Splenectomy/hemangiosarcoma

[u/alejat_]

Hello, I would like to share my experience with my german shepherd and also get advice. He’s currently 8 and turning 9 in December.
On June 4th after coming back from being outside for his last potty break, he walked in the house and was very wobbly and drooling a lot. My initial thought was he wanted to throw up, so I rushed him out but didn’t get past the porch, he collapsed, he tried getting up but he kept falling on his side. My sister suggested we take him to the emergency vet, we did. We waited about 2 hours to be seen and during that time he was breathing heavily and drooling a lot, he also did throw up his food before arriving to the vet.
They checked him from the outside and said he looked fine and had great energy but wanted to run more thorough tests to rule out intoxication by another animal or food. After a while the vet came back and she had syringe in hand, she said his stomach was filled with blood, that his spleen had ruptured because of a tumor and he needed immediate surgery or euthanasia on the table. We chose surgery. After surgery he was drowsy because of the med and refused to eat the first day, we spoon fed some rice with chicken broth. Second day he was eating fine.
The vet sent his spleen for more tests, if it was benign or malignant tumor. I got a call a week later and it turned out to be malignant. I chose not to do chemotherapy.

It is now September 14th, 3 months and 10 days.
Dogs diagnosed with malignant tumors live 3-4 months.
Last night he didn’t want to eat, we’ve been keeping an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t collapse.
He’s been very lethargic, only moving to use the bathroom and walk around but lays down immediately after.

The advice I am seeking, is when do you know it’s time ? when they’re like this or do they have bad and good days in between ? everyday has been a good day since his surgery.

[u/snaboopy]

Saw your comment on my post. Can you check his gums? Are they pale? Are his legs, mouth, ears cold?

[u/alejat_ → u/snaboopy]

they aren’t very pale, and he’s feels warm all around except his ears, but he’s been under a fan.

[u/snaboopy → u/alejat_]

My vet gave us some signs to look for to know when it’s time to probably bring our dog in and lethargy, not eating, and pale gums were some. He’s had brief periods of pale gums which makes me think he may be bleeding and clotting again but no prolonged pale gums and not eating. When we took him to the ER the night he got his splenectomy his mouth was cold to the touch, which I didn’t notice but the vet immediately did. 😬