# Hemangiosarcoma suddenly and unexpectedly took our GSD Aleethea



## joeyandaleethea (Jan 23, 2012)

I am so glad to have found this forum today. 
Some days I don't know how I manage to get out of bed in the morning. 

I don't know when I'll be able to stop waking up at 3am because I dream of my beloved GSD Aleethea, or because I start crying uncontrollably and feel sick to my stomach.

I had never heard of Hemangiosarcoma (HSA) until we lost our beloved GSD Aleethea just last month. She was only 7 1/2 yrs old. It was just so sudden and unexpected. It all happened within 90 minutes.

Reading the stories here helps me to know I am not alone. What a horrible silent killer we have experienced with our loved ones.

This is how my Aleethea passed away, leaving all of us heartbroken.

RIP Aleethea: how our beloved dog died, and how we're coping

She was my baby.


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## cta (May 24, 2011)

i'm sorry for your loss. i can't imagine how people cope with things like this. i read your story...it was very touching. the pictures your children drew were very touching as well. keep your chin up and know that your girl is at peace.


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## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

I'm so sorry. Your story is heartbreaking. This disease is becoming epidemic, there are a rash of losses currently on this forum. She was a beautiful girl, may she rest in peace and may you have peace in knowing how loved she was during her time with you.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

I am so sorry for your loss . There seems to be so many GSDs falling victim to this silent killer. I read your tributeit was beautiful just as your girl was and is .The way you explained Aleethea's passing was also sad but beautiful. my heart goes out to you and your family . Hug your Souvalaki and know your girl watches from the bridge.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I am so sorry to hear about your beautiful girl. The pain is deep losing our beloved companions because our bond is so deep with them.

We have had several members here recently who have lost their GSD to this awful cancer


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

I am so sorry. I know how you feel. My boy just passed this morning from the same disease. My thoughts are with you.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

There have been so many heartbreaking stories of this cruel, swift disease lately. I'm so sorry you lost your girl


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## Midnight12 (Jan 6, 2012)

I also lost my girl of 12 years on 12/8/2011 I don't know if she had this but it sounds a lot like the way she passed I didn't have time to get her to the vet either that morning we were walking and she seemed fine a couple hours later she was gone and my hubby and I sat next her crying I am so sorry for you because i know how hard this is for you and your family


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Beautiful tribute to your beautiful girl.


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## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

Your precious girl Aleethea will be waiting for you at the bridge someday, so sorry for your loss. Your story was very touching and a beautiful tribute to your girl.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

I'm so sorry for your loss. This cancer seems to be popping up a great deal lately. Your tribute was beautiful.


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## CHawkins (Jul 12, 2010)

I am so sorry.


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## joeyandaleethea (Jan 23, 2012)

Thank you all, so, so, so very much. Some days I think of her and I smile, but I always end up in tears. Other days I feel consumed to do as much research as possible on this horrid cancer. 

Tonite's another 2am nite that I cannot fall asleep. I'm sure being 38 weeks pregnant also adds to the mix...but waking up and looking at hundreds of photos of my Aleethea is how I begin the hours of late nite snacking, Facebooking, etc.

Sometimes the sadness of missing my sweet girl just consumes me so suddenly and out the blue, I can be in the supermarket, or driving, and have to stop what I'm doing because the memories flood back...and I can't even catch my breath, but I have to force myself to relax, and remember that I'm pregnant, and cannot get so upset all at once like that. 

It makes me so sad that she will never know this baby due in 2 weeks, that the baby will never know her, it just wasn't supposed to be this way. You know? It's just so darn unfair.

I thank God for Souvlaki, my other GSD, who is such a comfort. Who reminds me of the strength of my love for my furry babes. Souvlaki allows my children a slightly easier way to cope with the loss of Aleethea, since they still have a GSD to take care of, to help feed, to love. When they play with Souvlaki, they often also remember Aleethea, and my 5yr old son will usually bring up a memory such as "remember when we would play with Souvlaki, and Aleethea would come and sit next to us and stare at Souvlaki, to make sure she is playing really gentle with us?" -- and those memories are so beautiful, but so painful, all at once. Souvlaki allows my kids to not have the void of being pet-less. And for that, I truly am thankful. I wouldn't want them to be so sad, at only 5yrs old and 3yrs old, they shouldn't know the depth of this heartache.

But everyday...many times per day...I'm reminded of Aleethea and what we would be doing at that very moment, or what her reaction would be to the sound Souvlaki my other GSD just heard, or how she would love to do what we are doing now, or eating now, or going now, etc, etc. It just is a never ending feeling of missing her, missing everything about her.

Sometimes I find myself almost hesitant to love Souvlaki as much as I do, because I fear the same thing could possibly happen to her someday.

Thank you all so much for everything you've said, it is so much of a help to me. And I am sending lots of (((hugs))) to you and yours, for your losses.


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## MustLoveGSDs (Oct 31, 2008)

My heart breaks for your loss. I read the story on your blog and watched the videos of Aleethea and Souvlaki playing. The pictures your children drew made me cry with their explanations. She was a beautiful dog and she will live on in your heart. Godspeed to the bridge, Aleethea.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

I'm really sorry for your loss. What you're experiencing now is the time every dog owner dreads when owning pets. They just don't live long enough.

Stories like yours reminds me to appreciate every day I spend with Lucy even more than the last. You never know when something like this can happen and there's nothing you can really do about it either.


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## obxterra (Jul 25, 2009)

So sorry for your loss. I know first hand that this disease is difficult to comprehend and deal with. Rest assured that Aleethea knew you were doing the best you could for her.


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## elsie (Aug 22, 2001)

:hug::hug::hug:


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## dakotachloe (Dec 27, 2011)

It's tragic, HSA. We lost Duncan, our 9 year old GSD to it on Dec 19th. We had 19 days with him after surgery to remove his spleen. I'm so sorry for your loss and know exactly the pain you feel. I'm so sorry it happened so suddenly for you. The diagnosis itself is a punch in the gut, but diagnosis and death all at the same time is just unfathomable.


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## OriginalWacky (Dec 21, 2011)

joeyandaleethea said:


> Sometimes I find myself almost hesitant to love Souvlaki as much as I do, because I fear the same thing could possibly happen to her someday.


I found myself doing that a few times, and then I finally decided that I'd rather deal with the pain ten times over than every not give the love that's in my heart. But I can really relate to that feeling, and it's just so hard. I'm so very sorry for your loss, and can't imagine what a wreck I would have been if I were at the tail end of a pregnancy and had to deal with something like this too.


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## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

So sorry! I myself have lost two to this disease. Hugs..


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I am so so sorry. 

I've been there too - I lost my Italian Greyhound, Boz, to hemangiosarcoma 2 years ago.


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## GSDLoverII (May 12, 2004)

GSDAlphaMom said:


> I'm so sorry. Your story is heartbreaking. This disease is becoming epidemic, there are a rash of losses currently on this forum. She was a beautiful girl, may she rest in peace and may you have peace in knowing how loved she was during her time with you.


I agree with this post. 
First I want to say that I am so sorry for your loss. I just lost one dog in Oct to this and my other one is going through chemo because of hemangiosarcoma of the heart. I agree with this disease becoming epidemic. WHAT IS GOING ON???


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## skischool (Nov 11, 2011)

I am so, so sorry for your loss, no words can ever make up the void we experience when a huge part of us has died..
Sadly I know your pain all too well. It was three months ago today I lost my Jacob to this disease within 5 hours of his first symptom..
The sadness was all consuming for me, I still have bad moments but I had learned to accept it and move on with life. I buried him in the yard and I talk to him every day...
Of course I only made it a short time till I had to get another pup..
There is something about this breed that you can't find with any other animal/pet/companion. They are the complete total package, smarts, immensely loyal, easy to train and they have no limit to their love...


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

I'm so sorry for your loss, I too lost my boy at only 7 years of age, I still cry thinking of him.


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## maggie40 (Apr 1, 2004)

I am grieving right now because our beautiful, sweet, gentle white GS left us last Saturday. She had had an xray scan that previous Wednesday that showed the many tumors, spleen and liver involvement. Doc told us it would happen quickly when one of these burst. Saturday morning when I got up she had gone outside and I went looking for her. Her breathing was very laboured and my daughter and I rushed her to the vets. My heart is crying.


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

I also lost my GSD to hemangio. Very sorry,a lot of us have been there. I wonder if it's food related as they suspect with different human cancers such as prostate and breast cancer.


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