Cancer in our Suzy

You know when you think of cancer you think of humans. You never think our fur babies. But this week we found out our beloved golden may have spleen cancer. She is about 11 years old and it seems in her breed it is common between 8-10 years of age.

Suzy was a foster to us when we got her. She had come from an abused home. We decided to keep her. My husband gave her to me for my birthday gift. She is such a wonderful fur baby. She always has to have something in her mouth. She takes son's and my husband's socks all the time. She buries every sock or dish towel we don't get from her. She has her own stash under the deck. Plus she will dig up an old towel or sock and try to bring the muddy thing into the house, in which I have to intercept and tell her she has toys in the house or put a new towel in her mouth when she comes in. Old toys are dug up and need to go in the washing machine so she can have it later. She is our funny ol gal. She always has one of us chasing to get something out of her mouth and replace it with what she can have. I think she considers it a game.

I have been wrestling with this for about a week when she showed the signs of the cancer. At first we thought it was just her age and her belly began to swell. It has the pot belly pig appearance. Our vet is on vacation till the end of the week but we have been in touch with the office. They told us what we may or will have to do. Removing the cancer only will give our Suzy only 3 more months just 3. I don't want her to suffer. But this isn't easy. When your fur baby is family it kills you. We have four dogs I have been wondering how they will react. Brady, Spunky and Mindy without their sister. The cats without her. There already feels like a growing whole in the family and we haven't laid her to spirit yet. We have a little over a week till the vet comes back. Until then we are keeping her happy and content meanwhile our hearts are breaking inside. It hurts so much to know you will be losing a family member soon. This empty space starts to fill. This void this aching pain. I take some sort of peace to know that she will be at peace and with us in spirit. I will probably see her a week after out of the corner of my eye letting me know she is there with my family members and she is being taken care of. But for now I am crushed. My husband is crushed as well as our son. We have been lucky to enjoy so many wonderful and fun years with her. For that I am grateful.

I don't understand why our fur babies need to be subject to human illnesses. It hardly seems fair for them. Cancer comes on so silent and so quickly in our fur babies. Always make sure to love and treasure them.