On March 25th, 2019, we said goodbye to our best friend.
Moose was our 11.5 year old GOLDEN RETRIEVER. He had a cancerous mass on his spleen that ruptured, causing bleeding into his abdomen.
Moose was loved by many, and had regular care at a well-recommended vet his whole life. We were very pleased with the care he received for other issues.
The ER vets told us that masses on the spleen or liver are very common in Goldens and that TWO-THIRDS of them are cancerous, like with our dog, and they begin presenting around 5-7 years of age.
The ER vet shared that she had a very old Golden at home, and we asked her how often she gets an abdominal ultrasound on her dog, and she let her head fall a bit, and said "yearly since they were five."
Hearing this potentially preventative info from the ER vet moments before she put our beloved pet to sleep was the most heartbreaking part of this.
We wish we had known that this
breed needs these scans regularly.
If these scans were done earlier, there's a chance that while perhaps our dog wouldn't have lived any longer, he would've been spared the pain that was a result of the mass rupturing.
Please, if you know your dog's specific breed please RESEARCH ON YOUR OWN, check with vets and specialists to find out what illnesses are common for that breed, so that you can look for potential solutions, or at least just KNOW. If your pet is ill and not improving, please get a second opinion.
Please ask your vet
“What illnesses affect this breed most?”
Golden Retrievers need abdominal ultrasounds yearly from age 5. What does YOUR pet need?
Our Moose loved to wear his bandanas, often picking up the corner in his mouth when it was time to go home from his walk. As we attempt to deal with our pain by providing this info, we are handing out bandanas weekly in various San Diego locations. If you see our sign, please take a bandana for your pet, vow to seek out the best research and care for them, and help us remember Moose as a bright, GOLDEN light that can’t ever be extinguished.
We will miss him so much.