Hemangiosarcoma in Great Dane

Background

Ace, a 9 year old Great Dane, is lucky he has a paramedic for a pet parent! When he collapsed unconscious on the floor in late April, she did all the right things. Thankfully Ace held on as he took the 55 mile trip to the emergency clinic and then traveled another 35 miles to a specialty emergency clinic. Finally Ace would be diagnosed, not just with hemangiosarcoma, but also congestive heart failure and metastasis of the lungs.

Ace's pet parent, Jeanne, shares the story:

"I have had Embrace Pet Insurance for my Great Danes for over 5 years now and I am so glad I chose Embrace. A little over a month ago, Ace, my 9 year old Great Dane, and I had been watching TV and it was time to go to bed. I called him to come off the couch and he hesitated a moment then followed me into the kitchen. I heard a thump behind me and turned around to find he had collapsed and was unconscious on the floor!

I am a paramedic and quickly checked for breathing and felt for a pulse, then grabbed my stethoscope. I could barely hear his heart and he was very pale. We put a pillow under his head and I thought he was dying. In a few minutes, he miraculously regained consciousness and his color had improved. It was 11 pm and we live 55 miles from the nearest emergency clinic. I wasn't sure he would make it, but we had to try, so my husband carried him to the car and we headed there.

Once there, they did x-rays and blood-work, which revealed that his chest was full of fluid, putting a great strain on his heart and making it difficult for him to breathe. The veterinarian tried to drain some fluid from his chest, but was not successful. She recommended euthanasia, but I was not convinced it was his time to go. He was still conscious and I felt he was stable enough for another trip, so we decided to head 35 more miles to the specialist emergency clinic.

Once at the clinic, the veterinarian on duty was able to use ultrasound-guided imagery and drained 1.5 liters of fluid from his chest, enabling him to breathe much more easily. She also suspected he had a tumor on his heart which was bleeding. The ultrasound showed this was the case and she drained 350 milliliters of blood from around his heart. He felt so much better! She warned me though, that his prognosis was grave and we had only bought him some time, maybe hours or days, but not weeks or months.

I was so thankful to have more time with my special boy, however short it may be. Well, long story short, he has done amazingly well, far better than anyone dared hope. I decided his last days would be the best possible for him. He comes to work with me every day, eats grilled steak or anything else he desires. He plays with his toys and snuggles on the couch. We go for walks in the woods and took a trip to the beach. I cherish each moment we have left together, and I am so thankful to have this bonus time with him.

I am also thankful for Embrace! When all this happened, I was able to make treatment decisions based on what we best for HIM, not on what I could afford. I could discuss options with the specialist and not have to worry about how I was going to pay for the cancer treatment. I may have lost my boy at the first clinic that night if I did not have Embrace. We are now 38 days out from the night he collapsed and he moves slower than he used to, but is comfortable and happy. The Embrace staff has been tremendous. When I call, I get a real person right away. They are helpful and caring, and the claims process has been quick and easy. I would recommend Embrace to anyone and everyone who cares about their pet!"