# After Losing Three Goldens to Cancer This Year, Need Help Finding a New Pup



## ChristinaEKelly (Dec 6, 2016)

Hi
My husband and I have lost three golden retrievers this year to cancer. Two were two years old and brother and sister--lymphoma and osteosarcoma. The third was a histosarcoma and she was four. I cannot lose another young golden retriever to cancer again, so now I am hyper, uber careful about finding a breeder that is not a backyard breeder, not a puppy, and doesn't LIE about their dogs.

We've spent thousands of dollars on chemo and drugs to give them a little longer time on the planet. We live on five acres in Renton, south of Seattle. Although I've told myself 'no more,' I have had golden retrievers for 25 years and the house is empty without them.

I am hoping someone will read this post and help with some suggestions. We've talked about being a guardian family, adopting and rescuing goldens, or starting a breeding program that works towards eliminating the cancer gene. We know every vet oncologist from Seattle to Spokane, to Denver to Wisconsin. I would like to have a golden retriever that lives to a ripe old age.

If you know some reputable breeders in the Northwest, can you suggest. Many thanks,

Christina


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## danoon58 (Jul 1, 2015)

Christina

I am so sorry you have lost your precious pups at such a young age. My boy is 19 months and I try so not to worry about what might happen. I wish you good luck in your search. I cannot offer much help, sorry. Welcome to the forum though -- the members here are truly wonderful!


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

I am so sorry for your horrific losses.

There are several groups working on identifying the genes that make some dogs more susceptible to various cancers. Guardian families really just allow the less than stellar breeders to breed more puppies. It's not a win-win and you would love the bitch, and then her life would be risked by breeding litters to put $ in the breeder's pocket. 

Most good breeders DO use all their resources to avoid producing a puppy that dies early, but the reality of it is that all cancers are not caused by one gene and more likely, there are helper genes and environmental components as well that act to result in a dog dying young.. honestly the best thing you personally could do would be to put your dogs on k9data, and input cause and date of death. Information is powerful.
I am assuming you bought your beloved dogs from the same breeder, so likely the same pedigree if she's one of the ones who breeds to her own boys, and likely as well even if she doesn't. Good breeders do tremendous research and having the info out there WILL make a difference to anyone doing a breeding involving the stud dog at least. 
The likelihood of you being able to purchase a breedable bitch on full registration w the goal of cutting out cancer are slim to none unless you start with a bitch whose pedigree is marginal and whose breeder isn't one who cares deeply about their own pedigree.
I know breeders up there who do do their research. Not that they won't ever produce cancer, the likelihood is that they will. We all will... but hopefully it will be an old age one. You're in an area of the country that is pretty good about ethical breeding.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

I'm so sorry. I can't imagine losing one dog that young - nevermind three. Devastating. 

I don't know the northwest, but I'm sure others here will have some good advice.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Christina*



ChristinaEKelly said:


> Hi
> My husband and I have lost three golden retrievers this year to cancer. Two were two years old and brother and sister--lymphoma and osteosarcoma. The third was a histosarcoma and she was four. I cannot lose another young golden retriever to cancer again, so now I am hyper, uber careful about finding a breeder that is not a backyard breeder, not a puppy, and doesn't LIE about their dogs.
> 
> We've spent thousands of dollars on chemo and drugs to give them a little longer time on the planet. We live on five acres in Renton, south of Seattle. Although I've told myself 'no more,' I have had golden retrievers for 25 years and the house is empty without them.
> ...


Christina: I am so very sorry, how tragic losing three young Goldens. My heart goes out to you.
I don't know of any breeders, we adopted on of our Golden Rets. from As Good as Gold in Illinois at the age of 16 months and she lived to be 11 or 12. We adopted a Golden Retriever Male from this forum, someone was giving him away. Praying you find some information, but I don't know if there is any rhyme or reason to which dogs get cancer. My husband and I have lost two male Samoyeds to cancer, also.

Please email me your screen name, the name of your dogs and the dates they went to the Rainbow Bridge and I will add the to the 2016 Rainbow Bridge List.

Karen
[email protected]


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

I am so sorry for your losses. I cannot even imagine how devastated your family must be. 

Something to add is to be extremely suspicious of any breeder who is making cancer fee or less cancer claims. 

Cancer is a reality in all dogs and Golden's get an extra helping. It is going to pop up even with the most conscientious breeding choices. 

There will be many shady breeders out there looking to pray on your cancer fears. These breeders will likely be people who buy puppies and have them shipped sight unseen from Western European commercial kennels. They really will not have a clue to what is behind these dogs and are purchasing usually based on color. 

The truth is if you breed dogs long enough you will produce Cancer and other health issues. Please look for a breeder who is open about this. One who can tell you what they have produced and how they are working to try minimize Cancer in their program. These folks will not only talk about breeding choices but environmental as well. 

As far as a suggestion, I would try these breeders Our Dogs ? Chuckanut Retrievers

Long time breeders, beautiful dogs, and well respected experts. If they do not have plans, ask for referrals to other breeders, they have stud dogs so they will likely be a great source fro info.


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## Wolfeye (Sep 15, 2015)

Cancer is not one gene. It's a combination of genes, and even when the cancer genes are present, often a non-cancer gene is inherited from the other parent, masking the defective gene until it shows up "x" generations down the road. That's why cancer sucks. It hides. And in some cases, the cancer genes only get "turned on" in the right environment. Too much of a perfectly good, useful nutrient, can trigger cancer genes to become active.

I feel your anguish and know it all too well myself, but honestly - and this is hard for Golden people to hear - it's our love FOR the breed that caused this problem. Supply and demand. *Golden Retrievers are the finest dogs man has yet created*. This cancer situation won't sort itself out until the demand goes away. And then, maybe then, all the bad breeders and dogs get out of the pipeline. 

But that's simply not realistic. That ship has sailed. We need to focus on better environmental knowledge, looking at each pup genetically and determining what his/her cancer risk is. Then we tailor the environment accordingly. And treatment too. Some day, gene therapy might allow us to replace those bad genes, and prevent the cancer entirely. That's where my hope lies.

Cancer simply sucks.


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## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

Wow, how horrible. In all my years with Goldens, I have never heard of anyone losing three young dogs to cancer in a single year. So tragic! I think you have the worst luck of anyone I've ever heard of. I'm wondering if you got all your dogs from one breeder and/or if there is some chemical on your property or elsewhere that the dogs are getting in them somehow.

I'm basically just posting to second the recommendation for Chuckanut. Ken and Wayne are longtime expert breeders, super knowledgeable and nice. And they have a long record. Most of their dogs that I recall live between 10-12 years, with a few shorter and a few longer. I think that's pretty average for the breed. They are up in Bellingham. 

Also in Bellingham is Jane Jensen of Dalane Goldens (Dalane Golden Retrievers), another longtime breeder who is very honest and up front, and will tell you everything about her own dogs and can recommend other breeders to you.

And then, of course, there is Rush Hill Goldens (Rush Hill Golden Retrievers | Just another WordPress site), one of the most influential breeders in the breed. I dare say you find Rush Hill dogs somewhere in just about every Golden's pedigree, these days. Not saying that's a good thing or a bad thing, just that there is lots and lots of history with Rush Hill dogs, and you can see how long they live.

But the bad news is that you can't find a cancer free Golden line anywhere. They don't exist. Anywhere. And anyone who says they breed cancer-free Goldens is a liar or doesn't know what happened to their dogs. It's the reality of our breed. The question is how long do they live. Another question is what's in the environment where they live.

Good luck. You've already had lightning strike three times in the same place. If you buy from a conscientious breeder, you're just bound to do better next time.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

So sorry for your experiences -- truly awful 

I too recommend Ken & Wayne with Chuckanut Retrievers.
Also, Zaniri Goldens in BC (just north of the border).

Best of luck.


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## nana2 (Oct 8, 2015)

I'm so sorry for your loss.


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## smp (Apr 27, 2016)

So sorry for your losses. We lost ours to cancer last year and I can't imagine that pain x3.

Now, I will say that the physician/nerd in me believes that this has to be more than just bad luck/coincidence.

When a child gets cancer, their siblings are at no increased risk of developing cancer (typically not even for twins). 3 different types of cancers in 3 dogs in the same year, to me, is very concerning for an environmental trigger.

Have any of the vet oncologists had the same concern? If I was the vet, I would be bringing a full epidemiology study team to interview you about everything related to your dogs living conditions: location, proximity to pollution, exposure to pesticides (lawn, water, etc), food, medicines, etc. Have other dogs in the area recently been diagnoses with cancer at increasing rates. Maybe check with other local vets to see.

Lightning might strike twice for siblings who share so much genetically...but it just shouldn't strike three times.

Again, I really am truly sorry for your loss, but if you want to do the best you can to avoid or prolong cancer again, I would really look into potential environmental factors.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

So Sorry. I think I would be looking also into something on your property. It sounds like to much of a conicidence. I don't know how much a environmental study would cost. But if there is something it might save your families life.


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## KathyL (Jul 6, 2011)

Christina I'm so sorry to read that you lost three very young goldens within the past year. I'm in the Midwest and not able to recommend a breeder in the northwest, but since you had litter mates who both died of cancer so very young and within the year, I would definitely contact the breeder. And I'm not that familiar with k-9 data but aren't you able to enter that information there, it almost makes you wonder if these dogs were very poorly bred. 


You will find another golden and I would never, ever tell someone to consider a different breed (having just been told this recently!) but take your time looking and follow your heart.


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

I just can't imagine the sadness of your situation. Losing one young dog is horrible but three in a year is unimaginable.

I agree with others that entering the date and COD for the dogs on k9data.com is something that should be done. In the near term it may help owners of siblings of your dogs and having as much information as possible on the lifespan and cause of death for Goldens is helpful in the fight against cancer in the breed. It also helps others when they are making decisions on selecting a pup. 

There are a number of reasons why bringing home littermates is discouraged. This experience would seem to suggest another . . . if there is a health issue, you may have it x2.


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## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

I lost two within three months of each other, both to different cancers. But they had lived a wonderful full, long life. I cannot imagine, and can only offer you HUGS! I do understand about needing a Golden to make the house a home though, I hope I am always blessed with a Golden, or two in my life. I currently have 3 rescues, Skye, Breezey, and Tucker!


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