Appetite From Hell

RIP Mr. Moe, we miss you so, so much. I’ve had this written for some time, but grieving has really taken a toll on myself and my significant other.

To preface: my purpose for writing this article is to put another experience “out there”. In a situation working against aggressive cancer in your beloved dog or cat, where you could only have a few hours to make certain decisions, more available information is nice to have readily available when you are Google searching at 2am what to potentially expect. I am not a veterinarian, nor an accredited animal healthcare professional in any way. Simply a dog mom who is looking to help others.

HSA (Hemangiosarcoma) is an aggressive cancer, unfortunately common in senior dogs as they continue to age. Common sites for internal tumors are the spleen, liver, and heart. Some giveaway symptoms are sudden weight loss, lethargy and sleeping more, heavy panting, unexplained coughing, and a change in eating/drinking habits eventually leading to a distended or bulging belly, pale gums, weakness, or collapse.

Diagnosis comes from a biopsy. From there, multiple scans can be done to find tumor sites quickly for potential removal. Surgery would be the next step, given the patient qualifies as a good candidate for surgery. At this point, a tough decision needs to be made: to go into surgery and buy yourself a few more weeks or months given absolutely nothing goes wrong with your loved one in the process, spend as much time as possible with your dog or cat until you feel it is appropriate for humane euthanasia, or let nature run its course.

For our situation: our boy Mr. Moe was a 13 year old pitbull/labrador mix who was veryyyy active and playful, even getting more playful as he got older. Through the last week or so before he declined, we noticed Moe had lost some weight, and his appetite had become scattered. We did everything we could to encourage him to eat, even frequently changing the flavors and types of food. He was napping more frequently, and waking up later. His energy was still there when he was awake, and he would still want to run and play as long as you would let him, but he was starting to get tired afterward and his naps were longer. We did everything we could to accomodate him, and were even about to book a vet appointment for a check-up.

Here’s about how our timeline went on the day of the ER trip:
11am: noticeable distended belly
2:30pm: drastically distended belly
3pm: Moe was admitted to the ER
4pm: HSA and splenic mass(es) are diagnosed
5pm: we are faced with the decision I mentioned above between surgery, putting him down, or taking him home
5:30pm: we are back home with Moe and recommended medication to help slow bleeding

We were absolutely not ready to say goodbye to Moe yet, and Moe still had at LEAST another 24 hours that we could make enjoyable for him. Looking into his eyes, he was still HERE with us. The least we could do would be to make sure his last hours or days were the most comfortable that they could possibly be. We took everything day by day, keeping a close eye on him for worsening symptoms. The end was inevitable, so we decided to spend every second with him until he showed signs of pain and/or blood leakage (because that is the point your pup could get to with untreated HSA), and we would let the vet perform euthanasia to give him the nap he desperately needed.

That was exactly what happened. We were so lucky to have another 48 hours together with him. We basically had a giant slumber party in the living room the whole time, never leaving his side unless it was absolutely necessary. It went along with his recent “nesting” behavior, and I’m so glad we were able to give that time to him. We also fed him some awesome steak in small pieces however often he wanted to eat it, knowing that the time would come when he wouldn’t even want steak anymore.

48 hours later, after never leaving his side, using the meds to slow his bleeding, trying to feed him as often as he would eat, making sure he was covered in blankets because he didn’t like being cold, helping him however we could to get him outside to use the bathroom when he had enough energy, bringing water too him because he was too exhausted to move…he declined in a matter of hours. Knowing he was on the verge of not being with us and seeing how uncomfortable he was just trying to take a nap, showing signs of pain, and physically not being able to stand anymore from the blood loss…we took him back to the vet and helped him cross that rainbow bridge, both of us holding onto him as he took his last breath. It was one of the hardest decisions either one of us had ever had to make, even harder for my significant other as Moe was originally his dog before we started dating.

The process was very quick as we returned to the same vet from the ER trip. Thankfully we were allowed to be there for Moe every step of the way despite COVID protocols. The staff were very understanding, accommodating, and helpful through the shock. In the end, I am very thankful we were able to let him take the nap he wanted but couldn’t be comfortable for. I do feel that it is our responsibility as pet owners to be there for them all the way through the end. It’s very hard, and may not be pretty, but we owe it to them for the years of unconditional love and support that they give to us.

I hope this helps anybody in the future who has received news of an HSA diagnosis.