# Unexpected death from hemangiosarcoma



## Lisalis (Feb 6, 2017)

I had to put my beautiful baby boy marley to sleep on Friday afternoon and I'm still in shock! He was fine up until a few days before when he developed weakness and what looked like depression, wouldn't eat but would still play ball every now and then, he was obsessed with playing fetch, I was so scared so took him to the vets when he kept collapsing and had white gums, they did scans and an x ray which revealed he had a massive tumour in his spleen that had spread to his lungs, which would explain a strange cough he had for a few months, so I went home after dropping him off only to be told 2 hours later that he needed to be put to sleep as he was in a bad way, there were no signs at all from him literally up until 3 days beforehand! I'm in complete shock, he was only 8 and half years old! He was my world and I'm struggling to get my head around it all, I've been looking up hemangiosarcoma obsessively since Friday which has kind of put my mind at rest as it seems the symptoms don't show until it's in it's advance stages, also there is no cure even if it was found earlier, it just all seems so cruel and I'm struggling to adjust to life without him, I feel empty and lost  if anyone else has had experience with this terrible disease please let me know!


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

No experience in this but heartfelt sympatthy. What a shock !. Be kind to yourself and allow yourself to grieve.


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## Gillian Davies (Feb 6, 2017)

Lisalis said:


> I had to put my beautiful baby boy marley to sleep on Friday afternoon and I'm still in shock! He was fine up until a few days before when he developed weakness and what looked like depression, wouldn't eat but would still play ball every now and then, he was obsessed with playing fetch, I was so scared so took him to the vets when he kept collapsing and had white gums, they did scans and an x ray which revealed he had a massive tumour in his spleen that had spread to his lungs, which would explain a strange cough he had for a few months, so I went home after dropping him off only to be told 2 hours later that he needed to be put to sleep as he was in a bad way, there were no signs at all from him literally up until 3 days beforehand! I'm in complete shock, he was only 8 and half years old! He was my world and I'm struggling to get my head around it all, I've been looking up hemangiosarcoma obsessively since Friday which has kind of put my mind at rest as it seems the symptoms don't show until it's in it's advance stages, also there is no cure even if it was found earlier, it just all seems so cruel and I'm struggling to adjust to life without him, I feel empty and lost  if anyone else has had experience with this terrible disease please let me know!


Please don't keep looking on internet at symptoms that you didn't recognise I had my first puppy Alsatian cross collies at eight weeks old and when he got to 16 he slowed down which he was entitled to do on Easter Sunday when he was 17 he cried trying to stand up his back end went and he had to be put down and as I wright this I am crying and I swore never again, 4 years later we went to a rescur and found our fore ever dog whisper and we are now looking for a companion dog for her, my past dog Zac is still in house but it is comforting to know this and he is looking out for us and our new pups when we get them, dogs are so forgiving and don't envy us when we get new dogs, they know we won't ever replace them but welcome new ones


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## Lisalis (Feb 6, 2017)

thank you very much your words mean a lot to me! Now I've got to learn to adjust to life without him, have to give back to work tomorrow but don't feel ready


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## Lisalis (Feb 6, 2017)

Gillian Davies said:


> Please don't keep looking on internet at symptoms that you didn't recognise I had my first puppy Alsatian cross collies at eight weeks old and when he got to 16 he slowed down which he was entitled to do on Easter Sunday when he was 17 he cried trying to stand up his back end went and he had to be put down and as I wright this I am crying and I swore never again, 4 years later we went to a rescur and found our fore ever dog whisper and we are now looking for a companion dog for her, my past dog Zac is still in house but it is comforting to know this and he is looking out for us and our new pups when we get them, dogs are so forgiving and don't envy us when we get new dogs, they know we won't ever replace them but welcome new ones


Scared at the thought of getting a new dog but my flat feels so empty without a dog in it :,(


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## 1290423 (Aug 11, 2011)

So sorry to read of marley 
Little we can say will help how you are feeling although many of us have walked in you shoes
Just thinking of you x
Run free at the bridge marley


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## Lisalis (Feb 6, 2017)

DT said:


> So sorry to read of marley
> Little we can say will help how you are feeling although many of us have walked in you shoes
> Just thinking of you x
> Run free at the bridge marley


Thank you! Here's hoping he's doing exactly what he loves, playing fetch and chasing squirrels! I just wish I could kiss and hug him one last time


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## CuddleMonster (Mar 9, 2016)

So sorry to hear your news. Hold on to the good memories - it sounds as if he had a lovely life with you and was obviously much loved. There was nothing you could have done to prevent this happening, so don't make yourself feel guilty. Hopefully, the knowledge that it was so quick and he didn't have a long illness will be some comfort in time. Hugs xxx


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## Lisalis (Feb 6, 2017)

CuddleMonster said:


> So sorry to hear your news. Hold on to the good memories - it sounds as if he had a lovely life with you and was obviously much loved. There was nothing you could have done to prevent this happening, so don't make yourself feel guilty. Hopefully, the knowledge that it was so quick and he didn't have a long illness will be some comfort in time. Hugs xxx


Thank you so much, I have no regrets about doing what I did, he was in obvious pain and it would have been cruel to let him suffer any longer, the vet assistants said if I'd have left it a day later he probably would have died a long painful death and it would have been horrific to witness, instead he went peacefully in my arms whilst I kissed his little face so he knew how much I loved and adored him right til the very end! I gave him the best life a dog could have, I rescued him and he rescued me from a miserable life of depression, it's been the best 8 years of my life!


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## kathleen anderson (Nov 19, 2016)

Lisalis said:


> I had to put my beautiful baby boy marley to sleep on Friday afternoon and I'm still in shock! He was fine up until a few days before when he developed weakness and what looked like depression, wouldn't eat but would still play ball every now and then, he was obsessed with playing fetch, I was so scared so took him to the vets when he kept collapsing and had white gums, they did scans and an x ray which revealed he had a massive tumour in his spleen that had spread to his lungs, which would explain a strange cough he had for a few months, so I went home after dropping him off only to be told 2 hours later that he needed to be put to sleep as he was in a bad way, there were no signs at all from him literally up until 3 days beforehand! I'm in complete shock, he was only 8 and half years old! He was my world and I'm struggling to get my head around it all, I've been looking up hemangiosarcoma obsessively since Friday which has kind of put my mind at rest as it seems the symptoms don't show until it's in it's advance stages, also there is no cure even if it was found earlier, it just all seems so cruel and I'm struggling to adjust to life without him, I feel empty and lost  if anyone else has had experience with this terrible disease please let me know!


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## kathleen anderson (Nov 19, 2016)

So sorry to hear ....It's a devastating experience to lose a loved companion ....still cry for my dear gentle soul Emma over a year nearly now


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## Jackie C (Feb 16, 2016)

Sorry for the loss of Marley. xx It's always sad as these things often happen so quickly, and we don't have time to prepare x


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## Charity (Apr 17, 2013)

I'm so very sorry for your tragic loss, they are so much a part of our hearts and home.


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## sue m (Nov 3, 2016)

So sorry to read about your loss recently, its devastating beyond words to lose a loved one. I still cry every day since losing Lucy suddenly at the vets last year. I have found everyone on this forum has been so lovely and its really helped me.


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## nightingale (Oct 31, 2008)

Lisalis said:


> I had to put my beautiful baby boy marley to sleep on Friday afternoon and I'm still in shock!
> He was fine up until a few days before when he developed weakness and what looked like depression, wouldn't eat but would still play ball every now and then, he was obsessed with playing fetch, I was so scared so took him to the vets when he kept collapsing and had white gums, they did scans and an x ray which revealed he had a massive tumour in his spleen that had spread to his lungs, which would explain a strange cough he had for a few months, so I went home after dropping him off only to be told 2 hours later that he needed to be put to sleep as he was in a bad way, there were no signs at all from him literally up until 3 days beforehand! I'm in complete shock, he was only 8 and half years old! He was my world and I'm struggling to get my head around it all, I've been looking up hemangiosarcoma obsessively since Friday which has kind of put my mind at rest as it seems the symptoms don't show until it's in it's advance stages, also there is no cure even if it was found earlier, it just all seems so cruel and I'm struggling to adjust to life without him, I feel empty and lost  if anyone else has had experience with this terrible disease please let me know!


I totally understand what you have gone through. We lost our 9 year old Welsh Springer last May due to Hemangiosarcoma. Like you said, he was normal as ever and just once he had to be hand fed which was usual. I called him for a walk in the evening and he wasn't keen which was unusual for him. So I checked his gums and they were pale. I immediately took him to the vets thinking it cd be a tooth abscess or something. She did a scan as she found lump near the spleen. It was a bleeding tumour ( scan) and then I decided to take Jasper to Supervets ( fitzpatrick) and he was operated that night, He came home after 5 days and kind of bounced back but the vets at Fitzpatrick gave him 3 months max and with chemo 5 months max. We had decided that we cd not put him through Chemo as we had heard of stories about what they go through. He then developed a tumour- huge one on his hind leg and started limping. He then had high temperature for a few days. he was on pain killers and he used to eat and limp outside to do his job too. But one day when we saw he could not get to his water , we knew he was giving up and it broke our heart when we decided that we had to let him go. We have still not got over Jasper and we cry every single day. It hasn't been easy. We found out about the cancer on March 16th and he left us on 5th May last year. Life has been cruel and mean and he was everything to us ! A piece of my soul has gone. We had 2 dogs Jasper and Gizmo and we still have our Gizmo who is 6 now. Giz misses his buddy like us. I guess we should move on and get another one. I feel for you!! love and hugs


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