My eleven-year-old maltipoodle was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma. With this sort of cancer, my family had no choice but to do surgery to remove the lump because it could explode and cause her a terrible death. The surgery was successful, but we were told that if we do not start treatment, she will only live for another 2-3 months. Even if she gets chemo, kids normally live for 8-9 months, but she will be on chemo for four of those months. It has been two weeks following the surgery, and she has been experiencing severe diarrhea and vomiting. Especially at night, my dad and I are sleep-deprived because she wants to go outside. To conduct her business. Aside from that, she appears to be in good health, making it difficult to believe she is sick. Tomorrow we will have a family gathering to make one of the most difficult decisions of our lives. To undergo chemo or not. I’ve already accepted that she won’t live for long, but I’ve never been through death or sadness with someone so important to me. She’s my childhood dog. It also bothers me deeply to see my parents sad since they treat her like a baby. If you could give me some advice or anything to help me prepare for this, I woyuld be grateful.
Hello, pal. I am very sorry you are going through this. When I was only 20 years old, I lost the first dog I ever got on my own to hemangiosarcoma. She had done an excellent job concealing it, and there were no other options. I won’t tell you what she went through. It’s been over five years, and I still can’t talk about it in person. I loved her with all of my being, and I’d do anything to change it all.
I will inform you that hemangiosarcoma is one of the most aggressive malignancies. If I could travel back in time and met her before her last night, I would have given her the nicest last few days.
I decided NOT to do it for one of my dogs. He was a Chihuahua with bladder cancer that could not be operated on due to its position. I read and investigated, and any more life would have occurred 3 to 6 months following chemotherapy. That’s a lot of treatment that makes you feel horrible about losing your quality of life for very little gain.
I read somewhere that grief is like a ball in a box. At first, the ball is enormous and fills the box. The ball shrinks over time, but it continues to bounce around and remains present. Finally, the ball stops bouncing. It’s still there, and you’re aware of its presence, but it doesn’t rattle around as much as before.
My dog got cancer, too. They gave him 6 to 8 weeks, yet he lasted 6 months until we had to make our final appointment to the vet. The mass was inoperable, and chemotherapy was not an option. The tumor eventually expanded through his perineum, necessitating daily medical dressing changes. The cancer was both within and outside his body. You should consider the dog’s general health and quality of life. Chemotherapy may help her live a bit longer, but is it beneficial to either you or her? Chemotherapy will make her ill as well. I know it feels like you’re going to hell and back, but the most important thing is to make your dog happy as content as possible.
I went through this in 2022 with my first dog.
I underwent the chemotherapy. I wished I hadn’t. It certainly extended her life for a few weeks, but she was miserable the entire time, and I’ll have to live with the memories of her vomiting and pooping on herself on our final days together.
I’m sorry you are going through this. I am sorry that anyone has to make this decision.
However, if you wanted opinions, I would not provide them. I would grab her a ton of pain relievers, order a big meal from a steakhouse for her, and then let her go.
I don’t know what to say to help you right now, but I hope she finds peace and love, as do you and your family. Whatever you choose, know that you love her more than words, and she loves you back.
There was an alternative to the horrible death. If she only had 2-3 months since surgery. I had to let my son go last week. He had a spleen tumor that had ruptured by the time it was diagnosed. The veterinarian did not even recommend surgery because he indicated the fatality rate was high and dying was unpleasant.
It might be time to let your little sweetie go.
I just wanted to mention, since I notice a lot of people saying they took their dog to the vet when it was time for them to go, that if/when you decide to let her go, many locations now provide home-euthanasia services. If you inquire, your veterinarian may be willing to do it, or you can probably find a company that does it in your region. I just wanted to let you know it’s a possibility, since many people are unaware.
@Ill_Opportunity_4642 We went for a walk, ate some cake and burgers, and the vet did it in my car. I listened as his heart ceased beating. I was fortunate that the vet would conduct it outside the facility. It’s a fantastic service if you can have it at home.
When our old lady was diagnosed with cancer, we had to stop feeding her kibble and instead give her plain boiled chicken and white rice with a packet of Fortiflora mixed in. She moved from having diarrhea every two hours to normal bowel movements in about a day and a half. You could try it; I doubt it would hurt her at this point.
The only advice I can offer, is when you do decide to put her down, be with her. DO NOT leave her. It’s hard, but it would be so much worse for her to not have ya’ll there.
I’m so sorry for what you’re going through. I realize it’s difficult to make that decision. If I were in your shoes, I would say farewell immediately before your dog’s life became even more unpleasant. I wouldn’t do the chemo because it makes them sick, too. I’m sorry to say this, but I’d like to say goodbye as soon as possible.
Hey @LunaPurrington
I’m truly sorry for what you’re going through. I recently had to say goodbye to my 11-year-old dog, who had lung cancer. After considering surgery and chemo, I chose a peaceful at-home service to prevent any suffering. It was heartbreaking, but I have no regrets. Sending love during this difficult time. 
If you can find a Chinese medicine vet, see if they can help her quality of life. We had friends whose dog had a spleen tumor, and they used Chinese medicine to control the bleeding for around 6 years. Is the dog now around 13 or 14? Doing fantastically.
I lost my 7-year-old lab to the same. His tumor was incurable, but I was able to manage his symptoms for a brief time with medicinal assistance. He appeared healthy, but the tumor was harming his heart. It’s a difficult decision, and it sounds like your family is doing their best. Sometimes we have to say goodbye before we’re ready.
I have lost three puppies to cancer over the years. It’s very heartbreaking, and I’ll always remember, appreciate, and love them. They were all the greatest ever. Although I dislike the word “put them down,” I believe it is better to let them go sooner than later.