest lump to biopsy and couldn't see a thing because he was so filled with fluid. Did a cardiac untrasound and snipped some tissue from what appeared to be a mass in the chest cavity. Malignant hemiangisarcoma was the result...that was first week of Dec., put him on Lasix and wait...while letting him do whatever he wants. Took him in Monday-chest x-ray is clear but rear ankles are swollen. Continues to eat and p&p-sleeps a great deal but always ready to go to the park!


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## tannernoodle

Tanner always had this solid hard mass on his backside. The vet said it was just muscle, we thought so too. He loved it when I'd massage it. Then one day he had a hard time getting up and down, which was usual with his bad back and legs...he started separating himself from us, not wanting to come inside when it was freezing out, not able to get up at all, phanting and not eating anything I put in front of him. Mass on his side was more obvious and hard as a rock. Took him to the vet that night and she thought maybe he fell but his white blood cells were really high and he was anemic. Xray showed a mass. Chose to operate and they called and told me he was full of tumors and they were twisted around his kidney worse than they've ever seen  We put him down  We hardly had any warnings...


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## Dallas Gold

Our Beau was 13 when he started to cough a lot. We had him checked out but nothing was discovered. 6 months later he woke up one morning (7/1) and had no interest in moving or eating. We were at the vets by 8 a.m. and they did a full set of x-rays and blood work. They saw spots all over the abdomen and lungs and tumors in his belly. He also had an enlarged spleen. We were told he most likely had cancer so a sonogram was scheduled. Due to the 4th of July weekend we didn't get in to the oncologist until 7/8. We nursed him during the interim and finally he rallied to the point he wanted to take walks again. The oncologist recommended a spleenectomy and exploratory surgery. On 7/14 we took a happy boy who felt a lot better for his surgery. We left him at 10. At 10:30 we got the dreaded call--advanced hemangiosarcoma so far advanced they weren't sure he would make it another day. They suggested we not wake him up. It was a devastating call, although we were prepared for the cancer diagnosis. 
To answer your questions--our symptoms were coughing, lethargy, lack of appetite, and our other golden spending every second with our ailing golden--previously they kept a respectful distance from one another. They had only been siblings 5 short months. I took our other baby's concern and desire to stick by his sibling's side as a huge sign something was definitely wrong. I believe other dogs sense when things are not right with other animals.


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## JohnTIZ

Symptoms? First symptom was a week before she died, but we didn't recognize it as a cancer symptom. Maggie suddenly acted lethargic and listless, walked up to "mommy" with a worried look on her face (that usually meant she had to throw up). So I took her outside, whereupon she promptly retreated into a corner of the yard and sat facing away from me in a trance-like state! We immediately took her to the emergency/after-hours vet. By the time we got there, she was full of piss and vinegar, rallied, and checked out fine. She did however weigh five pounds less than the spring, but weight fluctuations were not unusual for her, so 85 down to 80 didn't alarm us. Second episode was a couple days later; and once again just a few hours then she mysteriously snapped right out of it. The emergency vet suggested we observe her gait and behavior and seemed to suspect seizures. The third time was really bad though - she couldn't move an inch, not even to raise her pretty head. She seemed to struggle with breathing. We tried helping her into a stand position but she just collapsed onto the floor again. I had to carry her out to the car and again into the vet's office. As I put her collar on that day, I realized then something was really wrong: It was so loose. As it turned out, she had lost ANOTHER five pounds that week. 

All this in spite of being playful, rambunctious, and eating her normal ration of food. As a matter of fact, on her last night, we were late feeding her and she came into the living room giving us attitude like she always did if supper was late, LOL. She even played tug-o-war with her mate, Terky, earlier in the day. Aside from her gradual weight loss that we failed to notice, there wasn't much by way of obvious symptoms. The cancer - like many - was so aggressive that even if we had clued in a week earlier, she was apparently terminal by that time. It just turned out that in the previous minor episodes the bleeds were small and clotted up. On her last day, a large tumour ruptured and that was the end the line. From what I've read and heard from people in the know, this type of cancer usually doesn't present itself until the crisis stage. 

Sorry for this being so long. I can understand why anyone who has a healthy golden would be worried about symptoms. No one wants to go through this. And I don't know if there's a practical screening program for cancer in dogs? So sad.


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## Ljilly28

Raleigh's story was lots like JohnTIZ above. Raleigh was his usual intrepid self, but lost five pounds inexplicably, and then another five. He had two spells of staggering weakness totally out of character, and each time I rushed him to the vet, and they though he had a seizure though he never had before or a heart condition bc he had developed a murmer that hadnt been there the first eleven years. . Then he started losing weight steadily, and I was terrified- I just knew. Sure enough, Xray/untrasound showed hamangiosarcoma of the spleen, and about 12 to 24 hours before it would burst. I held him in my arms, sang him his favorite song, and let him go before there was a bleed out. It was awful to see him lose that weight no matter what I fed him. I know I have to keep Tally, Tango, and Finn fit& lean for their best health, but it's hard for me if they get a pound or two under during the summer when they exercise tons. Something in my brain connects it with Raleigh's weight loss, and I get scared.


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## NuttinButGoldens

I've been through this 3 times so far 

Rusty, 10 years old - Was fine in the morning. Ate breakfast, played tenne-ball, never showed a symptom. Came home from work and he was down in the middle of the living room floor. Local vet came with a gurney and helped me get him into the car so we could get him to the emergency room. Emergency room took an x-ray and found a massive tumor in his chest. We never had any warning with him.

Nikita, 8 years old - Found a small mass-cell tumor on her upper gum during a normal exam. No symptoms had ever presented. It was removed, and they said if she makes it 6 mo she will be fine. At 6 mo and 3 days, she developed an egg-shaped tumor on her tummy. It was mass-cell as well. It was removed. There must have been another one somewhere we didn't know about because in 2 weeks she broke out all over with tumors. Nothing more we could do at that point. Until we found the original tumor during the normal exam, we never had a clue. No symptoms at all.

Comet, 10 years old, 2 weeks ago - Turned 12 on the 29th of December, and stopped eating a around that time. He's had an upset tummy before, so we treated conservatively using bland diet, syringe feeding, etc... He was still fairly active and happy. He would tend to go out the dog door and lye on the concrete patio though instead of staying inside where he is warm. On the following Wednesday I noticed his breathing was shallow and quick. I dropped him off at the Vet Thursday morning for x-rays. Then the call came  Lung Cancer, and nothing we could do for him.


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## goldenluver

My Shana's systems were not jumping onto our bed at night, would stand in the middle of my room at night and wouldn't lay down. She also pooped in my room which she never did since she was a pup. A few times she was trying to throw up but nothing came up except bio (sp) We brought her to the vets several times and all the tests came back normal. She also wouldn't eat her food but she would eat people food. We all thought she had some bug but the last vet visit showed different because when he touched her side/stomach she winced so he took x-rays. It showed that she had a mass but had to wait for radiologist to see if it was cancerous. When we got home and I took her out she just stood in the grass and wouldn't move. She started to try to throw up again and blew up like a balloon. I called the vet and they told me to take her to the animal hospital and they'll send her x-rays over. When we got there they took her immediately and got her on oxygen because she was stressing which was causing her to bloat and they were concerned of stomach twisting. The doctor said it was a cancer mass and we chose to operate. My DH and I went to see her before we left not knowing that would be our last time seeing her. We had so much hope but the next morning when they were in the middle of surgery she went into cardio arrest and we chose to put her to sleep because even if she made it through the surgery it was unlikely she would live more than a day and we couldn't put her through that. The whole family went down there to say our last goodbyes ( even though she was already gone) and had a viewing. My DH is still feeling guilty to this day because he promised her he would see her the next morning after surgery. Even though it's been 4 yrs since she crossed the bridge I still have trouble talking about it without tears. So basically her systems were, wouldn't lay down, trying to throw up, and not interested in her food. Oh her tumor was wrapped around her heart. The surgeon said it was an aggressive cancer which happened very suddenly and quickly. Does anyone know what type of cancer it is when it's wrapped around the heart because the surgeon didn't say and we were a mess and didn't think of asking him.


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## Ljilly28

Shana might have had hemangiosarcoma of the heart, which fits your description


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## cubbysan

I have been through this twice.

With Nikki a 10 year old GSD, it wasn't very obvious. About six weeks earlier, I was in the back yard with her and she rolled on her back and screamed in pain. She got up and was fine. She did it again later. I had my husband bring her to the vet, and they could find nothing wrong. A few weeks later, I even boarded her at the vet, for about ten days, while we were on vacation. She was fine, but she came home with meds for a UTI, because they said there was blood in her urine. The first week back she was fine, then the second week my then 8 year old kept saying that Nikki was shrinking. What she meant was, Nikki was not carrying her head as high as normal. I kept noticed she was laying around more than usual. My husband did not believe me that something was wrong. Then by day 5, my neighbor actually came and knocked on my door to ask me what was wrong with her. Now I knew I sensed something.

I took her to the vets that day, she had gained 5 lbs since she was boarded not even 2 weeks earlier. The vet felt water all in her abdomin. They did the blood work, and ultrasound. She had it in her spleen and lungs. We said good bye to her on that day, the vet had told us we would have to be very aggressive and fast in our decision.

My other GSD, also was 10, we did not have time to determine if it really was cancer, but everything pointed in that direction.

I came home from work, and he was in his kennel, and would not stand up until I actually went to it to talk to him. I just attributed it to getting old. Later I went to bring him in the house, and he collapsed on me, and stayed on the ground long enough for me to bring my the other dog I had in my other hand in the house. I thought he died. I went back out, and was able to get him to his feet, and he had no strength to walk. I actually had to carry him up my stairs and into the house. I brought him in and then he seemed fine. I fed him, and he ate. It was 11:00 at night, so I waited the next morning to call the vets. In the morning, he did not want to go outside. I finally brought him out, and he peed syrupy blood. I checked his gums, they were white. I will never forget that.

The vet said he was bleeding internally, he spleen did not look good. We held on through the day, waiting for the blood work to come back, but we let him go before he bled to death on his own.


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## goldenluver

Ljilly28 said:


> Shana might have had hemangiosarcoma of the heart, which fits your description


 Thank you. Shana was my first golden and I didn't know much about cancer in goldens until after I got Shianna and reading about it on here.


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## goldenluver

I am sitting here with tears in my eyes while reading all of your stories and feel so sad.


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## amy22

My sweet girl Sandy was 12. She had a seizure in the middle of the night in the beginning of Dec 2006. It was a huge one. We rushed her to the emergency vet, but by that time, she was fine. We took her to the regular vet in the morning and they examined her and did bloodwork. Everything was fine. We talked about epilepsy...she would have tiny ones on and off and for a few weeks so the vet put her on phenobarbatal and she was fine. We drove to FL from GA for Christmas and she was fine except for getting up in the night and whining to go out, but it was not like her to get up and whine, just figured it was because she was old..she looked like she was trying to go to the bathroom but couldnt. I called our vet and they said to take her to a vet there to see if she had a UTI..she did not. But this continued for the time we were in FL. We got home and everything was ok until mid Jan. We have an invisible fence, but Sandy never even wore the collar because she NEVER left the yard. Well I was home one day and I let her out...she was out for a while, which was not like her and I went out front to get her and she was not there ...I called and called her and my daughter drove all over the neighborhood calling her name, asking people if they saw her...we could not find her. Afte about 2 hours someone called and said Sandy was in their yard. This was about a 1/2 mile from our house..we had driven down that street..when we got there she did not even seem happy to see us..she walked toour SUV and I picked her up and put her in...she just slept the whole night and seemed fine the next morning. On Feb 1 it was may daughter's birthday and we went out that night and when we got home Sandy had pooped in the family room..VERY unlike her and she was whining again. I took her back to the vet...another exam and more bloodwork..everything looked ok. Well, she started crying alot on Feb13 2007. I took her back to the vet and she did an exray. Poor Sandy had a huge mass on her liver...the vet now thought that her seizures were cause by cancer going to her brain from this tumor. She gave us some pain meds and said there was really nothing she could do, but if the pain pills made her comfortable we could just keep her on them. Well they didnt help and sandy refused to eat or drink the next day Feb 14..I decided I would try to get her to eat and drink and get her to feel better..but it didnt help so on Feb 15 I called the vet and told her that we needed to send her to the bridge. So Feb 16 2007 I took her to the vet and layed with her as she went to the Bridge. It was the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life and I am crying as I type this..but it was the right thing to do for her and I was strong because she was my girl and I love her more than anything. 
So those aere the symptoms she experienced. I was told that sometimes when dogs are ready to go, they leave their family and find a place alone to die. I think thats what Sandy did when she wondered away.
I have Misty now, but I still miss Sandy every day....
Thanks for asking about this...in a way it was good for me to tell the story.


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## goldenluver

Ljilly28 said:


> Shana might have had hemangiosarcoma of the heart, which fits your description


 I do remember the surgeon saying something like it started in her stomach wall but hard to remember it well after what we went through.


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## Sucker For Gold

We have been through this twice.

With our german shepherd the first symptoms started in November 1999. He was 12. He would go outside just fine, but did not want to walk up the four outside steps to come back inside. In December we took him to the vet and nothing was found. My wife thought maybe it was arthritus related, so the vet put him on anti-inflammatories. One day in December I cam home and found several small piles of poop in the dining room....Max never ever did that, but we just blew it off as a very isolated accident. Then on Feb 13th 2000 we got up in the morning and let him out. He came back inside and laid down in the living room and stayed there all day. By early evening, my wife leashed him, made him get up and took him outside. Once outside he layed down on the sidewalk and refused to get up. We took him to the Emergency vet as it was a Sunday, and the vet palpitated what he believed was a mass on his liver. When we brought him home he was still wagging his tail and would eat just fine if we hand fed him. Monday morning we took him to our regular vet who confirmed the findings, hemangiosarcoma. The vet believed that he would not survive long and that there was nothing we could do at that point so we had him put down.

Our second experience was our golden Rusty. As early as March 2008 we noticed that he was beginning to slow down a bit. The vet believed it was due to just getting older. He had just turned 8. By late summer, when we would come home, he would not always greet us at the door (he was emphatic greeter) and at times he had no interest in his dog food, but would eat other food. Then in November he got infected anal glands and began a very quick slide down hill. He began coughing, had problems getting up and down, paced contantly, would not ask to go out, and seemed confused at times. A return trip to the vet gave us no real answers. Complete blood work was down and the only abnormalities were slighlty elevated sodium/potassium which did not concern the vet. The vet thought the problem might be muskuloskeletal and put him on prednisone. The result was remarkable.....for a week we had our dog back. After a week or so we weened him off the prednisone and declined once again. So the vet put him back on the Prednisone. This was right around Christmas. By now he was having good days and bad days, even on the pred. By the time January rolled in we decided that we needed to look at some other options and on 1/8 the vet suggested ultrasound. The results were devistating. A fist sized tumor on the heart and spots on the spleen. The vet said nothing could be done and that perhaps we should leave him on the prednisone to make him comfortable. Late Friday (9th) he began having a light brown diarrhea which continued on Saturday. Sunday morning the diarrhea was black. It was an obvious GI bleed, I would assume from the Pred. We took him to the emrgency vet with a sample of feces, who suggested we change his diet (***??). About the same time, Rusty let loose about a cup of almost pure blood right in front of the vet. I wondered if he thought a diet change would still do my dog any good. I can't really tell you what transpired over the next 20 minutes. I was angry that the treatment option was a change in diet. I was devistated, because I knew what was about to happen. We let him go. A few days later we talked to our own vet and while he would not confirm I am assuming the heart tumor and spots on the liver were probably hemangiosarcoma.


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## hotel4dogs

Thanks for all the replies. I know it was hard for some of you to share your sad stories.
I just feel as the owner of 2 geriatric goldens I want to be totally aware of any early signs or symptoms that might help me identify a cancer in my dogs as soon as possible so that, if there is any treatment, I can pursue it. I don't want to be saying, "if only I had known....."
Thanks again


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## my4goldens

Our first golden, Jake was 8 years old, started having seizures. We did some testing, thought it might be his thyroid, wasn't that though, treated with phenobarbital, later into it he started walking around in circles, finally one day collapsed in the yard. Vet had told us it was probably brain cancer. We didn't do an MRI early in his illness, I wish we had now, not that it would have changed anything but at least I would have know what we were dealing with. When he collapsed we rushed him to the vet, but nothing more to be done, so the vet euthanized him for us, brought him home and we buried him by the barn. He was a good dog, I hate cancer. Have known far too many goldens gone now with that terrible disease.


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## hotel4dogs

Donna, I love your descriptions of your dogs!


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## Murphy1029

Rufus was 9 when he died of hemangiosarcoma of the spleen. The first symptom (which I didnt know was a symptom at the time) was that he was having reservations of jumping off our bed. A few weeks later he stopped eating his food, which was not uncommom as was he went through picky stages but he did eat his cookies and rawhides. Called the vet and they said I shouldnt worry since he was still eating something and drinking water. The last symptom was when we woke up to him urinating in our bathroom, something he never did. I called again to bring him in and by the time we got him there he couldnt walk and his breathing wasnt good. The vet came into the room and looked at his gums. He shook his head and said it didnt look good as Rufus was bleeding internally. We ordered a belly tap and an xray and that confirmed there was blood in his belly along with a mass. We asked if they can go an ultrasound to be sure so we can make the best decision and they ordered for the next day. We went home that night taking everything in and trying to decide what our next move would be. That next move never came, he passed during the night. I'm happy we didn't have to choose....his final gift to us.


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## amy22

I hope its ok..I wanted to add a picture of my girl Sandy


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## hotel4dogs

oh, how stunning. What a gorgeous girl.




amy22 said:


> I hope its ok..I wanted to add a picture of my girl Sandy


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## amy22

Thanks! She was my sweet girl! Best dog I ever had....Misty is great too...dont get me wrong, but Sandy was one in a trillion! I still miss her.....Thanks for the compliment


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## Tanya848

I know this was an old thread..But I saw it and really wanted to post on it. Your stories have brought a tear to my eye. 
I was blessed to have 2 golden retrievers, Jake and Copper. Copper is now 10, turning 11 in July...but we lost Jake last year, right before his 10th birthday.

Jake was a very happy, playful dog. He lived to play...He was always causing trouble in some way...stealing toilet paper, moving the couch pillows onto the floor, or playing with his toys. He was a great dog. Extremely intelligent, and if you were upset he would lie with you for hours until you felt better. We used to nap together, curled up on the couch. 

We never found out what Jake had. All I know is that it came on aggressively, and he went downhill incredibly quickly. One night, after being his usual playful self, he made a coughing sound. It sounded like he had swallowed something...but he couldn't bring it up. This happened a few times that night, and my parents decided to take him to the vets the next day. The doctor wasn't sure so he took some chest xrays, and ran some tests. 

In the meantime, the cough worsened. Jake would cough up bile, and it would persist from morning through to the night. He often looked exhausted - he began to play less and less. The vet told us that he likely had heart problems, as the chest x-ray showed a build up of fluid in his lungs. The doctor prescribed some heart medication and other medication to prevent fluid build up - he thought Jake would succumb to heart failure, but was hoping that the medication would show signs of improvement, and maybe help his quailty of life for the time being. 

However, the coughing continued. Jake stopped eating his food, and would rarely drink water. He often looked uncomfortable - there were times when he would pace, almost looking like he wanted to get away from what was bothering him. He spent most of the remaining time sleeping, and he stopped playing altogether, which was heartbreaking for us. 

We decided to put him down. We brought our family, and Copper along with us. He was a great dog and I think about him everyday. Before he was sick, he was a tall, slender dog weighing about 85 pounds - a big golden. When we put him down he was 67 pounds. 

His brother Copper, (they are from the same litter) was sick last night. My mother heard a similar cough from him this morning. I'm frightened at the thought that he may have what Jake did. Though, it makes me feel better to tell this story but sad that there are so many like mine out there. 
I'll never forget Jake - I like to think of him as an angel in heaven, running around and playing the way he used too.


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## amy22

I am so very sorry to hear aobut the loss of Jake, its heartbreaking, I know....please let us know how Copper is doing..sending lots of prayers


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## hotel4dogs

I'm glad to see this thread revived, it's always good to remind people of the subtle first warning signs of cancer in our dogs.
Is that Jake or Copper in the photo? He's very handsome, love the face!


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## Laurie

I'm also glad to see this thread revived....my Reno is going to be 10 in June and it's helpful to have been able to read all of your stories (which have made me cry).....too heartbreaking to lose them this way. I just want to be able to identify any issues that might arise with him (especially)...although he appears very healthy and happy (but guess that can change quickly based on some of your experiences).

So sorry for the losses of your babies!!


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## NuttinButGoldens

*Rusty and Comet*

Fine one day, down for the count the next. Rusty passed the very first day he had symptoms. I went to work. He ate breakfast, was as happy as ever, but when I got home he was layed out on the living room floor. Had no interest in food. I took him to the Vet. He did not come home 

Comet simply stopped eating. Showed no other symptoms, so it was treated as a tummy ailment. A week later I took him in again, and they took chest x-rays. He did not come home 

Both Rusty and Comet had Chest Tumors.

*Nikita*

Nikita's story is just awful...

I happened to notice a lump on her upper gum, centered above her front upper teeth. The Vet took a sample and a Biopsy was done.

It was a Mast Cell Tumor. 

They said they could remove just the Tumor, or take it further and remove a large majority of her upper jaw, gums, teeth, etc.... 

Not wanting her to have to live like that, I elected for them to remove just the tumor.

She had the surgery, and did fine.

They told me if she makes it 6 months, she will be in the clear.

At 6 months and 3 days, a huge egg showed up on her tummy. They tested it. Another Mast Cell Tumor.

I had it removed. She was extremely sore for weeks. Her tummy inflammation never went down.

2 weeks later I took her back in because she was moaning when she jumped up on the couch. Upon careful inspection, we found _dozens _of lumps on her skin. Maybe even close to a hundred. We did not need tests to know what it was. The Mast Cell had mastetized. She did not come home 

So far, the only Golden out of my first 4 that I did not lose to Cancer was Dakota. His Epilepsy finally caught up with him.

Nikita was 8. Rusty was 10. Comet had just turned 12.

Rusty was a mountain dog and 1 year old when I got him. Nikita was a Pet Shop Girl. Long before I knew better. Comet came from Gap View when it was owned by Howard back in the mid 90's.


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## NuttinButGoldens

I just realized this is a Vintage Thread


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## goldensrbest

With my golden in 2003, it was very sudden, in the matter of only a few day's, she went from little sign's that we not unusal for her, laying in our shower, it is tiled, laing in the snow, more than what was normal, to a day, of not wanting to go outside finally late at night i made her go out, it rained so heavy all that day, two steps to go down, to garage, she slipped, fell, could not get up on back leg, took her to emergency vet, knew she had broke it, but her leg actuall had split, that is why she fell, bone cancer.


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## goldensrbest

Spencer, was losing weight, had a large bump on back rear, doc., said to watch it, we did, next he started throwing up, would not eat, he had cancer in the intestines, bowl, he begain to smell, his bark changed also, in a matter of a few months, before the other signs, he also layed in the snow more.


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## Dallas Gold

Unfortunately I must repost in this thread, and for the second time we were visited by the hemangiosarcoma monster. The major symptom we had was a collapse on a walk. He was fine one moment, down in the middle of the street the next. When he got home he was dazed and confused. He was at the veterinary clinic within an hour. They did the xrays and blood work, got a sonogram performed the same day and the next morning he was in surgery for a splenectomy. 

Looking back a few days before he would stop and rest on the stairs coming up or going down. We thought it was a cute senior behavior. We now know it was a sign of his weakness from the internal bleeding. He even smiled for one photo, so we really did not have a clue.


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## Tanya848

hotel4dogs said:


> I'm glad to see this thread revived, it's always good to remind people of the subtle first warning signs of cancer in our dogs.
> Is that Jake or Copper in the photo? He's very handsome, love the face!


Thank you...Jake is in the first photo, he's the white blond. He was beautiful.
Copper is in the second photo, he's a redish-coppery colour (hence the name). 

They were from the same litter...There are times I have to look twice at Copper because he resembles Jake so much.


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## Tanya848

Dallas Gold said:


> Unfortunately I must repost in this thread, and for the second time we were visited by the hemangiosarcoma monster. The major symptom we had was a collapse on a walk. He was fine one moment, down in the middle of the street the next. When he got home he was dazed and confused. He was at the veterinary clinic within an hour. They did the xrays and blood work, got a sonogram performed the same day and the next morning he was in surgery for a splenectomy.
> 
> Looking back a few days before he would stop and rest on the stairs coming up or going down. We thought it was a cute senior behavior. We now know it was a sign of his weakness from the internal bleeding. He even smiled for one photo, so we really did not have a clue.


I'm sorry for your loss...he looked like a very happy dog...


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## Tanya848

amy22 said:


> I am so very sorry to hear aobut the loss of Jake, its heartbreaking, I know....please let us know how Copper is doing..sending lots of prayers


Thank you...Copper seems to be doing much better than yesterday. It's difficult to tell if he's doing okay or not. He's so much older now, he sleeps often and was never quite as active as Jake. Copper has thyroid problems, and acid reflux so that may be creating problems as well. 

By the way, Sandy was an absolutely beautiful dog...what a knockout


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## Duke's Momma

Most everyone knows Duke's journey however, for new comers and for posterity, I thought I'd add to this thread.

Duke had lipomas in the past and were always aspirated "just to make sure". During a bath on a Monday I noticed a round moveable lump just in front of his right shoulder about a 1/2 inch diameter, perfectly round (on his chest kind of) Note to self - call vet. Didn't until that Friday during another bath I noticed that the lump had grown alarmingly.

No other symptoms. Called and took him in on Saturday - they aspirated and first told me an abcess. Then thought better and sent off sample to CSU. Received the call on Sunday that changed our lives forever and that's when his ill-fated journey began.

Knowing then what I know now, would I do it again? I just don't know. The chemo was brutal and I believe we put him through way too much for us, not him. But, I kept thinking that if Meggie and Tasha were miracle dogs, why not my Duke? 

The nodes went away immediately under a study at CSU. Clinically he was in remission only to fall out about a month and 1/2 later. Was then put on doxirubicin every 3 weeks. After the first dose he was 100% better only to go down hill after the 2nd and never came back up even though the nodes were not palatable.

1 week after finishing his 4th and final dose the nodes were back under his jaw. We said goodbye.

I cannot stress to everyone enough that our hands must be all over our babies at all times. Not only for the love, but also so we know their bodies. Had he not been receiving baths so often, I never would have found the lump until it was way too late for even a few months more. Canine lymphoma grows so quickly and the very next day could be in their internal organs if unchecked.

I miss my beautiful, kind, funny, amazing boy every day.


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## Duke's Momma

This was taken exactly 3 months after dx. *sigh* He would have been 9 the 30th of this month. Gone since Feb. 11, 2010. Forever in my heart and thoughts.


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## tippykayak

I'm not in the mood to write a whole new version of what happened to Gus in late '08, but I'll reproduce part of his OHR record below:

Cause of death: Panniculitis-like T-cell Lymphoma

Cancer diagnosed by lymph and lesion biopsy, results obtained 12/10/2008 and confirmed by veterinary oncologist. Problems originally presented as sneezing, lethargy, loss of appetite, weeping eyes, and small lumps (lesions) in the skin. A negative result on lymph aspirates obtained 11/15/2008, combined with the rare nature of this type of lymphoma, contributed to a delay in diagnosis. Gus became completely blind on 12/09/2008 due to nerve damage. The prognosis and quality of life were poor, so he was not treated with chemotherapy. Steroids given from 12/10-12/15 showed little effect on his symptoms. Gus was euthanized on 12/15/2008.

I should add that Gus died just after his sixth birthday (10/29/2002-12/15/2008).


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## jmc

I'm crying as the memories from 7 years ago are flooding back. We lost our boy to lymphoma. He was PTS only 3 weeks from what would have been his 6th birthday.

About 4 months before, the only symptom was on and off diarrhoea. The vet put it down to allergies so he was put on a food elimination diet/bland diet. Back and forth to the vet until we got frustrated as the diarrhoea was getting more frequent and he was not energetic anymore, so we went to another vet for a 2nd opinion. He immediately did an ultrasound. By that time my boy's lymph nodes were enlarged and there was a large mass in his abdomen. It was too late to do chemo according to this vet. He went downhill in the next 3 weeks - sleeping lots and also wanting to sleep outside because of frequent diarrhoea (even though he was not eating much).

I wish I knew what I know now. I would have sought alternative therapies such as acupuncture to ease the pain and discomfort.

Duke's momma, you are so right. We have to run our hands all over our babies all the time so we that we are familiar with any lumps and bumps.


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## Dallas Gold

jmc said:


> I'm crying as the memories from 7 years ago are flooding back. We lost our boy to lymphoma. He was PTS only 3 weeks from what would have been his 6th birthday.
> 
> About 4 months before, the only symptom was on and off diarrhoea. The vet put it down to allergies so he was put on a food elimination diet/bland diet. Back and forth to the vet until we got frustrated as the diarrhoea was getting more frequent and he was not energetic anymore, so we went to another vet for a 2nd opinion. He immediately did an ultrasound. By that time my boy's lymph nodes were enlarged and there was a large mass in his abdomen. It was too late to do chemo according to this vet. He went downhill in the next 3 weeks - sleeping lots and also wanting to sleep outside because of frequent diarrhoea (even though he was not eating much).
> 
> I wish I knew what I know now. I would have sought alternative therapies such as acupuncture to ease the pain and discomfort.
> 
> Duke's momma, you are so right. We have to run our hands all over our babies all the time so we that we are familiar with any lumps and bumps.


This cancer journey is brutal. I'm sorry you had to experience it. 

I did want to point out what I learned about acupuncture and dogs who may be in a cancer remission--our conventional acupuncture vet does not like to do acupuncture on cancer dogs in a remission because the needles stimulate cell growth and might cause the cancer to start growing again. She reminded me of this again yesterday when I asked for some help for our Barkley's (hemangiosarcoma) cruciate ligament tear. At this point our primary goal is to relieve Barkley's pain so we may start this for him next week. His holistic acupuncture vet has a different opinion about giving acupuncture to cancer dogs. She believes our body's cells know better and it is okay to do acupuncture on dogs in remission.


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## hawtee

Casey showed a slight tremor in his left rear leg and then a full blown seizure 4/14/09. I immediately went to Auburn and did a complete workup. That is where we found the anaplastic carcinoma near his brain barrier. I love and miss him everyday, he went to the bridge 9/17/09 4 days after his 9th birthday.
Lilli had a mass cell tumor Stage 2 on her right ear. Caused from a her hitting a station on a jump bar. When she hit it a small soft knot appeared, we at first thought just a blood blister but went ahead and did a biospy. Thank God we did. She has a small section removed from her ear and got clean margins, she is still in remission since 2007.
They have classified her as free and clear but I still am vigilant on any bump.


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## hotel4dogs

I think one thing that comes through in many of these sad stories is that, if a golden retriever loses their appetite, get to a vet right away.
A good friend of mine just lost their golden, who would have been 10, to hemangiosarcoma a couple of weeks ago. He was a ravenous eater. Then suddenly, he started refusing food. They knew something was very, very wrong.


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## NuttinButGoldens

A Golden that won't eat scares the hell out of me...


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## tippykayak

I hope everybody who posts in this thread and who has had a similar experience takes the time to add their dogs to k9data and to create OHR records with as much of the medical information as possible.

One of the things that's holding back cancer research is a lack of broad information about disease types and progressions in this breed, and the more information is out there about our dogs, the better choices breeders and buyers can make.

You should also make an OHR record and a k9data entry for healthy living dogs and for deceased dogs who lived long, healthy lives. This information is invaluable!


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## hotel4dogs

well said, thanks for posting that.



tippykayak said:


> I hope everybody who posts in this thread and who has had a similar experience takes the time to add their dogs to k9data and to create OHR records with as much of the medical information as possible.
> 
> One of the things that's holding back cancer research is a lack of broad information about disease types and progressions in this breed, and the more information is out there about our dogs, the better choices breeders and buyers can make.
> 
> You should also make an OHR record and a k9data entry for healthy living dogs and for deceased dogs who lived long, healthy lives. This information is invaluable!


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## Duke's Momma

tippykayak said:


> I hope everybody who posts in this thread and who has had a similar experience takes the time to add their dogs to k9data and to create OHR records with as much of the medical information as possible.
> 
> One of the things that's holding back cancer research is a lack of broad information about disease types and progressions in this breed, and the more information is out there about our dogs, the better choices breeders and buyers can make.
> 
> You should also make an OHR record and a k9data entry for healthy living dogs and for deceased dogs who lived long, healthy lives. This information is invaluable!


I'm sorry, Brian - I don't understand what any of these are. Is it just for papered dogs? Could you please post the links so I can get Duke's info in there when I have time?


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## rappwizard

Jake was a cancer survivor--he did not die from cancer but due to a reaction to the arthritis medicine, deramaxx, at nearly age 13. However, when he was around 4 or so, he had a red, raised lump in his groin area that was misdiagnosed as a "blood blister" because the cells taken in the center of the lump were all normal. The vet thought because of his constant jumping in the pool that he had blistered that part of his groin.

I can be neurotic. Scratch that--I am neurotic about my pets. The lump didn't go away. It didn't seem to get bigger, and true, Jake continued to high dive into the pool. But it just bothered me. By then, after about a year's time, I had heard about a great, holistic vet, and I went to see her. She also checked the lump, and saw normal cells in the center, but begged me to operate, that sometimes, the only way to know what was going on with lumps was to get them out, to check around the margins. I agreed, knowing my husband would be furious (cutting apart our dog!!!)

We were watching the Florida-Florida State game, whooping it up that our Gators were beating FSU, when the vet called us that Saturday evening to say the lump was malignant--it was cutaneous hemangiosarcoma--she did get clear margins though--but that we needed to be aware it was cancer. Whaaaaa?????? We decided to have an ultrasound done on his Jake's liver, heart, spleen--everywhere--to see if there was any chance it had spread--none. It never returned. Jake owed that vet nearly 8 more years of life due to her good work--and my husband gave me a beautiful necklace as my "reward" for saving his most favorite dog. So the lesson here is if you feel something is wrong--it is--even if your vet and your husband says it isn't (and your dog isn't acting strangely). I'm not saying change husbands, but at least consider changing vets!

Alli was not so lucky. She collapsed in a heap, within minutes, as I was practicing outside with Jake for the local golden specialty, which was just a few days away. She normally would bark at the door, in a jealous fit, but she wasn't. I saw her on the floor on the den, and with my vet so close, and being so good, she was able to save her, but we only had her for a month, and the definite diagnosis was hemangiosarcoma of the heart. 

In retrospect were there signs? Yes, but very, very subtle. Alli would wake up my husband, since he was the softie, every morning, at around 8 am or so, demanding to be fed. She would stick her face in his sleeping face and breath on top of him. Nothing like having the nose of a golden and her hot doggy breath to wake you up! She would sigh and heave and then occasionally blow her cheeks out like a "puffer fish." She was quite a character when it was time to eat in the morning! You could set your time to her! My husband and I love to stay up late, and prefer to sleep in, but with Alli, we'd oblige, and usually one of us would get up, feed the dogs, let them out, let them back in, and then sleep the morning away.

One morning, my husband commented that Alli wasn't waking us up anymore--that she was content to let us sleep in. We really didn't think anything of it at the time because she ate her food when we were ready to fed her with her usual enthusiasm. But later, after she was diagnosed with cancer, and when she died, we realized that must have been the beginning of the end--the cancer was there--we just didn't see it with that subtle change of behavior. I don't recall how many months she acted that way--or if it was weeks before her collapse. 

To be honest, would it have changed anything if I had brought her to the vet at the first sign of that behavior change? Probably not. When we saw the cost/reward for the treatments for hemangio of the heart, we did enough to give her some time with us, but the tumor just proved too aggressive. Yet, for all the heartache, I wouldn't trade a bit of it, because she brought so much sweetness and love into our lives.


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## tippykayak

Duke's Momma said:


> I'm sorry, Brian - I don't understand what any of these are. Is it just for papered dogs? Could you please post the links so I can get Duke's info in there when I have time?


k9data is a Golden Retriever database (and now Labs too) where you can enter a dog, his pedigree, and his info, and it matches him up with his ancestors. I don't believe it's a problem if the dog isn't AKC registered, but you'd need to have some kind of pedigree so you can find his ancestors to connect to.

That's at www.k9data.com. They have an "About K9DATA.COM" section that you might want to read to figure out if you can really add Duke. I'm not sure how much paperwork you have on him or if you know his ancestors.

OHR is the Open Health Registry for Golden Retrievers at www.healthygoldens.com. If you enter your dog in k9data first, you can create an OHR record, and when you enter the dog's registered name, it automatically matches him up with the k9data record, and you'll see a little red "OHR" next to his name.

You can look at Gus's k9data entry to see how it looks. If you click the little red "OHR," it'll take you to his OHR record, which goes into detail about his health.

I believe you have to register with OHR to even see records, and you certainly need to register in order to create one. You'll have to read around their site to see if you can register a dog without papers or not.


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## Duke's Momma

Thx. It's worth a look see.


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## Dallas Gold

I'd also like to remind those with new cancer diagnosis of the clinical research project going on now called the Canine Hereditary Cancer Consortium. The thread about this project is here:
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/showthread.php?t=72849
They are looking for blood samples and tissue samples for the following cancers:
*1) Hemangiosarcoma*
*2) Lymphoma*
*3) Osteosarcoma*
*4) Malignant histiocytosis*
*5) Melanoma of the mouth or toe*
They are taking both mixed breed and purebred and you don't need AKC information. 

Barkley participated in this project and it was extremely easy to do. They send you all the testing supplies and pay postage both ways. Our vet agreed to take a blood sample and send it back on our behalf in order to help the cause.


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## Debles

I found some lumps on Selka last night that feel like lipomas but will have them checked out when they both go in to the vet in a week. He acts fine and is eating well. But I am always so paranoid. One that is under a muscle feels larger than it was before too.

Our Sophie (who was 14) died from a ruptured tumor (assuming hemangio) without any warning. She seemed more tired than usual that evening but since getting Selka, she had more exercise and had actually seemed to get some spunk back. But that night at midnight Sophie began screaming. If you have ever heard a dog scream it is the worst sound in the world.
We rushed her to meet our vet at his hospital and she was almost gone when we got there. He was sure a tumor had ruptured and she bled out. We had no signs at all. She was almost 15.


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## Dallas Gold

Debles said:


> I found some lumps on Selka last night that feel like lipomas but will have them checked out when they both go in to the vet in a week. He acts fine and is eating well. But I am always so paranoid. One that is under a muscle feels larger than it was before too.
> 
> Our Sophie (who was 14) died from a ruptured tumor (assuming hemangio) without any warning. She seemed more tired than usual that evening but since getting Selka, she had more exercise and had actually seemed to get some spunk back. But that night at midnight Sophie began screaming. If you have ever heard a dog scream it is the worst sound in the world.
> We rushed her to meet our vet at his hospital and she was almost gone when we got there. He was sure a tumor had ruptured and she bled out. We had no signs at all. She was almost 15.


I am glad you are getting Selka checked out quickly. Barkley grew those lumps. After the diagnosis I noticed even more lumps growing and can only assume the hemangio took a cutaneous form as well. Your description of Sophie screaming brought back memories of this last week with Barkley as he cried and whimpered. It's heart wrenching. When we brought him in to release him the vet said his pressures were extremely low, meaning most likely he was bleeding internally, in addition to his obvious nosebleeds.


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## Ljilly28

Reading this whole thread again really brought home how various and vague early warning signs can be. I have a hard time drawing the line between running to the vet for everything and using common sense to see when something is minor.

Finn has a bazillion lipomas and bumps even though he is trim and fit, so it's hard to keep track of which ones have already been aspirated, even with the dog-drawing chart on which they are marked . 

My friend Teri's 7 year old Liam was just diagnosed with a nerve sheath Sarcoma at age 7 and another friend, Shannan's 8 year old Tucker is dying today of Mast Cell misdiagnosed by her vet as an abcess until the tumor grew its own blood supply( yuck). Both Teri and Shannan are professional CPDT dog trainers who make their own treats, read the Whole Dog Journal fanatically, and are vigilant about food, chemicals etc. Liam was fed raw and then ate Eagle Pack Holisitic; Tucker ate Innova and Canidae. The one early symptom Tucker displayed was an odd faraway look and staring at things that werent there. Meanwhile, my neighbor has a 14 year old dog who is an afterthought, overweight, and fed Alpo cans. I am not convinced we know much about cancer except that it takes a mini perfect storm of genetics and environmental factors etc jus to overwhelm the safeguards built into living things that fight it.

I wish there were more definitive things we could do to prevent cancer. 

A really beautiful golden passed away too young from malignant melenoma this week- Gino BISS Am/Can Ch Jetoca's Windward Passage SDHF, OS. 

Sometimes, I'm overwhelmed by fear in finding any kind of bump or blemish on Finn, or any time one of the goldens seems a little lethargic. To me, this chronic fear is one of the only drawbacks to owning/loving a dog. 

Once you lose a dog or a generation of beloved dogs to cancer, it is not that you love your next dogs more, but you love them better. Every single day I have with Finn I actively treasure and I know to spend special time with him, because the days are counting down and I dont want to miss a moment.


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## Debles

I relate to what you are saying, Jill ,SO MUCH!!! I treasure every second with Selka because he is 11 and know even though I pray he lives to be as old as his dad (who was almost 17 when he died) it definitely isn't long enough!
Selka is the same way with the lipomas.. they are getting hard to keep track of, even though we mapped them. Selka has been extremely healthy his entire life but of course is no guarantee.
And Gunner has a cyst on his back that I keep checking too and worry about infection. And Gun is the one with all the health issues.

A forum like this can be a double edged sword. I have learned SO much but also learn every possible bad thing that can happen. Scares me to death.


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## Retrievers Rock

Chloe was diagnosed with two types of cancer.

Chloe had several lipomas. They'd start out pea-sized and then eventually grow to around golf-ball size. They could always be moved around, but had a dense feel to them. One day I noticed another one appear on her flank. This one was different though. It would go up and down in size, dramatically, within days, or sometimes even hours. Chloe loved to swim, and around the same time, her toenails started to bleed when she'd swim.

When the vet aspirated it, he found suspicious cells, so it was sent off to pathology, where they too confirmed the vet's findings. We had it removed, with clean margins. Chloe was around 7 1/2 when she was diagnosed with Mast Cell Cancer.

About a year later, I started noticing her sleeping all the time. She started getting yeast infections like I'd never seen before. She'd have black goo, literally leaking from her ear, onto her fur. Nothing like the pasty, tar-looking yeast of past infections. 

One day after a swim, I noticed her laying down shaking, like she was cold. I assumed that's what it was, and covered her with towels to dry her off. About a week later, I found her shaking like this again, but inside and totally dry. I couldn't get her to move and the shaking was horrible to watch. I called the vet, and they told me that it was a sign of pain.

They sent someone over here to help me load her in the car (my husband was at the fire station). They did x-rays, where they noticed that her spleen and liver appeared to be enlarged. They had me bring her back the next day, where they did an ultrasound biopsy on her spleen, and once again, suspicious cells were found. 

By the time the pathology results came back, she had gone downhill so quickly, that she was too weak for a splenectomy. She stopped eating and stopped eliminating. Two weeks after being diagnosed with Lymphoma, I lost my sweet baby girl. She was 8 1/2 years old.


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## Dallas Gold

Debles said:


> A forum like this can be a double edged sword. I have learned SO much but also learn every possible bad thing that can happen. Scares me to death.


Deb, this is so true!


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## Retrievers Rock

Dallas Gold said:


> I am glad you are getting Selka checked out quickly. Barkley grew those lumps. After the diagnosis I noticed even more lumps growing and can only assume the hemangio took a cutaneous form as well. Your description of Sophie screaming brought back memories of this last week with Barkley as he cried and whimpered. It's heart wrenching. When we brought him in to release him the vet said his pressures were extremely low, meaning most likely he was bleeding internally, in addition to his obvious nosebleeds.


It can, and it looks odd. I lost my Beagle to a cutaneous form of Hemangiosarcoma. She had been attacked by a Pit about six months prior and we thought the tumors were blood blisters at first. That's what they looked like, and they got larger and larger, and would rupture. Once they ruptured, they wouldn't clot and we'd have to remove them. 

We removed two, at around $1,000 a piece. It wasn't long before her belly was covered in them, and we just couldn't keep doing it any more.


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## Ljilly28

One thing I've learned over the years is how crucial it is to insist on the tramadol/ the fentanyl pain patch. Goldens are stoic, and their pain in cancer will sometimes be brushed over by vets. I refused to leave my girl Acadia at the E Vet, even for 10 minutes, until I watched them put on her pain patch.


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## teddyobear

*Jake*

So sorry to hear about Jake. My 10 1/2 year old Golden coughed two days ago like he has something stuck in his throat. He has not coughed since but I will feel better having him checked. He will be going to the vet this week just to make sure he is fine.
Sorry about Jake.


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## GoldensGirl

*Gagging is a warning sign of internal tumor*

My older Golden, Charlie, is now 12 years old. Almost 5 years ago, our vet mentioned during a check-up that a dog will sometimes make a dry, gagging noise when there is an internal tumor, as if the dog is trying to throw up the mass. It was several months later when I noticed Charlie making such a noise and insisted on an ultrasound. The doctor who did the procedure thought I was crazy to have an ultrasound done on such an obviously healthy dog, but began when I wouldn't back down. Only minutes later, he looked up and said, "This dog has an enlarged spleen that needs to come out TODAY, or he may bleed out." The surgeon who took out that badly enlarged spleen told me they rarely get to perform the operation while the dog is still healthy, usually getting them after the spleen ruptures, when the chances of recovery are much less. 

What made the difference was knowing that gagging is a symptom of a tumor you can't see.

I ache for everyone who is fighting cancer with a beloved pet. Charlie has more lumps and bumps now. He had three surgeries for various reasons and I have made the decision not to put him through more. Knowing we will lose my big sweetheart soon is not easy.


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## GoldensGirl

Ljilly28 said:


> One thing I've learned over the years is how crucial it is to insist on the tramadol/ the fentanyl pain patch. Goldens are stoic, and their pain in cancer will sometimes be brushed over by vets. I refused to leave my girl Acadia at the E Vet, even for 10 minutes, until I watched them put on her pain patch.


Thank you for sharing this. I'm pretty sure my Charlie is in pain and I haven't known what to ask for. We will talk to our vet promptly.


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## Debles

Selka's symptoms were he was limping slightly. Of course he had done this before (run or played too hard, twisted something) and it went away in a day or two. Well, it seemed to go away again and then reappeared. At the same time I found a large lump on his shoulder. It was hard and had just appeared out of nowhere it seemed because I check him all the time since he has so many lipomas.
Took him in to the vet ASAP as my husband thought it was his bursae sac in his shoulder. Xrays revealed osteosarcoma.

This has been more horrendous than words can say. We are doing everything to make him comfortable.. it is always terminal. Besides pain meds we are doing bisphospanates IV monthly and ultraviolet laser treatments. I will not let my beloved boy suffer.


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## Noey

we had a GSD that had no symptoms until his last few days. Was 100% normal, woke one day and noticed his stomach looked a little bloated in comparison to the day before and watched him for a day - everything was fine but that - took him to the vet and he was curious as well as he seemed fine and had him go get xrays...cancer had eaten one entire kidney and was almost done with the second, the bloating was fluid retention...so place to go. Vet said he had no idea how Gus was still alive and acting well - expect his love of life must be keeping him going.

It was a shock all around. We took him home so he could have one last day playing in the yard-sitting in the grass. Next morning when he woke - it was like he decided ok you know - so I'm letting go. He was a big boy and hated the vet so the vet came out and Gus was in his bed in the car enjoying the breeze, with everyone talking to him and telling him how loved he was. 

It was a fast cancer - he has just had a physical a few weeks earlier with blood tests and the works...nothing showed in blood work or physical exam.


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## Debles

Debles said:


> I relate to what you are saying, Jill ,SO MUCH!!! I treasure every second with Selka because he is 11 and know even though I pray he lives to be as old as his dad (who was almost 17 when he died) it definitely isn't long enough!
> Selka is the same way with the lipomas.. they are getting hard to keep track of, even though we mapped them. Selka has been extremely healthy his entire life but of course is no guarantee.
> And Gunner has a cyst on his back that I keep checking too and worry about infection. And Gun is the one with all the health issues.
> 
> A forum like this can be a double edged sword. I have learned SO much but also learn every possible bad thing that can happen. Scares me to death.



I just reread this thread and see what I wrote before Selka showed symptoms of osteosarcoma. Crying and heartsick.

When we took him in and had the lipomas checked out his bloodwork was perfect. The vet said he had the blood of a three year old dog. In fact, his bloodwork is still perfect.


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## kgiff

Meggie'sMom said:


> The only thing I noticed about Meggie was swollen lymphnodes under her neck. Very prevalent - other than that she was her happy bouncy hungry self.


This was the same with our berner who was diagnosed with lymphoma. The lympnodes seemed to swell overnight. After we started treatment, we realized he was probably a bit sorer and stiffer than normal, but we had attributed that to old age and his arthritis. He was 8 years, 3 months at time of diagnosis.

Our 10 week old puppy had no signs or symptoms other than an abnormal growth in his mouth. The second time around when he was 2 1/2 (probably a result of the radiation treatments he had), there was a loss of appetite and he was spending more time by his self, away from his people. He also had what appeared to be swelling in his neck, but was actually tumors.


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## kgiff

Debles said:


> When we took him in and had the lipomas checked out his bloodwork was perfect. The vet said he had the blood of a three year old dog. In fact, his bloodwork is still perfect.


Our berner was in for his annual check-up two weeks before the lymphoma showed up. The vet declared him healthy and doing the best she'd seen him doing in a few years. His bloodwork was fine. It's amazing how fast things can change.


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## Ljilly28

kgiff said:


> Our berner was in for his annual check-up two weeks before the lymphoma showed up. The vet declared him healthy and doing the best she'd seen him doing in a few years. His bloodwork was fine. It's amazing how fast things can change.


I had this experience too with my Twin Beau-D golden Acadia. She had a glowing physical and great bloodwork, and two weeks later she had a massive tumor in her bladder&spleen- 9 years old. I was shaken up by this because she had zero symptoms until her last two days of life. The two others I lost to cancer were both old dogs- 15 1/2 and 13- both lost huge amounts of weight for no apparent reason as the first sign.


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## Debles

Something I just realized was that a month or so ago I noticed Selka's breath was awful! I had his teeth cleaned but it just didn't seem to help. Now I am thinking it is somehow connected to the cancer. Makes me sick and so sad for my poor boy.


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## wyldeflower

My dog had brain cancer and he started to act really weird like he couldnt remember which door to come in at first i just put it down to old age but then he started dissapearing into the garage to sleep and that started a bell off for me as he was by my side 24x7 all his life his head caved in as well where the muscle was decreasing and he started to rasp.and it was deep rooted so i just helped him along and kept him comfortable until i knew he was suffering no matter how much he tried to hide it.His last year was like living with a old person with altzheimers one miniute he was ok the next in a daze.


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## Starfire5

I know I've posted this somewhere else on the forum, but I thought I'd post it here, too, in case anyone else's dog has this happen to them.

Last year Reilly (then 10) went out in the yard as usual, rolled around in the grass and got up with his snout covered in blood! I thought he must have cut it on something, but when I looked at it, it was coming from inside. It stopped on its own and I asked a vet on another forum about it and he said it could be nothing or it could be VERY serious and he needed to see his doctor. But the following week, before I could get him in to the vet, it happened again.

The vet took one look up his nose and said he had a tumor. A few days later he had laser surgery to remove what could be removed and then we took him to the specialty hospital for 3 weeks of daily radiation treatments. It was hard on him - he was terrified - and his poor nose blistered and was very painful, but he was a trooper and came through with flying colors. 

It's now been 15 months and he's still doing fine. It cost us about $8,000 for everything, but it was worth every penny to us. Next month he celebrates his 12th birthday! Not sure what the future holds for him, but for now he's still with us and that's all that matters.


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## animallover

I probably should read more of these but I'm at the end of page one and it's so heartbreaking. God Bless all of you for the love and special care you gave your loved one. Maybe I'll bookmark this and someday I'll try to read it again.


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## augsep14

My dog hasn't been diagnosed with cancer YET, but I go to Michigan State Monday. The 1st of July, she lost her appetite, and could barely make it around the block without coming home, collapsing on her side, and panting. The 20th of July, we lost our poodle - of 20 years... I went back to work full time, and we thought our Golden was depressed. I've been to two different vets, one even performed pyometra surgery telling me her uterus was infected and that's what was wrong with her. Well, just this week, I insisted they take an xray of her heart, they all kept telling me her heart was fine. Well the xray shows a mass, and I go to Michigan State Monday to confirm what that mass is. All my Golden will do is sleep right now... she's just 6 years old. She turned 6 last month... so she's so young... and I"m just heartbroken. I could use all the prayers I can get right now, for both myself and my dog right now. Thanks in advance!


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## photomel

The only thing we noticed was very swollen lymph nodes on his neck. They literally popped up overnight. We took him to the vet that day and he was diagnosed with Lymphoma a few days later. He never seemed sick until he was receiving his chemotherapy. During his chemo, he had some bad days but mostly good days up until his last. We had to let him go about 6 months later.  I miss him everyday.


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## Goldilocks

Cooper had cancer of the myelin sheath. It was around the myelin in his spine and nerves. His first symptoms started as a limp in one front leg. Everyone just thought he injured himself. This limp continued and proceeded to get worse. He was checked over by many vets, had normal blood work and normal xrays. A couple months after the limp began the leg started to become paralyzed and he would drag it. It seemed like a leg that was asleep with no feeling. He eventually saw a veterinary neurologist and had an MRI (2 rounds of xrays still showed nothing) and the MRI showed the cancer in the nerves and spine. A little over a month from his diagnosis he started to lose the use of his one hind leg and no longer had any quality of life as he couldn't stand or walk and would fall over when helped to his feet. From the first small limp to going to the bridge it was only 5-6 months. He did show a weight loss but this and the limp were the only symptoms. Cooper was never a good eater and usually choose to eat his meals later in the day so a loss of appetite was not a red flag. He ate fairly normally (normal for him) until the last 2 months.


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## Elisabeth Kazup

I've been thinking about you since I read your first post. And praying. The waiting is horrible.


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## Ljilly28

I am so nervous about my older dog Finn bc he has lipomas and cysts even though he is extremely thin and fit. There is a chart on the fridge recording which were aspirated, but it is so hard to keep up as they seem to be developing at an astonishing rate. My vet's vizsla and my dog trainer friend's shepherd both recently had "lipomas" turn out to be sarcomas. I don't want to have Finn operated on endlessly, but the bumps/ little lumps are scary.


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## Dallas Gold

Sterregold posted a reference to a cancer fund called Smiling Blue Skies Fund in another thread. I googled it and it has a treasure trove of information about cancer on it. Here is a link to the top ten signs of canine cancer:
The Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund: Cancer Top Ten Signposts
I hope they don't mind if I copy and paste these signposts here:
1. Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow

2. Sores that do not heal

3. Weight loss

4. Loss of appetite

5. Bleeding or discharge from any body opening

6. Offensive odour

7. Difficulty eating or swallowing

8. Hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina

9. Persistent lameness or stiffness

10. Difficulty breathing, urinating, or defecating

They have some other links to useful resources in the cancer area so if you are interested please visit their website. I've bookmarked it and plan to delve into it in more detail.


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## musicgirl

I've been looking through this to see if I could pin point what Teddy had, if it was in fact cancer, and it's quite difficult to tell...I don't really know if I want to know either. The emergency vet said Teddy had swollen lymph glands and a "possible" tumor. He offered xrays and a blood test, that we didn't do because the vet said we'd need to put Teddy down either way. It started with him lying down on his walk, panting heavily and not being able to move. His paws were very cold that night, he had low temperature, didn't want to eat but drank a lot. He improved over a few days, ate well, was active and life loving. Then after a walk, he came home, started breathing heavily and passed on. Reading this thread has been helpful...good lessons and tips for the future..


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## Dallas Gold

I'm so sorry for your loss. I really enjoy looking at Teddy's upside down photo on your signature. 

From your description it certainly sounds like Teddy had hemangiosarcoma.  This diagnosis is always a shock, and always terminal. Sending you HUGS.


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## Ljilly28

Hemangiosarcoma is so terrifying. I spend more time worrying about it than is productive, I admit.


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## Sally's Mom

My first 2 goldens both died from hemangiosarcoma. Both had totally different presentations. The first one, who died at 12 1/2 years told me she was sick by refusing a dog biscuit. I immediately called my husband who is also a vet and was at work. I brought her in. As we were radiographing her, she had 3 seizures on the table. Rads were clear, bloodwork was clean. I called the local neurologist who talked me into a CT scan(I told him I wouldn't be doing brain surgery on her at 12 1/2 years), bur he said there were meds she could be put on. He decided she had an inner ear problem, so he opened up the bone in her ear surgically(bulla osteotomy). One week later, when it was obvious she was having a hard time breathing, I re radioraphed her.... metastatic cancer all over her chest. The ultrasound showed her cardiac hemangiosarcoma. She was also very anemic. From start to finish it was about one month(3/1/02-4/9/02). Of course we humanely euthanized her. Mind you, she was seen by a lot of "experts" who didn't initially find the disease.

Golden #2 had splenic hemangiosarcoma. Unlike golden #1, she never stopped eating. In fact, 2 weeks before she died, she showed to get 2 legs towards her RE. I came home after a kids' soccer match to find her collapsed on my kitchen floor. Called my husband in hysterics and drove her to his practice to work her up. It's a 30 plus minute ride from my house, so by the time she got there, her (internal) bleeding had stopped. She jumped out of my van and raced around his hospital. We found a small amount of fluid in her abdomen. Anyway, I scheduled her for an ultrasound with the experts on Friday Oct 13(5 days later). I brought all of my dogs for moral support. When we got to the specialist, my Laney jumped out of my car for her final ride. She collapsed in the parking lot and went almost unconscious (obviously the tumor had let go again). She was almost 12 and since I was told with surgery she would live 2 months and with surgery and chemo, she would live 6 months, she was euthanized. Ironically, she was entered the weekend after she died to get her 3rd RE leg. She was also my dog with mild unilateral hip dysplasia who had no problems jumping at her age. Her parents were both 13 plus when they died. She had a brother who died from liver cancer at 8 and a brother I euthanized at 14 years with fibrosarcoma. My 2 girls with hemangio were totally unrelated from totally different lines.(Their pedigrees are on k9data: Windjammer's Ima Country Girl CDX CGC and Mandell Marlenes Celebration UD RA CGC).


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## Dallas Gold

We've also experienced hemangiosarcoma twice with our Goldens. Our first guy was 13 1/2 when he woke up one morning and would not move or eat. Off to the vet we went that morning and she took radiographs and found spots on the spleen and the lungs. She scheduled a sonogram for us at the specialist (in 2004 it took a while to get in to the specialists and they didn't have a traveling sonogram technicisian at that time) after the 4th of July weekend. The sonogram showed an enlarged spleen, but by that time our Beau was back to "normal". We scheduled "exploratory" surgery/splenectomy a week later and the surgeon called us from the table to tell us he saw cancer everywhere and the most humane thing we could do would be to humanely euthanize him. Despite knowing we were facing something serious in advance, it was a total devastating shock.

This January our 12+ year old Barkley collapsed on a morning walk. This time our veterinary clinic (just .6 miles from our house) was able to do the sonogram and splenectomy in short order. We got the diagnosis and the veterinarian who performed the surgery told us it looked as though we got it out early enough. Neither of us was ready to say goodbye yet so after a lot of thought and a lot of questions we decided to try at least one round of IV chemotherapy. Best of all, it could be done at our regular veterinary clinic. Our Barkley did remarkable well with the chemo--never skipped a beat; however, as time went on he was diagnosed with probable anal sac adenocarcinoma and we all suspected he had a nasal carcinoma as well. He eventually sustained a total cruciate tear (totally unexpected) and we decided at that point to let him go to prevent pain and suffering from that since surgery was out of the question. He left us on his 12 year 11 month birthdate. We had 107 more days with him, all but a few were very good quality days. We were blessed because we made a lot of happy memories during that time. We wished for more, of course. He was a very happy boy during his battle-- a wonderful inspiration.

One of the most beneficial things we did during Barkley's hemangiosarcoma battle was submit his blood sample to the Canine Cancer Consortium. Here's the forum link: http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...p-canine-cancer-consortium-blood-samples.html
Barkley's sample is helping with research into this deadly cancer and is his proud legacy.

After those experiences HSA is one of my biggest fears and I immediately worried about our other golden. A few weeks later he began suffering heat and exercise intolerance and had some other issues that just heightened my worry. I did not hesitate when the vet suggested an abdominal sonogram and echo-cardiogram. The first thing the sonogram technician told me was the spleen looked good--I burst into tears at the news. It turns out he has some mitral valve issues and some pre-hypertension and his thyroid went out of whack, but we're getting those in order. As it is he will need periodic echocardiograms in the future and we will just pay for an abdominal sonogram at that time to ease my mind. I do realize we might do a sonogram and a cancer could manifest 10 minutes later, but hopefully not.

We also plan to participate in the DNA data bank for Goldens by sending in Toby's blood which we will draw at his next semi-annual clinic visit. See http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/golden-retrievers-main-discussion/87248-chic-dna-repository.html


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## Karen519

*Snobear and Smooch*

We lost our 10 yr. 3 mo. old Male Samoyed, Snobear, to hemangiosarcoma on March 27, 2010-Snobear literally got sick over night, his gums were pale and he wouldn't move. They did radiographs and saw what they thought was a mass -they did expl. surgery and found that Snobear has a mass on one lobe of liver and spots on the other lobe. We said goodbye to our boy while he was still under anesthetic from the expl.
We just lost our almost 12 year old Golden Ret. Female, Smooch, to what might have been hemangiosarcoma on December 7, 2010. Smooch started a cough/gag and spitting up some blood on Nov. 22nd and on Dec. 7 the vet did radiographs, blood test, and said Smooch had one of four things and hemangiosarcoma was one of them. Smooch had only about 10% of her lungs that didn't have white spots on them.


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## LBolton2008

I sit here at work crying as I read this. It's heartbreaking. My Cooper is only 2 years old and I pray I never have to go through a cancer situation. I do appreciate the information, however, so I know what to watch for.


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## hotel4dogs

yes, it is heartbreaking, but if we know what to be on the lookout for, an early diagnosis is the only hope our dogs have against cancer.


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## bioteach

Sagebrush was our first golden and we fell in love with goldens because of him. He had a magnificent red wavy coat and a heart of gold. At age 6 he developed seizures and for two years he was aggressively treated for that. We had no clue that it was really hemangiosarcoma until one day he settled at the bottom of the stairs and refused to move. 

We carried him on a blanket to the car and drove to the emergency vet. The X-Ray showed hundreds of tumors affecting every organ! 

We are wiser now!


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## Ljilly28

Bioteach, that is such a sad story, and too familiar. My golden Raleigh had hemangiosarcoma, and he went like lightening. In the morning, he carried three tennis balls on our hike, prancing. By evening, he was gone. I hate hemangiosarcoma, and fear it too.


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## Tanner's Mom

Our Shea was just 2 1/2, had just had a well checkup, and 6 weeks later we noticed lymph nodes in his neck enlarged. That was the only sign that something was amiss; his energy level never changed, appetite, etc. Because of his very young age and lack of symptoms, he did have 6 months of treatment, and did fine throughout. Unfortunately, the cancer returned with just one treatment to go. We opted to discontinue anything further. We lost Shea on November 1 of this year..way too young


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## hotel4dogs

so many sad stories. What a horrible curse on this gorgeous breed.


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## Karen519

*Tanner's Mom*

Tanner's Mom
and all

I am so very sorry for all your losses.
I lost two dogs a Samoyed and a Golden Ret. to hemangiorsarcoma.

Tanners Mom: So very sorry -your SHEA was so young.


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## BLUEGRASSGRL

I hate to say me too but there it is, me too. 

Juno died one week ago today.

He was fine a week ago Thursday, until his evening meal. He was enthusiastic about it but either never ate at all or couldn't finish, I walked in the room to find my Pyrenees/Malemute dog eating what appeared to be the last of Juno's supper.

Friday morning, the not moving thing. Threw up bilious stuff, no solids. 

Afternoon, threw up again. Begged our way into the vet. He examined and ran tests, everything came up fine- no explanation.

Took him home after the 5pm close with directions for a weekend of a bland diet, he had been hydrated and given an antiemetic.
That night, he grew worse. Breathing became labored, moved seemingly only to improve his position. His tongue looked slightly grey. 
Daughters stayed up with him well past midnight.

By 5 am he had been good somewhere inside an hour, he was still warm.

Vet was surprised. Nothing indicated imminent death. The 20/20 look gave us two possibilities: an embolism or hemangiosarcoma, likely at the base of the heart.

Option 2 was closest in line with his symptoms.

He was 8 and a poster dog for a loving, velcro/shadow GR.

He was our rescue dog and he was so very loved.


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## hotel4dogs

Bluegrassgrl, welcome to the forum and I'm sorry you found us under such sad circumstances. Good thoughts go out to you on the loss of your beloved Juno.


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## BLUEGRASSGRL

Thank you.


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## Karen519

*Juno*

Juno

I am so very sorry that Juno died-it is a hideous disease. He knew you loved him!

I am sure that my Smooch and Snobear have greeted Juno at the Rainbow Bridge-both Snobear and Smooch died of hemangiosarcoma, too.


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## shysky

We just lost our angel Shyla to hamangiosarcoma of the heart 1 week ago. She was 6 and a half years old and it came out of no where. We were in the back yard playing in her kiddie pool when she went into the house and sat there with a wierd look on her face and started drouling. My husband just gave her heart worm meds 20 min prior so we rushed her to the emrge thinking it was a bad reaction. They took exrays and told us they believed she was dieing of cancer and her heart had fluid around it. We did something called tapping the heart to remove the fluid and although they told us to put her down we wanted a second opinion. We picked her up the next day they told us they didmt find a mass with the ultrasound. We brought her home and she was right back to herself playful and loving. We were refered to a heart specialist who was optimistic because of her looking so well. He checked her out and was still unsure. 5 weeks went by and we had another ultrasound schuled for this coming tuesday but she placed her chin on my knee as to say (mommy) not feeling good. She wouldnt take food or a treat and wouldnt go outside. I rushed her into the emerge and they said fluid had built around the heart again so we tapped it removing it and she stayed the night there. The next morning they called telling me it had happened again and would again need to tap and that with the to bleeds(fluid around the heart) being so close together it was time to let her go as she was at high risk for cardiac arrest. We did what we thought was best and set her free that day but my heart longs for her. It was the hardest thing I had to face in my life. We spent over 8 thousand trying to save her. We are thinking of another golden but are so affriad of faceing this again. I dont wish for anyone to go threw this. So many questions still linger. How can she go from good to gone.. If anyone out there is going through this i would be happy to give out any information I have learned..


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## GoldensGirl

shysky said:


> We just lost our angel Shyla to hamangiosarcoma of the heart 1 week ago. She was 6 and a half years old and it came out of no where...


Welcome to the Forum.

I'm so very sorry that you lost your sweet Shyla. She was way too young to claim her wings. I hope that you will start a thread about her in the Rainbow Bridge section (Golden Retriever Rainbow Bridge - Golden Retrievers : Golden Retriever Dog Forums), where you can share stories about Shyla and hopefully find comfort along with many others who have recently lost a beloved fur-person.

Wishing you peace,
Lucy


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## Buddy's mom forever

Shysky, I am so, so sorry for your loss of sweet Shyla. It is heartbreaking to lose such a young dog, and so sudden like you said from good to gone just in a couple weeks. My deepest condolences to you and your family.


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## PrincessDi

shysky said:


> We just lost our angel Shyla to hamangiosarcoma of the heart 1 week ago. She was 6 and a half years old and it came out of no where. We were in the back yard playing in her kiddie pool when she went into the house and sat there with a wierd look on her face and started drouling. My husband just gave her heart worm meds 20 min prior so we rushed her to the emrge thinking it was a bad reaction. They took exrays and told us they believed she was dieing of cancer and her heart had fluid around it. We did something called tapping the heart to remove the fluid and although they told us to put her down we wanted a second opinion. We picked her up the next day they told us they didmt find a mass with the ultrasound. We brought her home and she was right back to herself playful and loving. We were refered to a heart specialist who was optimistic because of her looking so well. He checked her out and was still unsure. 5 weeks went by and we had another ultrasound schuled for this coming tuesday but she placed her chin on my knee as to say (mommy) not feeling good. She wouldnt take food or a treat and wouldnt go outside. I rushed her into the emerge and they said fluid had built around the heart again so we tapped it removing it and she stayed the night there. The next morning they called telling me it had happened again and would again need to tap and that with the to bleeds(fluid around the heart) being so close together it was time to let her go as she was at high risk for cardiac arrest. We did what we thought was best and set her free that day but my heart longs for her. It was the hardest thing I had to face in my life. We spent over 8 thousand trying to save her. We are thinking of another golden but are so affriad of faceing this again. I dont wish for anyone to go threw this. So many questions still linger. How can she go from good to gone.. If anyone out there is going through this i would be happy to give out any information I have learned..


Don't know why, I'm just seeing this and am so SO sorry for the loss of your beautiful Shyla. This is such a devastating disease. She was too young. You should have had her for many more years. You're in our thoughts at this tragic time.


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## shysky

*I hate the C word *

Shyla was to turn 7 sept 7th. She was playing in her kiddy pool when she all of a sudden got out and asked to go inside. She tried to lay down but couldnt get comfortable so she sat there with ears down and a sad look on her face. She began to droul and thats when i knew there was something wrong. I rushed her to the hospital where they did exray's and told me she had hemangeosarcoma and fluid had built around the heart. They did an ultrasound and couldnt find the mass so they tapped her heart removing the fluid. I brought her home the next day and she was a bit tired but after 3 days she was her happy normal self. I took her to see a heart specialist and cancer specialist both doctors were surprised she looked so well and were unsure if she really had cancer. We booked in for another ultrasound performed by the heart doctor who thought he might have seen something small but still was unsure. He said to go ahead with the plans to take her to the cottage she seems in good health. I was nervous so booked another ultrasound for july 31, 2 weeks prior to going to the cottage to be sure. On wed July 18th I came home from work and Shyla was excited and helped me bring in the mail. I was doing some stuff around the house as she had a nap. 2 hours later she approched me on the couch and placed her chin on my knee with that sad look again. I rushed her to the hospital and they told me fluid had formed around the heart again. We tapped it removing it and she stayed the night there. They said that evening she was doing wonderful but the next morning they called and said she had another bleed into the heart and wouldnt last much longer. If we took her home she would likely go into cardiac arrest. That evening at 6pm we had to let her go. Its been 3 weeks and i still cry for her every day. 1 Year prior she did have a lump on the ouside of her chest the head was mushroom shaped with little pimple looking things on it we had it tested and was some type of cancer. It was sucessfully removed with surgurey. Our girl lived 5 weeks after being told she had cancer of the heart.


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## PrincessDi

Your post about Shyla, made me cry! So very sorry that you lost your girl to this tragic disease. And you lost her way too young. Keeping you in our thoughts at this heartbreaking time.


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## Goldenlucky

Lucky's symptoms for his mast cell tumor was just that, a tumor.
His lymphoma had symptoms of swollen lymph nodes, loss of muscle mass, losing a lot of fur and no appetite. He was 14 and this all came out of now where's. It happened really fast.


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## Yaichi's Mom

shysky said:


> Shyla was to turn 7 sept 7th. She was playing in her kiddy pool when she all of a sudden got out and asked to go inside. She tried to lay down but couldnt get comfortable so she sat there with ears down and a sad look on her face. She began to droul and thats when i knew there was something wrong. I rushed her to the hospital where they did exray's and told me she had hemangeosarcoma and fluid had built around the heart. They did an ultrasound and couldnt find the mass so they tapped her heart removing the fluid. I brought her home the next day and she was a bit tired but after 3 days she was her happy normal self. I took her to see a heart specialist and cancer specialist both doctors were surprised she looked so well and were unsure if she really had cancer. We booked in for another ultrasound performed by the heart doctor who thought he might have seen something small but still was unsure. He said to go ahead with the plans to take her to the cottage she seems in good health. I was nervous so booked another ultrasound for july 31, 2 weeks prior to going to the cottage to be sure. On wed July 18th I came home from work and Shyla was excited and helped me bring in the mail. I was doing some stuff around the house as she had a nap. 2 hours later she approched me on the couch and placed her chin on my knee with that sad look again. I rushed her to the hospital and they told me fluid had formed around the heart again. We tapped it removing it and she stayed the night there. They said that evening she was doing wonderful but the next morning they called and said she had another bleed into the heart and wouldnt last much longer. If we took her home she would likely go into cardiac arrest. That evening at 6pm we had to let her go. Its been 3 weeks and i still cry for her every day. 1 Year prior she did have a lump on the ouside of her chest the head was mushroom shaped with little pimple looking things on it we had it tested and was some type of cancer. It was sucessfully removed with surgurey. Our girl lived 5 weeks after being told she had cancer of the heart.


I am so, so sorry for the shock and the loss of your beautiful girl, Shyla. 

I lost my heart dog Yaichi, just about the same time that you lost your lovely girl, with very similar, yet in my case nor diagnosed circumstance.

Please know that my heart cries with yours.

I have read this entire thread and in my case, I am certain that hemengiosarcoma is what took my girl.

She had had what was aspirated and diagnosed as a lipoma on her rear left hip, which had gotten quite large in the last 2 years after it originally appeared.

When my girl suddenly collapsed and had severe weakness in her real legs, we carried her to the vet, who claimed the so called "lipoma" bothered me more that it bothered her and that it had nothing to do with her collapse.

We were given Metacam and instructions to wait and see.

2 days later, my girl still couldn't walk on her own and we were basically almost carrying her outside and in for her business...she was still drinking, eating a bit, when her so called "limpoma" burst. 

It was oozing blood, fluid, gelatinous matter in great amounts and I was more than frantic.

My vet of 24 years, who had provided good care up until now, didn't give a rat's ass about what was happening with my girl...that she was totally ambulatory, I have a very small car, I live alone and can't lift her and I wouldn't put her through that etc. and that I could not get her in.

I begged them to come to the house no matter what the cost ( their office is 2 minutes away from my home) and the told me they couldn't do that....to take her to the emergency vet clinic.

They were NOT listening to me.

I did what I could for about 1 week. It was a total roller coaster ride.

A couple of days she was actually able to get up and walk a few steps and I thought she was getting better. Then shortly after that....with assistance from a towel ...and I ordered a Gingerlead for special delivery, we would basically carry her out and she would try to walk a few steps and just collapse.

I kept washing her "liipoma"..keeping it clean...bought pads to catch the stuff that was coming out of there...slept by and never left her side.

I got everything I could think of.....Nutrical, baby food, etc. etc.

Through all of this, my very brave girl was still trying to eat, was alert, was drinking, but her mobility was getting worse to the point the her hind legs were in a very uncomfortable position under her body and she seemed not to even be able to roll over or get on her side.

What I did notice though, on top of all of this that there seemed to be something perhaps neurological going on....not a seizure...not a twitch exactly, but something that was both affecting her neurologically and also when she tried to drink...she would try and then her head would kind of sink and almost fall into the bowl. 

She never once, during all of this, urinated or defecated in the house. 

The draining/ruptured tumor....alleged "lipoma" over 4 days, with all the stuff coming out of it was down to 25% of it's original size, with no sign of it healing....blood and matter trail each and everytime we carried her out and in was awful and almost unbelievable.

Despite keeping it very clean, washing, cleansing every couple of hours, calling the vet, who assured me she would not bleed to death, nor doing anything to help me, despite my numerous calls and pleas, trying to find a mobile vet to come the the house, the last morning I found maggots all around the festering "lipoma"....probably from the flies outside that were after her, despite trying to cover her up everytime we carried her outside.

I knew I had to let her go because there was nothing left to be done, even if I had a gazillion $$....I would not let my girl suffer any longer and it totally shattered my heart. 

Yaich turned 12 years young on May 8.

As all senior dogs, she had slowed down, didn't want to walk too much anymore, even gave up our pool the last little while which she loved, but she still loved going in the car, still loved her treats, still ate etc.

Our last day before she collapsed and this all started, we went for our morning walk, she came shopping with me in the car with the back window open and her head out of it, with ears flapping, face smiling, like we always did.

I will never forget that day as when we got home, that's when it all began...she just collapsed and it was less than 1 week before I had to make that horrible decision, that totally destroys one's heart.

I share my and my Yaichi's story, not because I have any specific insight, but just to add my recent and more than heart breaking experience to all of yours who have gone through the same.

Like many of you, I never saw it coming although in retrospect, I know she was trying to tell me something the last few weeks.

She was always a bit of a "suck"...whined a bit when she wanted her ears rubbed or when she had some itch she wanted me to take care of....but it ramped up the last couple of weeks and I just thought it was that and more.

I will never forgive myself, for not hearing what she was trying to tell me..in retrospect, now I see and know.

I am so sorry I let you down, my sweet Yaichi girl...I will forever be sorry for that...that I didn't listen more carefully and that I didn't hear what I now know what you were trying to tell me... beyond what words can express.

I am so, so beyond sorry....


----------



## Heartsick

*Heartsick*

My story is so similar to many that I have read here, the big difference is that my beautiful boy Mannix is only 1 yr.8 mos. old. I don't want to go through the whole progression but like so many others, it came out of the blue and it came with a vengeance. My wife, my sons, and I are all devastated. I thought writing to him might make me feel better, we will be putting him to sleep tonight. 
You gave us a year and a half of such joy I do not want you to suffer even a little bit, I feel like it's the least I can do for you. I love you Manny and I don't know if I'll make it through the morning without our routine. I could have a hundred Goldens and I'd never find another one like you. How many times did I say to you, "you're the best doggie in the whole world"? I meant it every time. I will never forget you boy.


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## coppers-mom

I am so very, very sorry to hear about Manny.
Hugs to you and your family during this hard time.


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## Bentleysmom

I'm so sorry you're going through this! It's so true, "our dogs give us so much but they take a piece of our heart when they leave"
Sending hugs, no words will help ♥



Heartsick said:


> My story is so similar to many that I have read here, the big difference is that my beautiful boy Mannix is only 1 yr.8 mos. old. I don't want to go through the whole progression but like so many others, it came out of the blue and it came with a vengeance. My wife, my sons, and I are all devastated. I thought writing to him might make me feel better, we will be putting him to sleep tonight.
> You gave us a year and a half of such joy I do not want you to suffer even a little bit, I feel like it's the least I can do for you. I love you Manny and I don't know if I'll make it through the morning without our routine. I could have a hundred Goldens and I'd never find another one like you. How many times did I say to you, "you're the best doggie in the whole world"? I meant it every time. I will never forget you boy.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom

Oh Heartsick, I'm so so sorry. Such a baby and so unfair. I hope you find some comfort in the fact that our fur babies don't have that dread of what lies ahead or fear of death. You, Mannix, and your family will be in my prayers.


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## mylissyk

Heartsick said:


> My story is so similar to many that I have read here, the big difference is that my beautiful boy Mannix is only 1 yr.8 mos. old. I don't want to go through the whole progression but like so many others, it came out of the blue and it came with a vengeance. My wife, my sons, and I are all devastated. I thought writing to him might make me feel better, we will be putting him to sleep tonight.
> You gave us a year and a half of such joy I do not want you to suffer even a little bit, I feel like it's the least I can do for you. I love you Manny and I don't know if I'll make it through the morning without our routine. I could have a hundred Goldens and I'd never find another one like you. How many times did I say to you, "you're the best doggie in the whole world"? I meant it every time. I will never forget you boy.



I am so terribly sorry you are losing Mannix so young. It's beyond wrong that these beautiful companions suffer with this disease at any age but only a year and half is too heartbreaking. You are in my thoughts and I hope you know how great a love you give him by not letting him suffer.


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## HolDaisy

So very very sorry that you have had to lose your special boy so young  It hurts at any age but is heartbreaking when they are younger. You and your family must be completely heartbroken.

Keep posting on this forum. I found it when we had lost our goldie and all I can say is that I don't know how me and my family would have coped without the kindness of the people on here. You'll find lots of support from people who understand your pain. We're thinking of you. Mannix is free from his pain now and will always be with you in spirit!


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## Tahnee GR

I am so so sorry about your Golden baby. It is never the right time or age, but he was much too young. Godspeed, Mannix.


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## Brinkleythegolden

I am bawling reading all these stories about Shyla, Mannix and all of our beloved fubabies that have been lost to hemangiosarcoma. Our beloved Fozzie died on July 14th from hemangio. His only symptoms were a loss of appetite and an elevated white count. He died within 6 weeks of the onset of symptoms. What a horrible disease! My heart breaks for all of us....


Sent from my iPod touch using PG Free


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## Willow52

So sorry to hear your young Mannix is so sick. Cancer is a terrible disease often striking the young. {{hugs}}


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## hubbub

My thoughts are with you and your family. As others have said, cancer is a despicable diagnosis, especially in one so young. I cannot imagine your grief, but hope any comfort and support you find here on the forum will help you during this. 

A candle lit and prayers said:
Group *GRF* Candles - Light A Candle



Heartsick said:


> My story is so similar to many that I have read here, the big difference is that my beautiful boy Mannix is only 1 yr.8 mos. old. I don't want to go through the whole progression but like so many others, it came out of the blue and it came with a vengeance. My wife, my sons, and I are all devastated. I thought writing to him might make me feel better, we will be putting him to sleep tonight.
> You gave us a year and a half of such joy I do not want you to suffer even a little bit, I feel like it's the least I can do for you. I love you Manny and I don't know if I'll make it through the morning without our routine. I could have a hundred Goldens and I'd never find another one like you. How many times did I say to you, "you're the best doggie in the whole world"? I meant it every time. I will never forget you boy.


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## Buddy's mom forever

Heartsick, I am very, very sorry. Your post left me with no words.


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## OutWest

I'm so sorry you lost your Mannix. What a terrible thing, to lose a beloved family member so quickly and so young. I'm sending all good thoughts to your family. I hope you'll stick around and share some stories and photos of Mannix.


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## PrincessDi

I'm so sorry about your sweet Mannix! It's so terribly tragic to loose your boy at such a young age! Thinking of you during this heartbreaking time!


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## Sweet Girl

I'm so sorry about your poor Manny. It's always too soon, but this is just heartbreaking. My thoughts go out to your family.


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## CStrong73

Heartsick,
I am so utterly sorry for what you have gone through and are still going through with your Mannix. 

We went through virtually the same thing with our Collie, Bruce, this last Memorial Day weekend. Different type of cancer, but he went from seemingly fine and healthy to having to be put to sleep within one week. He was two years old and my daughters' first dog. They still tell me they miss him and want him back.  The whole thing was such a shock and so hard to process.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.


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## cubbysan

To Heartsick and Shysky,

My heart goes out to both of you. I have lost two dogs, both German Shepherds to similar circumstances. Many of us here know the pain. Please come back and heal here. We would love to learn more about your dogs.

Hugs!


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## Tayla's Mom

Cheyenne was about 15 years old and became unbalanced. At first we thought she had vestibular syndrome, but the symptoms were slightly off. We shortly learned she had a brain tumor. Poor balance was our first and main symptom right before Christmas 2011. We lost her in February, 2012


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## Hali's Mom

So sorry for your loss, it is hard anytime but especially when it is a young dog. May the memories you hold dear of Mannix comfort you as the healing process takes place.


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## Karen519

*My heart*

My heart goes out to all of you who have lost your dogs-we are NEVER READY!
Somehow it makes it worse when they are so young.
In 2010, my husband and I lost our Smooch and Snobear to cancer.


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## Heartsick

*Thank you two Moms for your sympathy*

Mannix left us last night. I take some solace in the fact that I did for him what I know he'd have done for me; I spared him not only pain and fear, but the clear discomfort he was experiencing. Had I put off the inevitable it would have been for me, not for him. Thank you to both of you ladies for your kind words.
Manny, I will love you forever. The newspaper was late today so you could've had an early breakfast. You were the best doggie in the whole world.


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## Heartsick

*Omissions*

My apologies and my heartfelt thanks to the others who offered their condolences for the loss of my precious Mannyboy. This site helps me let out some pain.


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## coppers-mom

Heartsick said:


> Mannix left us last night. I take some solace in the fact that I did for him what I know he'd have done for me; I spared him not only pain and fear, but the clear discomfort he was experiencing.


It is the last and hardest gift we can give them - to choose our pain over theirs and let them go even though our heart is screaming NO.

GRF has a section named rainbow bridge. Many of us have posted there after losing a dog friend and there are poems and stories that really helped me when I lost Copper and others a couple of years ago.


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## Heartsick

*Mannix McGuigan*

I am pretty lame with a computer but I tried to post a picture of my beautiful boy. I hope it worked. I'm ashamed to say that a month ago I'd have thought all this support stuff was a bunch of hooey; not anymore. Thanks to all.


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## *Laura*

Heartsick said:


> Mannix left us last night. I take some solace in the fact that I did for him what I know he'd have done for me; I spared him not only pain and fear, but the clear discomfort he was experiencing. Had I put off the inevitable it would have been for me, not for him. Thank you to both of you ladies for your kind words.
> Manny, I will love you forever. The newspaper was late today so you could've had an early breakfast. You were the best doggie in the whole world.


I'm so very sorry you had to say good bye to your sweet puppy Mannix last night. Run free sweetheart


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## PrincessDi

Mannix was such a beautiful boy! Again, I'm so sorry for the loss of your beloved boy!


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## gold4me

My heart is breaking for you and your family. Manny was a very handsome boy. You gave him a gift of freedom from pain that came straight from your heart, your love for him will continue to be in his heart as his love for you will be with you forever. My husband and I have walked this path with the loss of 4 of our goldens (hemangiosarcoma). It is evil!!! My thoughts are with you.


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## Nomes

Tasha's never had any symptoms...actually, i'm not even sure if she had cancer... but i'm guessing it was hemangio in her heart. She was jumping up onto her table outside when she just collapsed...it must have weakened something in there...worst 10 minutes of my life as her breathing got quieter and quieter...i love you sweetie! always have always will.


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## Buddy's mom forever

Mannix was very beautiful. I am so sorry, you had to say goodbye to him. That is the hardest thing to do even you know it is the right thing. Keeping you and your family in my prayers.


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## Kjm

We recently had to put down our 14 year old Golden Retriever named Lexis. She was by far the best dog I have ever owned. Very smart, playful and would follow me everywhere. When I was sitting in the living room, she would lay on the floor and move her paw until she found my foot and then just lay there sleeping. If I moved my foot, she would again move her paw until she found it. I am a musician and she loved going to my studio in the basement whenever I practiced. About 6 months ago, we noticed that she would occasionally stumble when walking and she fell down the short flight of stairs leading from the deck to the back yard. The vet suspected old age but didn't detect any other issues and prescribed arthritis medication. Over the next few months she began panting on a regular basis, wasn't eating normally and would occasionally vomit, especially first thing in the morning. On January 21, 2014, she became lethargic and refused to eat or drink. She also had trouble standing and walking. The following day we brought her to the vet. She determined that the most likely cause was a brain tumor. We made the heart breaking decision to put her down. What made it more difficult was that she was a gift from my mother in 2001 and my mother passed away less than a year ago. I have lost pets before but this one hit me hard.


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## OutWest

Kjm said:


> We recently had to put down our 14 year old Golden Retriever named Lexis. She was by far the best dog I have ever owned. Very smart, playful and would follow me everywhere. When I was sitting in the living room, she would lay on the floor and move her paw until she found my foot and then just lay there sleeping. If I moved my foot, she would again move her paw until she found it. I am a musician and she loved going to my studio in the basement whenever I practiced. About 6 months ago, we noticed that she would occasionally stumble when walking and she fell down the short flight of stairs leading from the deck to the back yard. The vet suspected old age but didn't detect any other issues and prescribed arthritis medication. Over the next few months she began panting on a regular basis, wasn't eating normally and would occasionally vomit, especially first thing in the morning. On January 21, 2014, she became lethargic and refused to eat or drink. She also had trouble standing and walking. The following day we brought her to the vet. She determined that the most likely cause was a brain tumor. We made the heart breaking decision to put her down. What made it more difficult was that she was a gift from my mother in 2001 and my mother passed away less than a year ago. I have lost pets before but this one hit me hard.


I'm so sorry you lost your sweet Lexis, and your mother. If I may suggest, please start your own thread with Lexis's name in the heading in the Rainbow Bridge section. It will be seen by many more people. Many on here have lost dogs to cancer. I know I would love to read her story and see some pictures.


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## Brinkleythegolden

I'm so sorry for your loss of Lexis. It's never easy when they leave us. She sounds like she was a wonderful girl. 


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## GoldensGirl

Kjm said:


> We recently had to put down our 14 year old Golden Retriever named Lexis. She was by far the best dog I have ever owned. Very smart, playful and would follow me everywhere. When I was sitting in the living room, she would lay on the floor and move her paw until she found my foot and then just lay there sleeping. If I moved my foot, she would again move her paw until she found it. I am a musician and she loved going to my studio in the basement whenever I practiced. About 6 months ago, we noticed that she would occasionally stumble when walking and she fell down the short flight of stairs leading from the deck to the back yard. The vet suspected old age but didn't detect any other issues and prescribed arthritis medication. Over the next few months she began panting on a regular basis, wasn't eating normally and would occasionally vomit, especially first thing in the morning. On January 21, 2014, she became lethargic and refused to eat or drink. She also had trouble standing and walking. The following day we brought her to the vet. She determined that the most likely cause was a brain tumor. We made the heart breaking decision to put her down. What made it more difficult was that she was a gift from my mother in 2001 and my mother passed away less than a year ago. I have lost pets before but this one hit me hard.


Welcome to the Forum, especially in such sad circumstances.

I encourage you to start a thread about Lexis in our Rainbow Bridge forum and share lots of photos of and stories about her. That can serve as a kind of memorial to her and also help you work through your grief. Many of us here have lost a beloved dog and understand what you must be going through.


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## rbi99

The only sign for my dog Grin was he didn't eat for two days. Then he ate ok then he didn't. Other than that he was perfect. Took him in to be checked and they told us he was in Stage 5 of Acute Leukemia and had perhaps a few weeks to a few months to live. His odds of living long enough to finish chemo was less than 10%, so we choose a Prednisone cycle instead. Five weeks later he continues to be perfectly fine.


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## ShaggyRN

*Golden Retriever Cancer*

My 12 year old Golden, "JT" died this Monday, March 31, 2014 at 3:20pm from cancer. 

He wasn't eating anything for three days prior and no pooping. Prior to that his appetite was decreased but he still ate, pooped and peed normally. He has two lipomas on his chest that were checked and the vet did not recomment removal. He did start having a lump in his abdomen that we thought was a hernia. He was also having some trouble with getting up and we contributed that to arthritis in his hips. We gave his an aspirin and he was fine. We tried the pumpin mix to help him poop and even thried an enema for constipation as he looked like he was struggling to poop.

As a Golden, he smiled all the time and never knew anything was wrong or that he may be in pain. The lump on his abdomen grew bigger the last month and we though he may have a strangulated hernia and called the vet, especially with his decreased appetite and constipation. When we got to the vet we had to lift him onto a cart. The vet came in, told him the story and he felt his abdomen. The words "I feel a tumor" was the first thing he said. The case was urgent and they took an XRay that revealed a large tumor, possibly a splenic tumor. He stated that he would need surgery immediately to remove the spleen. He gave me the 9-12 month survival rate after surgery.

I talked with my wife and we decided to go ahead to give him a chance no matter how small. The vet told me to go home and get my wife so she could see him before surgery as he did not want us to see him after. This concerned me and I went home to bring her back. When we did we were greated with tail wags and smiles. JT was sooooo glad to see us (probably wanted out fast!). We gave him hugs and kisses and told him we'd see him later and that it would be okay. We left to go home and within 20 minutes the vet had called. It was not a splenic tumor but a large colon mass that had spread to his liver and spine....it was inoperable. 

We rushed back to the vet and found him on the ventilator and unconscious. The vet did not want to wake him up as he would be in pain and I understood that. We held him tight and gave him our love, told him what a great dog he was, told him how special he was to us, held his paws and kissed his nose. I had to sign the consent to euthanize which killed me and my wife, but we knew it had to happen. The vet injected JT as we held him continuing to talk to him as his heart stopped. Our best friend was gone. Our protector from the pizza man was gone. My shih-tzu's brother (who we got at the same time) was gone. The one we tripped over at night was gone. We cried....oh, we cried.

The house is empty now and we grieve his loss. As I read up on cancers in Golden Retrievers I see all the signs that he had and then the pieces fell together. His lump, his trouble getting up, his loss of appetite. I feel we could have done something sooner but by the time we thought the initial lump was ahernia, it was probably already spread. Please do not wait for this to happen to you. If you see a bump, feel a lump, get into the vet. I know at this point it would not have saved JT. Thanks for listening.


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## Brinkleythegolden

I am so sorry for your loss of JT. We lost our first golden, Gallagher in the same manner. They are so stoic and never even let us know they are sick. Most of us on this Forum know exactly how you are feeling. Please feel free to share pictures when you are ready. Run free at the Bridge, JT!


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## abradshaw71

This is hard, because to this day, I still blame myself for not doing anything sooner when I questioned what was happening with Emma.

Emma died on March 3. For about three months prior to that, about two or three times a week, during the night, she would wake me up to go outside. She would then just lay down in the snow instead of going potty like I thought she needed to. I would let her lay there for a while, but then would call her in since this would usually happen between midnight and 3 am. Those last few weeks before she died, she was wanting to do this every night and it was getting very frustrating. I thought it was strange, but never once did I think that she was sick, mainly because she was still eating, drinking, and doing everything else as she normally did. I now realize the cold helped ease some of the pain she was feeling. 

The night before she got very sick, we were out in the back yard playing with her retrieving bumper. She brought it back to me and I noticed she had some blood by her nose. I thought maybe she had scraped it on some ice when she went to pick up the bumper, because it stopped as soon as I wiped it up. The next morning, she threw up all over my bathroom floor. It was a very different kind of throw up. Lots of water, bile, etc. I knew something was immediately wrong. I got her to the vet, but they could only speculate on what was wrong and wanted to do exploratory surgery. I got a second opinion where they confirmed Emma's liver was encased in cancer and she was bleeding internally. I had to say goodbye to her.

Prior to that, she had a large mass on her ribs, but had been told it was nothing to worry about. I question that decision, as well.  I had the warning signs, but I was just too dumb to do anything about it and still blame myself. Emma was only 10.


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## CAROLINA MOM

ShaggyRN, I am so sorry for your loss of JT.

I know he was loved and is missed. 
My thoughts are with you. 

We have a Rainbow Bridge Section if you would like to post a Tribute to JT, share pictures of him and tell us about him.
Golden Retriever Rainbow Bridge - Golden Retrievers : Golden Retriever Dog Forums

Godspeed sweet boy.


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## Jennifer1

I'm so sorry for your loss of JT


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## ShaggyRN

Thank you for your kind words. He is missed. He was a BIG presence in the house and that left a BIG hole.


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## Wilbur'sDad

So sorry to hear about your loss of JT. Our thoughts are with you as we have friends at the bridge as well and know how difficult it can be.


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## Heartsick

So sorry for your loss Shaggy. I know very well the pain you are feeling. When we lost our beautiful boy Mannix last year at 20 months old to cancer I thought I could never love again. Finn and Beau, two handsome Golden boys, are part of our family now and they helped so much easing our pain. Don't be afraid to open your heart again, JT would really want you to. RIP JT


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## Rookie's Dad

ShaggyRN said:


> My 12 year old Golden, "JT" died this Monday, March 31, 2014 at 3:20pm from cancer.
> 
> He wasn't eating anything for three days prior and no pooping. Prior to that his appetite was decreased but he still ate, pooped and peed normally. He has two lipomas on his chest that were checked and the vet did not recomment removal. He did start having a lump in his abdomen that we thought was a hernia. He was also having some trouble with getting up and we contributed that to arthritis in his hips. We gave his an aspirin and he was fine. We tried the pumpin mix to help him poop and even thried an enema for constipation as he looked like he was struggling to poop.
> 
> As a Golden, he smiled all the time and never knew anything was wrong or that he may be in pain. The lump on his abdomen grew bigger the last month and we though he may have a strangulated hernia and called the vet, especially with his decreased appetite and constipation. When we got to the vet we had to lift him onto a cart. The vet came in, told him the story and he felt his abdomen. The words "I feel a tumor" was the first thing he said. The case was urgent and they took an XRay that revealed a large tumor, possibly a splenic tumor. He stated that he would need surgery immediately to remove the spleen. He gave me the 9-12 month survival rate after surgery.
> 
> I talked with my wife and we decided to go ahead to give him a chance no matter how small. The vet told me to go home and get my wife so she could see him before surgery as he did not want us to see him after. This concerned me and I went home to bring her back. When we did we were greated with tail wags and smiles. JT was sooooo glad to see us (probably wanted out fast!). We gave him hugs and kisses and told him we'd see him later and that it would be okay. We left to go home and within 20 minutes the vet had called. It was not a splenic tumor but a large colon mass that had spread to his liver and spine....it was inoperable.
> 
> We rushed back to the vet and found him on the ventilator and unconscious. The vet did not want to wake him up as he would be in pain and I understood that. We held him tight and gave him our love, told him what a great dog he was, told him how special he was to us, held his paws and kissed his nose. I had to sign the consent to euthanize which killed me and my wife, but we knew it had to happen. The vet injected JT as we held him continuing to talk to him as his heart stopped. Our best friend was gone. Our protector from the pizza man was gone. My shih-tzu's brother (who we got at the same time) was gone. The one we tripped over at night was gone. We cried....oh, we cried.
> 
> The house is empty now and we grieve his loss. As I read up on cancers in Golden Retrievers I see all the signs that he had and then the pieces fell together. His lump, his trouble getting up, his loss of appetite. I feel we could have done something sooner but by the time we thought the initial lump was ahernia, it was probably already spread. Please do not wait for this to happen to you. If you see a bump, feel a lump, get into the vet. I know at this point it would not have saved JT. Thanks for listening.


I have read and reread your post several times now, each time my eyes tear up. I guess I can't add to what ever has already been said, but hopefully you will find some support in this forum, I am very sorry for your loss.


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## Eclipse

Ginger got it when she was eight. She didn't have any symptoms - though it's probably because we were lucky and caught it at stage I. The vet found the lump when she was in surgery for a cracked tooth. 6-7 more lumps have appeared on her over the past two years. One of those turned out to be cancerous, again stage I. Ginger survived the cancer, though it could have turned out different if the masses weren't noticed when they were.


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## Anon-2130948gsoni

Sigh. This is hard, but if it helps anyone else...

Boomer. Our crazy, forever a puppy Boo, died April 3, 2014. In retrospect, which is all hemangiosarcoma allows, there were a few things that were bothering me a bit.

First, he had lost a little weight over the winter, and since it was the worst winter ever here in our little part of Maine, we didn't get nearly our normal amount of exercise. He should have been gaining weight. Second, he began getting up in the night to drink water, first just once, then several times. He also began following me into the bathroom when I went in to take a shower and curling up on a bath mat.

The first real alarm bell went off late one night when I was going to bed and noticed one of his going-to-bed kibble pieces by his dog bed. I picked it up and put it in front of him...and he didn't eat it. He seemed dazed, and at the time I just thought he was really sleepy. I went and got a piece of cheese and put it right by his nose and he ignored it. But then a couple of minutes later he picked up his head and ate it and I decided I was being paranoid. The next morning he was bouncing as much as ever.

Fast forward a week to Saturday night when my husband was out of town. I heard Boo get up for water and since I was awake anyway at 3 a.m., I went out to take him out. He was on the floor, not on the couch, and it took a few tries to get him up. He went out, peed, came 8 feet in the door and just collapsed onto his side. No panting, no obvious distress--just really out of it. His gums looked a little pale and his heart rate was a little elevated, but again, nothing really alarming. Just...not right. Sunday he was a little tired but really, normal Boomer, stealing socks and begging for toast.

Monday morning I got him into the vet first thing. Bloodwork normal, except a little anemic and some blood in his urine. X-rays normal, maybe spleen slightly enlarged but nothing out of the norm for a 10-year-old dog. Slight fever and mildly elevated white blood count. According to the vet, he spent most of the day bouncing off the walls and explaining that he would like to go home now, please. Brought him home Monday evening on antibiotics and fluids, and he was back to his old self and we were feeling so hopeful.

He never stopped eating, always went for walks, always was happy, never stopped negotiating for a seat on the expensive couch, never stopped dragging his dog bed around the living room to celebrate after every meal. 

Late that Thursday afternoon he collapsed on his side and didn't want to move. He got up into the SUV on his own and popped up a few times to see where we were. I started to smell blood on his breath, somewhere during that very, very long drive, and his paws were very cold.

Long story short--x-rays at the EV showed the cancer had spread throughout his chest and he was bleeding into his abdomen. I had to let him go.

In many ways, I still can't believe it. This disease is insanity-making because between bleeds, they're normal. It's even worse in how fast it can spread--it was four days between a clean chest x-ray and mets in chest. It was less than 10 between that first minor bleed and the end.

We miss him so.


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## Ljilly28

Thank you for sharing Boomer's story. Hemangio is such a sneaky, sleathy cancer. I lost my Raleigh dog almost exactly the way you describe. He stuffed three tennis balls in his mouth in the morning and went on a prancing walk, but he was gone by nightfall. He had episodes now and then I worried about, but he rebounded so fast. The vet knew he had hemangio by his spleen ultrasound, but he seemed so bright, alert, and normal.


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## abradshaw71

Noreaster said:


> Sigh. This is hard, but if it helps anyone else...
> 
> Boomer. Our crazy, forever a puppy Boo, died April 3, 2014. In retrospect, which is all hemangiosarcoma allows, there were a few things that were bothering me a bit.
> 
> First, he had lost a little weight over the winter, and since it was the worst winter ever here in our little part of Maine, we didn't get nearly our normal amount of exercise. He should have been gaining weight. Second, he began getting up in the night to drink water, first just once, then several times. He also began following me into the bathroom when I went in to take a shower and curling up on a bath mat.
> 
> The first real alarm bell went off late one night when I was going to bed and noticed one of his going-to-bed kibble pieces by his dog bed. I picked it up and put it in front of him...and he didn't eat it. He seemed dazed, and at the time I just thought he was really sleepy. I went and got a piece of cheese and put it right by his nose and he ignored it. But then a couple of minutes later he picked up his head and ate it and I decided I was being paranoid. The next morning he was bouncing as much as ever.
> 
> Fast forward a week to Saturday night when my husband was out of town. I heard Boo get up for water and since I was awake anyway at 3 a.m., I went out to take him out. He was on the floor, not on the couch, and it took a few tries to get him up. He went out, peed, came 8 feet in the door and just collapsed onto his side. No panting, no obvious distress--just really out of it. His gums looked a little pale and his heart rate was a little elevated, but again, nothing really alarming. Just...not right. Sunday he was a little tired but really, normal Boomer, stealing socks and begging for toast.
> 
> Monday morning I got him into the vet first thing. Bloodwork normal, except a little anemic and some blood in his urine. X-rays normal, maybe spleen slightly enlarged but nothing out of the norm for a 10-year-old dog. Slight fever and mildly elevated white blood count. According to the vet, he spent most of the day bouncing off the walls and explaining that he would like to go home now, please. Brought him home Monday evening on antibiotics and fluids, and he was back to his old self and we were feeling so hopeful.
> 
> He never stopped eating, always went for walks, always was happy, never stopped negotiating for a seat on the expensive couch, never stopped dragging his dog bed around the living room to celebrate after every meal.
> 
> Late that Thursday afternoon he collapsed on his side and didn't want to move. He got up into the SUV on his own and popped up a few times to see where we were. I started to smell blood on his breath, somewhere during that very, very long drive, and his paws were very cold.
> 
> Long story short--x-rays at the EV showed the cancer had spread throughout his chest and he was bleeding into his abdomen. I had to let him go.
> 
> In many ways, I still can't believe it. This disease is insanity-making because between bleeds, they're normal. It's even worse in how fast it can spread--it was four days between a clean chest x-ray and mets in chest. It was less than 10 between that first minor bleed and the end.
> 
> We miss him so.


So sorry for your loss. When I lost Emma, I thought I had missed something that led to her dying of cancer. I blamed myself for so long, until I found this forum and realized I was not alone in what I experienced. I hate that so many of us have gone through this with our beloved companions.


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## Karen519

*Noreaster*



Noreaster said:


> Sigh. This is hard, but if it helps anyone else...
> 
> Boomer. Our crazy, forever a puppy Boo, died April 3, 2014. In retrospect, which is all hemangiosarcoma allows, there were a few things that were bothering me a bit.
> 
> First, he had lost a little weight over the winter, and since it was the worst winter ever here in our little part of Maine, we didn't get nearly our normal amount of exercise. He should have been gaining weight. Second, he began getting up in the night to drink water, first just once, then several times. He also began following me into the bathroom when I went in to take a shower and curling up on a bath mat.
> 
> The first real alarm bell went off late one night when I was going to bed and noticed one of his going-to-bed kibble pieces by his dog bed. I picked it up and put it in front of him...and he didn't eat it. He seemed dazed, and at the time I just thought he was really sleepy. I went and got a piece of cheese and put it right by his nose and he ignored it. But then a couple of minutes later he picked up his head and ate it and I decided I was being paranoid. The next morning he was bouncing as much as ever.
> 
> Fast forward a week to Saturday night when my husband was out of town. I heard Boo get up for water and since I was awake anyway at 3 a.m., I went out to take him out. He was on the floor, not on the couch, and it took a few tries to get him up. He went out, peed, came 8 feet in the door and just collapsed onto his side. No panting, no obvious distress--just really out of it. His gums looked a little pale and his heart rate was a little elevated, but again, nothing really alarming. Just...not right. Sunday he was a little tired but really, normal Boomer, stealing socks and begging for toast.
> 
> Monday morning I got him into the vet first thing. Bloodwork normal, except a little anemic and some blood in his urine. X-rays normal, maybe spleen slightly enlarged but nothing out of the norm for a 10-year-old dog. Slight fever and mildly elevated white blood count. According to the vet, he spent most of the day bouncing off the walls and explaining that he would like to go home now, please. Brought him home Monday evening on antibiotics and fluids, and he was back to his old self and we were feeling so hopeful.
> 
> He never stopped eating, always went for walks, always was happy, never stopped negotiating for a seat on the expensive couch, never stopped dragging his dog bed around the living room to celebrate after every meal.
> 
> Late that Thursday afternoon he collapsed on his side and didn't want to move. He got up into the SUV on his own and popped up a few times to see where we were. I started to smell blood on his breath, somewhere during that very, very long drive, and his paws were very cold.
> 
> Long story short--x-rays at the EV showed the cancer had spread throughout his chest and he was bleeding into his abdomen. I had to let him go.
> 
> In many ways, I still can't believe it. This disease is insanity-making because between bleeds, they're normal. It's even worse in how fast it can spread--it was four days between a clean chest x-ray and mets in chest. It was less than 10 between that first minor bleed and the end.
> 
> We miss him so.


I am SO SORRY ABOUT BOOMER!! I will add him to the 2014 Rainbow Bridge list, if he is not on already. Ken and I have lost 2 and possibly 3 dogs to hemangiosarcoma and I agree wholeheartedly with how nasty it is and fast moving! Our Samoyed, Snobear, who was also 10 years old and in the peak of health so we thought, was just fine and Ken had been grooming him that day. We were sitting on the couch and Snobear jumped off the couch and looked very dazed and froze in one spot. I looked at his gums and they were pale. Ken immediately rushed him to the emergency animal hsptl., thinking it could be bloat. Snobear had had bloat once before and surgery saved him. To make the long story short they xrayed him and thought it was hemangio. The next day they did exploratory surgery and said his abdomen was filled with blood and they could see spots on his liver and were 90% sure it was cancer. We decided to send Snobear to the Rainbow Bridge while he was still under anesthesia. We literally lost him overnight. My heart goes out to you-there is nothing you could have done.
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...bow-bridge-list-grf-2014-a-8.html#post4470042


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## ShaggyRN

*Golden Cancer*

Very sorry to hear that these wonderful breeds are so plagued by this cancer. My Golden was just as happy as can be when we left for the vet for his check before they found the cancer. JT did not eat anything for four days and no stools. He was drinking and peeing normally, but had a hard time getting up as we thought was hip dysplasia setting in. JT ate the stuffings from his "babies" but always pooped it out, so we thought it was a blockage from that. When the vet showed us the size of the tumor, he gave us hope that a splenectomy would give him 9-12 months to live. We opted for surgery since he seemed so happy and smiley and eanted to give him a chance since it seemed he wasn't in pain. We never thought that the tumor (neither did the vet) had spread so far into his liver, colon and spleen. Putting him down was the one thing I never wanted to deicde upon, but he would never get better and only get worse. He is no longer in pain. JT was cremated and returned to us and rests in our office with his last "baby." I write this with better spirits when i first joined the group and it has been helpful to talk about the fun and goofy dog we called our friend and family member for 12 years. RIP to all Goldens lost to cancer.


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## 20bmg08

My Bart had cancer around his heart that quickly traveled to his abdomen and spleen. The first sign was that he had been very tired- which we thought had been bc he was getting older. We then started having trouble breathing which ended up being fluid around his heart. He was taken from us at age 7, way too young. It's so heartbreaking.


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## Mark James

A number of years ago, our elderly excellent male Golden (Mr Hank) was slowing down some, as might be expected, but was still every bit himself. One evening he suddenly collapsed, I found him in a pool of urine, on his side, looking grave. As I was unfortunately prepping for a colonoscopy I immediately asked my wife and daughter to intervene. I loaded him into our vehicle and they took him to the veterinary clinic. He died in the exam room before euthanasia could be done. He had a cardiac hemangioma that ruptured, causing cardiac tamponade and cardiac arrest. He was my first dog and my beloved, so this was emotionally very hard, but time heals. Overall, symptomatically, this was unpredictable and came out of the blue. As all have noted, Goldens tend to have a higher risk of various hamangiomas than other breeds, so his demise illustrates a worst case, cardiac hemangioma with cardiac vascular rupture. I hope this post is of help to anyone, although this phenomenon is apparently impossible to suspect or detect symptomatically until the vessel blows.


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## HenryandOliver

Just lost our 5 year old golden (5 on 6/5/18). He passed on 6/25.

First symptoms around the middle of February:
Weakness in back legs
Eye discharge (yellow)

Took him to the emergency vet the next morning and they put him on Rimadyl and Gabapentin (sp?). Within 12hrs he was back to normal with the assumption that he pulled a muscle or sprained something. My husband stopped the meds after 3 days and he seemed fine. 5 days later it was back to the same symptoms.

Dropped him off for a day of testing at our regular vet that Monday. They did every test they could think of with all coming back normal. We gave them permission to do a full body xray. It came back with slight inflammation in his back but nothing remarkable and a sm. mass on his lung. The mass was so small that they couldn't be sure it was even anything. They refilled the Rimadyl and Gabapentin and in addition put him on antibiotics thinking it may be a respiratory infection. 

During this time my daughter and I were in TN and had not seen him for over a month. My husband was traveling back and forth. He got the okay to bring Oliver to us with the thought that it would clear up. 2 weeks later when the meds were gone, the same symptoms came back. Nothing else. As soon as he was back on the Rimadyl he was perky and you couldn't tell that anything was wrong. We found a new vet immediately who also did several blood and urine tests and all came back clear. Physically examining him, they could see nor hear anything wrong. This kept going on and the vet decided to do another round of antibiotics. It was after a few days that the Rimadyl seemed to stop working. We immediately took him off the antibiotics and back to the vet. We then sought out a specialist thinking it could be a tic disease or some other systemic infection. That dr. did not agree and had no answers. He had a word for dogs that no one could diagnosis but I cannot recall. I just remember getting into my car and crying the entire way home. 2 weeks later we went to an ortho specialist who was able to diagnose within 45 minutes. (5/21)

Symptoms at this time were still the same with the exception that 3 days prior we had more urine tests done at reg vet and his white blood cell count was a little high (but not remarkable) and there was some muscle inflammation and slight liver inflammation. We all assumed the liver inflammation was from the continuous use of Rimadyl. The ortho vet physically examined him and Oliver growled when he examined his lower back legs. He gave permission for xrays which showed thickening of his bones in his legs and feet. He said this could be 1 of 3 things: heart worms, respiratory infection or cancer. That's when the small mass in his lung xray popped into my mind. He asked to xray his chest cavity and it was awful. The small mass had more than tripled and it was a snowstorm of what turned out to be cancer. There was a small chance that it could be Blastomycosis (fungal and treatable). We ordered the test and it was fed-exed to a lab. We had to wait for more than 10 days for results which came back negative. We were told on 5/21 that he would have 1-2 months.

We kept him on the Rimadyl and I also gave him CBD/Turkey Tail oil hoping to get more time. His 5th birthday was June 5th and we had an amazing celebration. He was happy and perky. Soon after he started limping, getting up and down was more of a struggle. Around 2 weeks later the labored breathing and wheezing started. He stopped eating his dog food but would eat many other people foods so I fed him constantly. This past Monday was the first time I saw fear in his eyes after a breathing/coughing fit and made the decision to take him in. His tummy felt tight or just different and his gums were losing color as well. It was devastating and I was not prepared to say goodbye so soon. I had convinced myself that the CBD/Turkey Tail would help and if I just kept him eating and moving we could buy time. It wasn't meant to be. I think I found out too late. I was told by 3 vets that it is most likely that it started in his liver and by the time that one small mass had been found in his lung, there would have been no effective treatment. 

I was given the option on 5/21 for a biopsy but was told that there would be no treatment. We decided not to take the chance of rupturing the tumor or puncturing his lung just to get a formal diagnosis. The ortho vet agreed. So, I can't give a proper diagnosis but he was 99.9% sure it was Hemangiosarcoma.

Sorry this ended up so long and thanks to all who read. It was therapeutic for me type because I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around it. The pain is unbearable most of the time. Hugs to all of you who are going through this.


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## Jmcarp83

I had a lab (possibly two- after we lost another lab and had a necropsy) who died of hemangiosarcoma. She was perfectly fine when one day in the yard she just wouldn’t walk. Stood there and noticed her gums were oddly colored. Put her in car to vet, gums were getting whiter. Then ran tests and couldn’t get any blood. They took her back to start fluids and I ran to go get something and they called that she passed. Took her for a necropsy at the suggestion of vet because I had another lab at home. Hemangio in liver and heart. No warning sign. 

I went away for the weekend with my mom and left my golden retriever with my dad and he called to say she wouldn’t eat. Said to give her cookies and see if she’d eat it. Yep. Then he called me that Sunday afternoon...wouldn’t eat. Breathing funny but seemed fine. Got home and she seemed okay. Made plan to call vet 7 am. Gave me a 3 pm appointment. Got there and vet said showing signs of breathing issues. She was able to palpate deep and feel a lump. They did an X-ray and she was completely white in her lungs and her liver. Vet said problem with goldens is that you typically won’t find out until it’s at the end. Said there was nothing we could have done or that we would have ever felt. She was almost 11 years old. Completely normal up until that Friday night when I left. ?


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## Brinkleythegolden

HenryandOliver, those are some of the same symptoms we had with Brinkley. Thank you, it really helps to know we are not alone and that there really wasn’t anything we could have done.


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## Momofpsychoandwinie

My dog, rosco had advanced tumor in his private part and he was 10 years old. The symptoms that he had was, not being to pee and he also didnt eat. I hope this helped you with your case. Good luck?


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## GraceNote313

Thank you for your very thoughtful description of what happened to your sweet golden. 

I too have just gone through this and my dog Buddy had very similar symptoms. The back leg weakness, Rimadyl and Gabapentin, given for suspected muscle pull. Buddy had a raised white blood cell count and the vet thought to send him to a specialist to see if he had lymphoma but he was cleared for that and was eventually diagnosed as having degenerative myelopathy. He collapsed suddenly with difficulty breathing and when seen at the emergency vet, we were told immediately that hemangiosarcoma was suspected. Turned out that he had a large tumor in his heart that had burst. We had the blood drained around his heart but it came back shortly. We had to put him to sleep that night and have been extremely heartbroken ever since. It was so sudden and I have been going crazy trying to think of what I did to cause this to happen to my sweet dog. He was almost 13 which is a good age for a male golden but I still feel that he was stolen from me like a thief in the night! I am so sorry for everyone that has gone through this. I pray that there is some kind of work being done to help detect and prevent this horrible disease.


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## SusanS

For my Buddy, it came out of nowhere. He had just had his bi-annual senior check up and everything looked fine, except his liver enzymes count was a bit elevated. I had noticed that he would pant profusely after his walks and just a couple of weeks before his passing, his back legs would give out. Vet wanted to test him for Cushings. The day of his collapse, he was perfectly fine and had gone on his regular morning walk. In the afternoon, he went out to do his business and upon returning he saw a cat and chased it. He walked back into the house and he would always follow me. I turned around and Buddy was not next to me. I retraced my steps and found him lying in the kitchen unable to move. I immediately called the vet and they had me check his gums which were pink. They recommended that we head to ER if he was still unable to get up. It was like his back legs simply gave out and he panted profusely again. We headed to the ER a couple of hours later and learned that he had a tumor in his heart which had burst which caused him to collapse. They drained the blood which brought some comfort to him. Details of the event are still fresh in my mind, now 3 months later. Buddy was 13 years old and truly this blindsided me.


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## GraceNote313

Susan,

You and I seem to have had very similar experiences with the sudden collapse due to the heart tumor. My Buddy left me on July 22nd. So about three months ago. I just think that hemangiosarcoma is an awful cancer. I am so sorry for your loss. I know that living without them is the hardest part. Prayers for you and Buddy.

Janet


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## SusanS

GraceNote313 said:


> Susan,
> 
> You and I seem to have had very similar experiences with the sudden collapse due to the heart tumor. My Buddy left me on July 22nd. So about three months ago. I just think that hemangiosarcoma is an awful cancer. I am so sorry for your loss. I know that living without them is the hardest part. Prayers for you and Buddy.
> 
> Janet


Hi Janet! Yes, we do have similar experiences and same Golden name! My Buddy went home on July 19. Hemangiosarcoma is such a horrible horrible disease - I was in such a shock as I have never heard of it until now and I have been researching it since then. My prayers go out to you as well. It's a lonely time, but I have been watching Ziva's puppies and enjoying them.


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## Brinkleythegolden

I too had a similar experience. My just 5-year-old, Brinkley was fine on the Friday before the 4th of July. Woke up Saturday, didn't want to eat, but otherwise fine. By Monday night, he couldn't breathe and we had to make that awful decision. It was also cardiac hemangio. It was the day after his 5th Birthday! We are still in shock after more than three months. My heart goes out to anyone who has been thru this.


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## GraceNote313

I am so sorry that you lost your sweet Brinkley this way. It is so hard because they are here one minute seemingly fine and then they are gone. Shocking is the right way to describe it. I pray that all of our sweet goldens are in a better place running happy and free together. Hugs - Janet


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## GraceNote313

Hi Susan! I too have been watching the puppies to get over my heartbreak. 

Oh my gosh, Ziva and her puppies are saving me! They are the cutest and funniest little creatures to watch! They look like a bunch of frat boys after a hard night of partying! Passed out and the place is a shambles! LOL!


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## Brinkleythegolden

GraceNote313 said:


> I am so sorry that you lost your sweet Brinkley this way. It is so hard because they are here one minute seemingly fine and then they are gone. Shocking is the right way to describe it. I pray that all of our sweet goldens are in a better place running happy and free together. Hugs - Janet


Thank you. I am sorry about your furbaby as well. I'm sure they are having fun at the Bridge.


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