Hemangiosarcoma in dogs: Dr Sue Q & A 

The world needs more people like you Dr. Sue. My dog had this from the liver. Went through surgery..... and they sent me away with no advice other than lets do another ultra sound in 6 mo and see where we are at. 4 mo later we are in the same boat we were in. The veterinary world is in serious need of reconstruction. These are suppose to be "doctors."

This is a heartbreaking disease. I lost my beautiful Briard to it about 10 years ago and I still cry when I think about it. I miss her so. Spleenectony gave her a year, though that Vet did not diagnose her with it. Young Vet ‘I dont know what caused it’. Finally the lumps started all over her body, one on her leg swelling and breaking open. Another Vet diagnosed her. Nothing you can do. I lay beside her on the floor as the anesthetic took effect, she with her head on the floor gazing into my eyes, me crying, loving her. They know.

My sweet boxer Harley was put down yesterday afternoon due to this horrible disease. She would have been 9 years old this August. She never showed any symptoms, this was all very sudden. 2 days ago, in the late afternoon, she showed sudden signs of weakness and pale gums. We rushed her to the vet and they told us they believe her spleen ruptured which is something they would be able to fix with surgery the next morning. She went into surgery around 9:00am yesterday, then around 10:30am we received a horrible phone call. The tumors were cancer on her spleen and liver that ruptured and surgery was not going to save her; she was just going to bleed out. My heart is so broken, she was truly the best dog a person can ask for. Rest In Peace, Harley.

Thank you so much for this video. Very helpful. My dog just suddenly passed last night from this and your video answered so many lingering questions.

I am sitting at the vet waiting for the vets to come out of the OR. I am devastated after watching these videos. Yesterday I brought her in and she was diagnosed and today to the OR. Yesterday the vet tech told me they are hoping that it would be curative and not palliative. Today, after watching these I realize it is palliative

Just wanted to add that I have my dog on a doggy keto diet and she was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma in her spleen 2 years ago! She had no chemo whatsoever. Just a splenectomy. Which I'm glad we went for it because it had ruptured already so she was already bleeding internally. She had no metastasis at the time of diagnosis so maybe that has something to do with why she's still here. Her surgeon is in disbelief that she's still here. He gave her no more than 6 months to live after surgery. We are lucky but I really feel like her diet change saved her life. Dog food is soooo bad for dogs! They need high protein and fat and little to no carbs!

I lost TWO dogs to hemangiosarcoma, which I’d previously never heard of. In both cases it was quick and devastating. My 10 year old Dutch Shepherd had gone off her food. The vet treated the superficial symptoms. Then her spleen burst, so we had to put her down immediately. A few years later, our 13 year Lab, who embraced life to the fullest, went off her food. This time, the vet diagnosed it immediately. She said that with surgery and chemo, the dog could live a few more months. I said, let’s put the old girl out of her misery right now, I won’t put her through it. I’ve had many other dogs who all lived long lives. I haven’t used a fertilizer or herbicide in 40 years, they eat high quality food. I don’t understand it.

Very interesting. Well done DR Sue. We lost our beautiful 3 and a half year old Labrador Dora from this terrible cancer. We’d noticed that she was quiet, but we put it down to her being tired, then she seemed to rally, then we noticed she was walking slower. I always examined her for lumps and bumps. I’m deaf blind, so naturally, my fingers are more sensative. On my dad’s birthday, I tried to pick her up so we could dance to songs, and as my hand brushed her rib, I felt this lump. Mum, nor dad nor my hubby couldn’t feel it, so they had to pull her skin back. I knew then something was up. 2 days later, we got her to the Vettes, though they only had X-ray equipment, so we had to be referred to a specialist hospital. The vet knew she was a poorly dog. Her temperature was up and Dora was very quiet. She had a biopsy and a scan at the specialist hospital, and it was cancer. We were devastated. 3 and a half years old! Somehow it would have been that bit easier if she was 12-13, but 3 was so unfair! We had already booked a holiday away, so mum and me had to go on it with my 2 year old daughter as she was then. Dad took time off work to be with Dora, because I said to him that how would you feel in her position? On your own and dying? So he took time off. The vet advised to give Dora chikin since red meet can exacerbate cancer cells. The vet actually gave her a month. I couldnt enjoy the holiday naturally. When we came off holiday, Dora was very swollen, and quiet, and 2 days later, she started crying and panting. The cancer had spread to her lungs and kidneys. She was seeing a lot. We took her to the emergency vet, and she examined Dora. She was in a lot of pain, even though we had been giving her painkillers.She suggested chemo and more pain killers, but I knew that Dora wanted to go. She was licking the vet on her face, and licking the receptionists, and licking mum, me and dad. She was saying a final fairwell. Everybody was crying. I wanted to give Dora dignity, and thats what she got. We have a new dog now, Rubi, who is a lab. We missed Dora so much, part of the family, and we loved her companionship. Thanks for your info about this terrible cancer. Hope your Labradors are keeping well.

My girl Happy died Wednesday from this all of a sudden. My heart is gone and replaced by a gaping black hole. Life really sucks

Amen to that I believe any lump or bump should be sent of for biopsy

My 11.5 year old Italian Greyhound had her first needed dental with a removal of what looked like a blood blister on her thigh.. Earlier today I got the call...hemangiosarcoma... my heart is crushed, she's all I have I'm not ready for this.

Great video. I have a healthy 14 y/o male pure golden retriever. 7 years ago I switched from feeding a cheap dry-bag food to a home made diet using grocery store ingredients (Dr. Karen Becker's recipe, but there are many other excellent recipes like Dr. Dressler's). After switching to a homemade diet, I noticed that common golden health problems like hot spots and goopy ears became far less common. I suspect my elderly dogs good health is strongly correlated with his high quality diet and active lifestyle (less active now of course) . I have often wondered how strongly diet correlates with hemangiosarcoma in Golden Retrievers. His primary health issues these past few years are arthritis, hearing loss, and poor eyesight, but considering his advanced age, they are not especially bad. I hope that he has at least one more year of relatively good health.

Thank you so much for this video. The info was very valuable to me in helping me understand my dog's current situation and options.

Very helpful Q&A, thank you! My 13 years 3 months Maltese terrier (weight 2.5 kg) had a huge tumour removed from her left Liver lobe last week. She recovered well from surgery, but the vet rang this week with the bad news that the biopsy revealed Hemangiosarcoma. The vet now says I could buy up to 18 months by a combination of intravenous chemo followed by tablet chemo. She said the oncologist who did the biopsy needs to do further testing to be sure of the diagnosis, and I've had to pay another fee which is a little baffling. She also recommends my dog has an ultrasound scan done on her heart alone - I assume this is to find out if cancer has gone there? The vet told me the Liver tumour was so large and my dog so small, that she was not confident she had a big enough margin around the tumour when she removed it last week, so that is a worry. My dog has terrible separation anxiety, so I am reluctant to put her through the hospital sessions for intravenous chemo (the enormous cost is also a problem - I just had to borrow money to get the surgery done). I am now thinking I will do tablet chemo, plus the supplements Turkey Tail Mushrooms and Yunnan Baiyao you mentioned, so I can care for her at home and never leave her side. She is a wonderful little dog and I love her dearly, I want as much time with her as possible but am also aware quality of life is more important than quantity. What would you advise, treatment wise (eg chemo), are chemo tablets alone effective for increasing life expectancy? And can you give me an idea of prognosis on a Liver tumour? Vet said the tumour she removed last week contained a hematoma and the liver must have bled into itself - which explains why she had been weak for a few days, prior to surgery. She has bounced back wonderfully from the surgery, is lively and energetic, and eating well, so I had hoped the tumour was benign - this diagnosis has been a terrible blow. I always knew losing my dog would be hard, but now I am suddenly facing the prospect of it I realise it will be so much harder than I imagined. Anyone who has loved an animal as part of their family will understand where I'm coming from. God bless the people and pets going through this awful situation - and thanks again for a really useful and informative video. I had never even heard of this cancer until my dog was diagnosed, I now wish I had got her scanned twice a year as she got older, I am kicking myself. XXX

I just lost my 9.5 yo Golden, Opie, from this terrible cancer. No warning. Tumor ruptured, abdomen filled with blood, was euthanized an hour later. Bummer.

Don't forget Yunnan Baiyao! It has an "emergency red pill" in there. I know people use that mushroom support you mentioned. Turkey Tail helps too.

Thanks for the great video. My 9 years old Rottweiler has been diagnosed with tumor on his spleen 4 months ago and they immediately removed the spleen and tumor. Tumor itself was around 4.5 pound and there was no rupture. On 19th August vet did a CBC test and he said he is doing good all values are great. 2 weeks ago his anemia started again, I immediately realized from his lips became pale pink. I brought him to same vet 8 days ago and he did CBC test and he said most probably his Hemangiosarcoma metastasized and he said there is a decrease from 5 million to 4 million for some value and he also said there is 28% blood transfussion normally it should be between 40% and %60. His organs are doing fine. His poop and pee are great. He breathes normally. Vet also said his organs are in great condition. He is getting tired more easily and sometimes he is getting really exhausted. He only rejects to eat his Hill's Metabolic diet food( he has been using it for 8 months because of his Arthiritis)other than that he is eating everything. He drinks good amount of water. His current weight is 90lbs and he has been on the weight since his spleen removal operation. He is not loosing a weight. I have been using Yunnan Baiao for 6 days. I give him 2 pills 3 times a day. I have 15 boxes of Yunnan. Today I also ordered Apocaps after watching your video. I will start to use it tomorrow. I hope it will not cause a problem if I give him Yunnan and Apocaps at the same time. At this stage of the game do you have any other suggestion doctor? Thanks for your videos.

This has been such an informative video to watch. My 13 year old cat has been diagnosed with subcutaneous hemangiosarcoma. I wish I had this knowledge 6 months ago when I first noticed a lump so I might have thought to push for more tests even though her initial needle aspirate came back as showing inflammation and maybe some necrotic cells but my vet suggested it was not urgent as it did not seem particularly cancerous. So we just watched it for any changes since she did not seem bothered and it was unclear if it was truly cancer. Unfortunately, the tumor grew rapidly, and after weeks of trying to get on schedules for ct scans, with oncologists, etc. she just had surgery today. Hoping they were able to all of the cancer but they found some metastases during the procedure (which did not show up on the ct scan) so although they removed what they found, I know we are far from in the clear. She has not seemed bothered, even though this large mass on her abdomen has been growing and changing shape for weeks. You talk more about dogs here, but just listening and getting more familiar with the terms, preventative recommendations, cancerous process, treatments, etc in contextual situations adds color to all that I have read thus far and really helps me better understand more about what we are dealing with, and also ways in which I can be more proactive and prepared in the future. If this q&a was live, i’d have some questions, but even listening 3 years later, I am very grateful. Thank you. 🙏

How long do these tumors grow before they rupture on the spleen or liver since it’s so aggressive?

Dear god I am so broken. I found a red lump on my dog yesterday and I am terrified.

I learned about this the day i went to the emergency vet, they said surgery wasnt worthwhile and left me with euthanasia, why?

Early detection is mentioned a lot. My dog has skin hemangiosarcoma stage 1 only on her paw. No metastasis. She is 14 and cannot have surgery. This is a very early stage but I was just told to give her omega 3 and vitamin b. The lump seems to be getting bigger. I don't want it to rupture. I wonder if I make a salve with turmeric and coconut oil and wrap it and xhange daily would it shrink the lump? Or natural neem oil or castor etc...would that help? I used it on my other dog who had a big bleeding lump and it cured it and closed in a a few days. There has to be something I can do! She eats a natural healthy diet but I am making it healthier now and eliminating kibbles which she only snacked on. If anyone has any ideas I would really appreciate your comments.

I know this was posted 3 years ago…but are you familiar with the amazing work that the KetoPet Sanctuary did with dogs and cancer, including Hemangiosarcoma? My dog was diagnosed with a tumor on his spleen almost 3 months ago and he has been on a balanced raw keto diet that was customized for him to meet/exceed AAFCO. He also gets Turkey tail and Yunnan Baiyao. Last vet visit, the vet can’t feel the mass any longer, my dog is doing amazing. We are getting ready to do a sonogram and see if the tumor shrunk or disappeared. I’m a believer. Keto diets are being studied in humans with cancer and with great outcomes.

My baby was a Maltese, weighed 2.5kg - small breeds are HSA victims 2! It killed her fast, despite surgery & metrmic chem tablets - it's a vile, aggressive disease! I wish experts cud research better treatmets. May I ask U a Q pls - I asked my vet 4 a sedative, paimkiller etc etc tablet, purely 4 emergemcy use if my fur-baby started 2 die at a time that the vet was shut. The vet refused - & sadly my biggest fear came true. My pet started 2 die late at midhite & the vet was shut - that prevemted euthemasia, which I'd have fixed 4 her, were the vet available. My sweet girl suffered fr hrs, she struggled 2 breath was restless etc till she evemtually died at 5am. I really wished I had a tablet 2 give her, 2 make her relaxed & cmfrtable - maybe sleep - durig her last hrs. I felt helpless as she struggled 2 breathe, she wud lay 4 a little while, & suddely get up, fall & lay & get up, repeatedly, she was tired but very agitated. It was really sad 2 see! Wud U prescribe a tablet 4 emergemcy use 2 ease a pet as it faces death... I feel a sedative must be a useful tablet 4 us desperate pet paremts at that time! I'd luv 2 hear yr view - thx Dr Sue! XXX

My border collie mix had a Hemangiosarcoma removed 6 months ago. The pathology report was very grim and not expected to live this long. Just had X-rays and blood work and it came back where she is not anemic or it show no masses. Could she have beat this cancer or been misdiagnosed?

Hello all from Guadalajara. Can you please let me know which is the best TURKEY TAIL. Brand ???

......... i can't breath....i can't handle this

3 days ago my 7 yr old American Bulldog Mosley was acting off, I took him to the vet (he had been there 3 days prior to check a swollen area on his gums), they said he was bleeding in his abdomen, that I needed to take him to the emergency clinic. There they told me that his spleen was completely abnormal per cat scan, liver looked fine, but there were spots indicating metastasis on lungs and spine. I regret not doing the surgery with the thought he could’ve had another year, having been so energetic before all of this, and being so young. But I was afraid of making him suffer. Do you think I did the right thing? 😓It was so so so hard. He was my everything and more

Hello Dr. Sue. My dog has a surgery of spleen removal with tumor 7cm. No rupture but know dr found a small mass inside the heart Even this is it still quimio recommendable ? What else can we do ?

Great Q&A. Thank you Dr Sue. My 11 years old german shepherd has a few bumps in his spleen. We are seeing the specialist next Monday to decide what to do.

What are the supplements you mentioned in this video.

Woah was 2yrs ago when I lost my dog to this 😪

Do any dogs of the dog treated survive more than 1 year?

Today is his surgery

My dog 12.5y died for this maybe in 5min, with no symptoms. all happened so fast.

What is the best diet that you would you recommend for dogs....especially for ones with allergies? I just read keto may be good. Is there a food that you recommend? Non gmo? Can I get the name of supplement that you recommend or link? Thanks.

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My Sadie has tumor on her spleen I was given antibiotics and steroids