It's my turn and I'm truly heartbroken...losing my BFF...prayers for my Bodi please..

[DanielDudley]

I'm going to pray for quality of life for Bodi, however long that is. I hope you get a miracle.

In a way, your son already saved your dog, so that you can come to grips with saying good bye. No matter what you do, in the end this is inevitable.

We have the ability to love many people and many pets. True love is mitigating suffering for those we love, and reaching out without shutting down. Enjoy the days you have together, and realize that there will always be another dog to love, one who needs you.

[2porscheguy]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

So sorry about your pup. In my Veterinary career, I diagnosed probably 10 hemangiosarcomas. All presented as weakness and anemia due to the spleen bleeding into the belly. Removing the spleen stopped the bleed, and the dogs improved dramatically for a few weeks.

But all relapsed due to the metastasis to the liver. Chemo has probably progressed since then, but it was not very effective then.

There is no right or wrong decision on the chemo. It's yours to make and nobody elses.

Thank you for your thoughts Dr. SiberianDVM.

As is the case I've been doing much internet research and I keep coming across dog owners and some vets who swear by the success of using Turkey Tail mushroom supplements (I'm-Yunity) for the treatment of HSA..some claiming to extend the lives of their dogs by close to a year. Has anybody tried this?

BTW I've never been a strong advocate of holistic medicine but when faced with this, like many other people, I'll try anything to extend his life. I do realize however that you can't believe everything that you read on the internet.

[2porscheguy]

Originally Posted by Aerkuld

Alex - Sorry to hear about Bodi. We lost our little Nugget just before Christmas last year. She was a rescue that we picked up in February of 2018 after she was found abandoned on the streets. They think she was already fourteen or so when we got her, and she had a large mass on her thigh. We had a suspicion we knew what we were getting in to. The vet removed the mass, but the biopsy produced the anticipated bad news. She, too, was given the option of chemo and they told us similar times to what you were told.

We started her on the chemo and steroids, but quickly found they would upset her stomach and lower her energy. Consequently we decided to stop treatment after a few weeks as we wanted her to have a decent quality of life, even if that meant less of it, rather than many months of drawn-out discomfort.

Well, she basically made it ten months, but it was, we hope, the best ten months of her life. She would come to work with me where she was a total Rockstar. Everyone loved her, and she was treated like royalty. She loved eating rice, and my wife would buy rotisserie chickens, put all the meat into 'treat bags', then cook rice in the chicken stock. I swear Nugget had better lunches than me! She'd follow me around the office, and come to meetings where she usually had her own chair. Towards the end she'd be wearing pink pajamas, not for looks, but to stop her from licking her dressings off.

Inevitably we got to the point where she just wasn't herself any more. The masses were back and getting worse, and she was very lethargic. She used to really enjoy her walks but even that had become a chore, and we couldn't go ten paces without stopping to rest. We had the vet visit the house, curled her up in her favorite basket, and fed her chicken while we sat with her. Despite having time to prepare, it was still difficult, but we felt it would have been selfish to let her struggle further. Probably the hardest part for me was going back to work and having to tell my co-workers that Nugget wasn't going to be in the office again.

If we were to do it all over again I don't think we'd change a thing, and those ten months really allowed her to shine. She was treated to walks on the beach, and the best snacks ever, while we got to spend time with one of the sweetest little personalities you're ever likely to witness. Everyone we know still talks about Nugget with a huge smile on their face.

Anyway, you should probably try the chemo and see how it goes. You can then make a decision as to whether to continue, but don't expect it to be plain sailing. In the meantime, Bodi, I'm sure, will be spoiled rotten. Make every day Bodi's 'best day ever' and pack as much in as you can. When the time comes you want to be able to look back on those days with a smile. Hopefully this helps, even if it's just to let you know you're not alone.

Wow, what a sweetie she must have been Aerkuld!

Well you'd never know that anything was wrong with him as he's back to his usual....demanding..self today! We've played a good two rounds of "Find It!!!" (small treats hidden throughout the house) and he's in full retriever mode!

[Aerkuld]

Originally Posted by 2porscheguy

Wow, what a sweetie she must have been Aerkuld!

Well you'd never know that anything was wrong with him as he's back to his usual....demanding..self today! We've played a good two rounds of "Find It!!!" (small treats hidden throughout the house) and he's in full retriever mode!

Thanks Alex. They do a really good job of hiding it sometimes, as if they know how upset you'll be. Like someone else said, they'll tell you when it's time. Best of luck buddy.