Tumors and Goldens

by Josett
(Indiana)

We just lost our best friend and family member Chance who we had for 10years. He had tumors in his abdomen including 1 attached to his liver. He started bleeding during surgery and they could not stop it. How common is it for Goldens to develop tumors? What causes them? I would eventually love to have another Golden but the loss of my dear Chance is heartbreaking.

Response from Golden Retriever Magic:

So sorry to hear about Chance--it is obvious you loved him very much and he was an integral member of your family.

Unfortunately tumors are all too common in our wonderful Golden Retrievers. Some estimates suggest that cancer accounts for over 60% of fatalities, making it the leading cause of death for Goldens. It is thought to be a genetic issue and over-breeding or indiscriminate breeding can bring this trait out to the forefront. Again, so sorry to hear about your loss and wish you the best of luck in the future.