I was debating airing my personal issues on the board, but thought what the hell, why not. It's therapeutic after all. This morning I woke up at 5:45 like normal. I heard our 12-year-old black lab go downstairs a few minutes before I got up which isn't totally unusual for her. I went downstairs and she was laying by the water bowl, a spot she never lays at. I asked her if she wanted to go outside (outside being her magic word to jump up and run to the door) and she didn't budge. I knew something was wrong. I went back upstairs and told my other half to get up and we had to take her to the 24-hour emergency vet. I had to carry her outside to the car. She growled when I tried to pick her up, the first time she's ever growled at another person, let alone me.
By 7:30, she was gone. Hemangiosarcoma. I had never heard of it before today, but it's an especially nasty form of cancer in dogs. Usually starts in a dogs spleen or liver and grows quickly, spreads aggressively, and generally goes without symptoms until it's too late. That's the worst part, this dog was 100% normal last night. And 12 hours later, she's gone.
I feel lucky we had a little bit of time to say goodbye and didn't wake up to find her dead, as generally happens with this type of cancer. It's basically cancer of the blood vessels and the first sign tends to be a massive internal hemorrhage when the mass bursts. She must've started hemorrhaging shortly before she woke up. If it had happened overnight she might've just been gone when my alarm went off.
But she was a damn good dog, and I'll just leave it at that.
Moral of the story, just remember we can all, you, me, parents, kids, siblings, dogs, cats, any one of us, go at any time and with no warning. Hug your loved ones a bit more tonight, and then try and do that every day anyway.
Life is a precious thing.
By 7:30, she was gone. Hemangiosarcoma. I had never heard of it before today, but it's an especially nasty form of cancer in dogs. Usually starts in a dogs spleen or liver and grows quickly, spreads aggressively, and generally goes without symptoms until it's too late. That's the worst part, this dog was 100% normal last night. And 12 hours later, she's gone.
I feel lucky we had a little bit of time to say goodbye and didn't wake up to find her dead, as generally happens with this type of cancer. It's basically cancer of the blood vessels and the first sign tends to be a massive internal hemorrhage when the mass bursts. She must've started hemorrhaging shortly before she woke up. If it had happened overnight she might've just been gone when my alarm went off.
But she was a damn good dog, and I'll just leave it at that.
Moral of the story, just remember we can all, you, me, parents, kids, siblings, dogs, cats, any one of us, go at any time and with no warning. Hug your loved ones a bit more tonight, and then try and do that every day anyway.
Life is a precious thing.
