# 7-year old Gatsby boy put to sleep with gastric cancer



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

A day too early is always better than a day too late.. you did the right thing. 

I'm so sorry for your loss.


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## FurdogDad (Mar 30, 2021)

I'm sorry to hear about your loss of Gatsby. I agree with Prism, it was right not to let him be in any more pain.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

I am very sorry for your loss of Gatsby. 7 is too young to say goodbye. There's some saying about taking on the pain of the loss so your dog won't have to stay in pain and there's a lot of truth to that. It is the most loving choice. Try to focus your thoughts on happy memories and not the last few hours as much as you can.


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## Monica_K (Mar 3, 2021)

So sorry to hear about this. You absolutely made the right decision for your boy.


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## Ffcmm (May 4, 2016)

I am so sorry for your loss ):


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm so sorry for your loss of Gatsby.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

My heart goes out to you, it's so hard to lose a dog you love but the unfairness of such a young age adds another level. I am a believer that when the things that make your dog happy no longer give joy, such as food and nature walks, it's time to release him. Quality of life is everything and the vet was very clear about what you were facing. Gatsby was loved and he knew it, allow yourself to grieve without guilt. I'm so sorry for your loss.


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

I'm so sorry for your loss of Gatsby. My last Golden (Luke) got cancer at eight and lived four months after diagnosis. My thoughts were I would help him as long as he was still enjoying life. When it was time (he grew lethargic and didn't want to eat, plus his hematocrit was dropping quickly), I let him go before things got bad. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, but there was no way I was going to let my baby suffer. He left this world peacefully. You did the right thing.


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## claireelena7 (11 mo ago)

So tough to deal with. Sounds like a similar situation. I'm sure the cancer had been back in Gatsby for a while but it wasn't until he stopped eating and grew tired that I got the ultrasound and it showed the worst. Definitely better to prevent suffering.


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## StanleyMum (Dec 27, 2020)

claireelena7 said:


> My dog, Gatsby, had an intestinal adenocarcinoma removed in November 2020. They removed the entire cancerous mass and at the time there were no signs of spread but adenocarcinomas are known to be aggressive so we knew there was a high likelihood of reoccurrence and spread. He had a happy year and 3 months post surgery but definitely slowed down a bit. In February 2022, last week actually, I had to put Gatsby down. He was only 7. He stopped eating, was very slow and sluggish on walks, sleep was disturbed by panting, breathing heavily, and pacing a bit along with just moving from position to position. He was drinking LOTS of water despite not eating much. At first he ate human food, then just treats, and then at the end weirdly he'd only eat veggie dents but wasn't interested in any other food. An ultra sound showed that the cancer was back and had spread and we were told to do palliative care and that he had 1-2 months to live.
> 
> I made the decision to put him down since I know he was in pain and I didn't want it to get worse. The vet said it would only be downhill from here. He was on Cerenia and Prilosec, and an appetite stimulant that made him hungry but his body wouldn't let him eat. It was tough to watch since he was ALWAYS very food motivated. In the end he just liked being outside on the grass in the park, laying, or on the beach laying with the wind blowing through his beautiful fur.
> 
> ...


Im so sorry for your loss and you did the right thing. We lost our 7 year old boy Stanley to a rapidly growing brain tumour in Jan 2021 and the decision was so hard even though there wasn't really a choice. Look after yourself it is a rought time x


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## ericvaughn8 (4 mo ago)

That is very sad to me. May they rest well.


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## [email protected] (Feb 24, 2019)

claireelena7 said:


> My dog, Gatsby, had an intestinal adenocarcinoma removed in November 2020. They removed the entire cancerous mass and at the time there were no signs of spread but adenocarcinomas are known to be aggressive so we knew there was a high likelihood of reoccurrence and spread. He had a happy year and 3 months post surgery but definitely slowed down a bit. In February 2022, last week actually, I had to put Gatsby down. He was only 7. He stopped eating, was very slow and sluggish on walks, sleep was disturbed by panting, breathing heavily, and pacing a bit along with just moving from position to position. He was drinking LOTS of water despite not eating much. At first he ate human food, then just treats, and then at the end weirdly he'd only eat veggie dents but wasn't interested in any other food. An ultra sound showed that the cancer was back and had spread and we were told to do palliative care and that he had 1-2 months to live.
> 
> I made the decision to put him down since I know he was in pain and I didn't want it to get worse. The vet said it would only be downhill from here. He was on Cerenia and Prilosec, and an appetite stimulant that made him hungry but his body wouldn't let him eat. It was tough to watch since he was ALWAYS very food motivated. In the end he just liked being outside on the grass in the park, laying, or on the beach laying with the wind blowing through his beautiful fur.
> 
> ...


Yes- lost my heart dog Zoe (age 8) on my birthday last year. So sorry. You did the right thing, this is a last gift we can give our pets .


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