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Your Sponsorship Desperately Needed!
  
SPONSOR A DOG
Besides providing knowledge and an awareness of
canine cancer, Canine Cancer Awareness has mainly been established
to help those owners who have been faced with a diagnosis of cancer
in their precious dog but simply cannot afford treatment. Our goal
is to assist the owner with treatment costs while working closely,
and sending funds directly to, their veterinarian.
However, due to the
overwhelming requests we have gotten for financial assistance, we are
unfortunately unable to help all of those who have gone through
the application process. We screen our applicants
very carefully so as to distinguish those who truly are not
able to afford treatment. These treatments can be
very expensive, most times in the thousands, which also
depletes our funds rather quickly. Our goal is to really
make a difference.
It is here that
we look to the public for help. The dogs listed here are in
desperate need of treatment. Those marked "URGENT" need your
help NOW. Please consider sponsoring one or more of the dogs listed
on a monthly basis. Your donation will go
specifically to your "adoptee." Any progress noted
will be posted as an update. Also please be aware that when donating
to a specific dog, if those funds are not used for any reason, the
board of Canine Cancer Awareness, at it's own discretion, will
determine how the sponsorship money will be divided among the other
dogs needing sponsorship.
Your donation to Canine Cancer
Awareness will enable us to help them continue to lead a
happy, comfortable life. Please
help us provide some precious quality time for these dogs and their
owners.
For those wishing to make a donation without going to Paypal,
you may mail a check to:
Canine Cancer
Awareness
44 Devoe Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
DOGS CURRENTLY NEEDING
SPONSORSHIP NOW
DOGS THAT HAVE BENEFITED FROM
SPONSORSHIP IN THE PAST
COCOA
UPDATE 6-25-2008—
Cocoa is a rescue dog from the Doberman Rescue Organization (DRU) of New England. I adopted her as a puppy at 9 weeks old in 1999 (http://www.dru.org) She was turned over to DRU because the owner who bred the puppies to sell for profit, had problems with the litter and DUR took them in. Cocoa was not delivered properly by the owner and has had orthopedic complications in her right rear leg since birth. She has a permanently dislocated kneecap, a broken femur and misaligned hip, all on her right rear leg.
Cocoa is everyone’s sweetheart. As my friends say to meet Cocoa is to love Cocoa. No vicious Doberman here but a loyal friend and staunch defender of her yard from squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks and even snakes. Her nickname is “Cocoa-nut” as sometimes she is just silly. When we play ball, I have to use two as Cocoa feels she with the most balls wins the contest of ball collecting. The ball in the picture above, she appropriated from the kids next door for her collection.
At the beginning of March I noticed she was favoring the right front foot. The favoring became an outright limp about 2 weeks later. Thinking she may have slipped on the snow or ice I took her to my Vet. March 15th my vet x-rayed the leg and issues a preliminary diagnosis of osteosarcoma in the wrist joint. On March 21st we had consultations with the surge and oncologist. On march 28th she had a biopsy, catscan and blood work which confirmed the dreaded osteosarcoma. On April 8th she had the right front leg amputated to remove the main cancer source.
The surgery was routine and no anesthesia complications. This may have been routine for the surgeon but it has been an emotional rollercoster for us. Cocoa had a normal recovery from the surgery and was released 3 days after the surgery. After 3 days she was moving on her on, going outside and eating normal food. The big pickup from the surgery was very undramatic. After consultation with the Vet techs they brought her out. They had to tell her to slow down because once she heard the sound of my voice she kicked it into high gear. She looked unbelievably good and was alert for the whole ride home. After 1 day of helping her around with a towel swing she is moving well and learning how to live as a tripaw. She is up to running at full spend and can do full flights of stairs now. Her only problem is when running at top speed is stopping. She forgets there is one less front break than normal and has had some spectacular crashes when coming to stop. Her bouncy personally just lets her getup, shake it off and go on her way. This dog has 2 speeds; on & off. We are now commencing the Chemotherapy treatments recommended by the Oncologist.
— Nancy
To help sponsor Cocoa's treatment
please give generously:
DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR COCOA:
MAXX
UPDATE 5-12-2008—
My dog Maxx is a 9 1/2 year old Lab/Shepherd rescue diagnosed with
having a brain tumor on Valentine's Day, 2008. I got Maxx from
the pound in early 2000. I went to the West L.A. shelter and all
the dogs were running up and barking, except for this quiet one
hiding off in the corner. My mom had come along with me and when
he saw her, he came over, gave her his paw, kissed her, and alas,
I had a dog.
The brain tumor was first recognized when Maxx started to slightly cock his head at an angle. I took him to a local vet
who, without even looking in the ear, called it an ear infection, gave him a steroid shot to mask the symptoms, and sent
us on our way. After two more visits to the vet, as the symptoms became worse when every one of the following shots
wore off, a friend sent us to another vet who told us after a thorough exam that it was indeed a brain tumor. We
were then sent to an oncologist and neurologist who have been tending to Maxx's needs. His head was at a 45 degree
angle because the tumor was pressing on the part of the brain that let him see properly and he was compensating for
seeing the world upside-down. He was falling over and just very sick.
Maxx was put thru three weeks of almost-daily radiation, which made him better at first, then led, toward the
end of treatment, to Maxx's getting very sick. He was losing his balance, falling over, lethargic, crying
and looking and acting like he was ready to die at any given moment. The daily anesthesia, radiation,
respiration and bagging to bring him back to breathing on his own after the daily anesthesia was really
catching up to him. The doctor said if he didn't start to come around real quick, he wouldn't at all. So
for several days, I watched him 24 hours a day, held him up so he could use the bathroom, hand-fed him and
just did all I could to keep him going. And because he had been used to the anesthesia, he wasn't sleeping
without it, which made matters worse. The doctor prescribed some benadryl, and after a couple days of sleep,
he started to improve dramatically.
He then started to use hydroxyurea, an oral chemotherapy agent under the neurologist's care. There was the
chance that he would get very sick from the treatment, which he will be taking the rest of his life, if it
affected his bone marrow. A bone marrow attack could also kill him. But it was still the best chance to keep
him alive for a long time and keep the cancer cells from regenerating and growing back. He has responded well
to the meds and all of his symptoms are diminishing. His doctor says she is "ecstatic" as to amount of progress
Maxx has made in such a short time and that many brain tumor canines do not do that well.
I have already spent over $14,000 saving my darling dog's life. I am on disability and my mom who lives
with me is a retired person with limited income. Everything I spent is on credit cards that are a hardship
to pay back. Maxx will need to be on expensive chemo meds the rest of his life and have follow-up brain
MRIs twice a year, as well as monthly blood screenings and neurology exams to track his progress. I am
basically falling in a deeper and deeper financial hole and running out of credit to use. This dog is our
life. He has brought so much joy and happiness to our lives and all I have wanted to do is be there for
him and give back as much as I can. The doctors says that with all the treatment and as well as he is
doing, he could have at least a couple more pain-free, happy years and I am determined to give it to him.
But the monthly follow-ups and chemo prescriptions will continue to need to be paid for the rest of his life.
There is only so much blood I can sell and I do need to pay for our food and shelter, with very few, if any,
luxuries going with that. I would be grateful for any help I can get from people who can empathize with the
situation and can spare the help. I will surely promise that when my means allow, I will pay it forward
someday to someone else who needs the help. My mom and I love Maxx with all of our hearts. He has been a
son to us and I will always be thankful for anyone who reaches out a hand to help save my baby boy.
Si
Maxx's Loving Dad
To help sponsor Maxx's treatment
please give generously:
DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR MAXX:
06-19-08 — $200 (Donation from Susan in memory of Sherlock and Tinker Good Dog)
SMOKEY
UPDATE 4-16-2008—
Hi all. My name's Ken, and I'd like to tell you about my 3rd furry
kid, Smokey. She's got three sisters and two brothers, and for
the most part, we all get along. Smokey came into my life, June of 2003.
She and her natural brothers were being given away in a bank parking lot.
Her brothers were two little hellions, vying for who'd get petted first,
and sitting in the back of the crate was this little black and tan little
nothing, just sitting and watching me. That's all it took (that's all it
ever
takes really) and we were in my car and going home. She slept in my lap the whole
way home as if she could finally relax,
and when we finally got there, right into the house she ran, totally dismissing
the other two dogs and layed down in front of
the kitchen sink. She knew she was home.
In the five years that I've had her, Smokey has been a light
in some pretty dark times of my life, as have all my furry
kids, and they're all special in they're own way. But there is something about
Smokey that gets me every time I look in her
eyes. It's just this intelligence that she has. She knows what I want, and that's
not much, but more than that, I know what she
wants. She's so self sufficient and totally unneedy. She loves when I love on
her, but when it's her turn in deciding that it's time
to geta belly rub, or that it's cookie time, I'd better be paying attention.
Every other puppy that's come into our home, is
greeted by Smokey. She's a great big sister and takes a beating as well as gives
one in a wrestling match.
She's a special one.
In July of ' 07 I got a pretty decent job and after a while was
able to start getting all six they're shots and such. In
October I noticed a few lumps in her throat, kinda strange masses, but small,
so I thought maybe they were a couple of cysts
and let it go. December came and the lumps were larger and there were more of
them. So off to the vet we went. Long story
short, an asperate was done, sent to the University of Tennessee and the results
were lymphoma. I was devestated at the
thought of losing her. I made an appointment at UT oncology, where we dicussed
the options. Finally we decided on the UW-Madison protocol.
Smokey began her chemo in February. Within 48 hours of her
first treatment, all her lymph nodes were back to
normal. Her visit back to UT found her in full remission. I was so relieved.
And still am.
So now it all came down to money. I figured I'd be able to pull
it off, $200 a week. I made it ok through Feb and
March, but wound up behind a week in the beginning of April. I knew I was in
trouble, so I spoke to Smokey's doctor and tried
to head the problem off at the pass. Her doctor got back to me and told me that
he could change her chemo treatment to less
expensive drugs and she'd only have to have treatments every three weeks. I went
from looking at $3000 to looking at approximately $900 total.
The money is still a chunk of change for me, but we'll make
it through. I contacted Canine Cancer Awareness
looking for assistance and they have been nothing but great to me. Unfortunately,
the funds weren't available for me, so I'm
looking for some help from whomever may be in a position to.
Smokey is still in full remission. I enjoy every moment with
her and all of my kids, as much as possible. My dog-pack family is my
life. I'd do anything for them. So, come hell or high water, Smokey
will get her treatments. It'd just be nice
to take some of the pressure off my checking account.
Keep us in your prayers, as I keep all of the other victims
of this disease, furry or parent, in mine.
Thanks.
— Ken, Smokey, Sadie, Harley, BooBoo, Tyson and Clancey
To help sponsor Smokey's treatment
please give generously:
DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR SMOKEY:
05-27-08 — $100 (Donation from Susan in memory of my 2 cancer dogs, Sherlock
and Tinker Good Dog)
06-19-08 — $100 (Donation from Susan in memory of 2 great dogs, Sherlock
and Tinker Good Dog)
BRISCO
UPDATE 6-4-2008—
I am beyond sory to say I had no choice but to let my baby, Brisco, go last
Wednesday, May 21, 2008. I apologize for it taking me so long to even inform
you of this, but I am honestly not handling his loss well @ all...And this
was literally the fist time I could bring myself to actually talk to anyone,
or even write to you about it. I also apologize for not updating you sooner
on his deteriorating condition, but everything happened so fast. I had no
time for anything but taking care of Brisco and doing literally EVERYTHING
I could to keep him alive. Let me begin by saying Brisco Juliano was euthanized
May 21, @ the mere age of 3years, 6months, and 1 day old. I feel as though
I have literally lost my child. I wish I had the time to have updated you
as Brisco's cancer took a turn for the worse. I feel bad in that the last
time I informed Canine Cancer Awareness of Brisco's battle w/ Lymphoma he
was, in fact, responding extremely well. My last entry spoke of a study @
the remarkable University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital in which Brisco
had been admitted. The study focused on otherwise healthy dogs who were diagnosed
with Lymphoma and Penn's develpoment of a "cancer vaccine" that would potentially
recognize the cancer anywhere in the body and fight it off. My initial description
of "Brisco's Story" explained the study in detail. Basically though Brisco
had to undergo a 5-drug protocal of chemotherapy treatments for a total of
20 weeks and if @ the end of 20 weeks he was determined to be in remission,
he would've then been administered 2 of the "cancer vaccines" which would've
then, hopefully, kept the Lymphoma in remission.
Beginning the study, Brisco's enlarged lymph nodes decreased in size almost immediately and he responded very well to each chemo drug each week...that is, until week 11. It was @ that point he stopped responding to the treatments. My oncologist, Dr. Wiley, was amazing. She knew as well as the enire oncoloy staff how much Brisco meant to me and that I was willing to try EVERY other possibilities to save his life. Most importantly, without Canine Cancer Awareness' donation to Brisco's cancer treatment I would have not been able to afford any of the other options after week 11, and for that you have my deepest gratitude.
Dr. Wiley informed us that due to his lack of progrress that he was no longer a canidate for the study but if I was willing we could try what she called "first rescue attempt" which was an alternative chemotherpy treatment that consisted of a drug which she gave him intraveanously @ hospital and pills which I was to give him @ home. She said that he may have been more likely to have more g.i. side-effects than before, but she agreed it was worth a shot. A week later, we returned for blood work and a re-examination and was then informed Brisco was not responding. Long story short, after my insistance upon the "third and final rescue attempt" and us again being told he was not responding, we were then told there was literally nothing left to do but keep him as comfortable as possible and watch closely for signs he was beginning to suffer. We did, however, continuen treating him with steroids.
We took Brisco to Penn's Veterinary Hospital every Tuesday @ 9:30 am. It was Tuesday May 20th that my baby was, in fact, showing all the signs the Dr. had told me to watch for and had been for close to a week. He was supposed to get blood work done but as soon as his nurse looked at poor Brisco in the lobby, she called for Dr. Wiley to come down and confirm what she thought, that there was no need for bloodwork that day because it was time.
I was hysterical! I don't know how I could ever truly explain to anyone just how much I truly loved Brisco and didn't feel as though I could live without him. They were ready to put Brisco to sleep that day. I begged Dr. Wiley to please let me have one more night with him @ home. She agreed as long as I promised to bring him back for the procedure the next day b/c it was truly time and he really was suffering.
The next day, the condition in which he died was traumatic for me on top of the overwhelming smack of reality that this was really going to happen. Mom went in first to check us in. She met up with the head nurse, Amy in the lobby. I had gotten Brisco out of the car, but he was struggling to walk so Amy went to get a gurney. When she & I went to lift my 90 pound baby, my bad knee that I had broken gave out on me and I nearly dropped him. Amy then said, "Wait a Minute! I'm not sure if he's breathing !.." and rushed him back in the emergency room where Dr. Wiley was waiting. I nervously paced the waiting area as mom and I cried hysterically. They came and got me and I chose to go in alone. They had revived Brisco so that I could be there with him when he passed. I was directly in front of my baby as he lay there sedated on the table and I petted him, and hugged him, and kissed him, and told him how much I loved him. Then he was gone.They brought Brisco into a room where we had previously discussed I could have as much time as I needed to say good-bye. Mom went in to say good-bye to her grand-dog first and we were then joined by Dr. Wiley, Amy, and two other nurses who had all grown to know and love Brisco over our months and months of going there. Dr. Wiley put Brisco's paw in clay and made a paw impression and carved in his name with hearts. It was a plaque that I baked in the oven to harden. I took off the blanket they had put on Brisco and covered my baby with his favorite Care Bear fleece blanky that I began carrying him in @ only 6 weeks old. After everyone left and I was alone with Brisco I picked him up and held him in my lap and cried my heart out! That dog was my heart, and even now a full week later the pain of his loss is no less. Today I returned back home from my Mother's house because it had been too hard to be in my house w/o him.
I admitt I am not handling his loss well at all. I raised Brisco as though he were a human baby. He was the most sweet and gentle and loving dog I've ever known...but to me, he was like my child. I am planning on attending a pet-loss support group meeting @ The University of Penn Vet Hospital in a couple weeks. I spoke over the phone with the Pet Bereavement Services counselor and shared that I know I would eventually like to get another dog to help occupy my mind off the focus of the hurt and grief of losing Brisco. She told me she could tell by how upset I was that it was not a good idea to get a new dog just now, b/c I am not ready. I have to allow myself the time to heal over the loss of Brisco, which I honestly don't know if I can ever really do. In the meantime, I am doing as much as I can to memorialize Brisco. I chose to have him cremated along with his favorite Care Bear fleece blanky, pics of us together, ect... I haven't received his ashes back yet,...Who knows? Maybe it the pain will get a bit easier when I know my baby, Brisco, is back home with me.
UPDATE 4-22-2008—
Thank you so much. I am so grateful people actually made a donation.
I wish to thank them. I didn't get a chance to get on the computer
yesterday because Brisco was having some side effects from a new
chemo medicine he's on. We went today to the University of Pennsylvania
to see his oncologist, Dr. Wiley, and although the cancer is aggressive,
she does see a definite response from the medicine. He received
chemotherapy today and is doing great. He's a fighter!
Thank You again,
Krissy & Brisco
UPDATE 3-20-2008—
I was born in DE and attended college
in North Carolina. I got Brisco from friends in Greensboro, NC,
at only 6 weeks old. I immediately fell head over heels in love
with him. He was the first dog who was mine and mine only. He was
also the first thing in my life that I received true unconditional
love from. Pitbull's already have such a bad rap, I wanted to ensure
my he was well-behaved, so I put Brisco through 3 dog training courses.
I also raised Brisco like a human baby, which I must admitt I regret a little
because he is truly SPOILED ROTTEN!! On any given day, I will have ran
him at the park, taken him for a long walk, played with his favorite
stuffed animals, given him treats and a bone, and finally when I am ready
to sit down and watch some TV, he starts to cry. Brisco's cry is the saddest,
hi-pitch cry you would ever hear from a full-grown male dog. Then I think
what could he possibly want now? He jumps up in my lap just like a little
baby and all he wants is to be held!
Brisco and I lived happily in North Carolina for almost the first 3 years of
his life. At a very young age, I started taking Brisco to the "bark park," a
large, fenced in park where dogs are legally allowed to be off their leashes
and can run and play with other dogs. It was important to me that Brisco socialized
with other dogs and was well-behaved around them. He also loves children. Brisco
grew rapidly and was very muscular. You can imagine the looks I got from people
at the park when they seen a big pitbull coming in, however within 5 minutes
people realized Brisco was nothing but a big baby. As large as he was Brisco
is very submissive with other dogs, especially smaller ones. He would roll
on his back and let other dogs jump all over him. Everyone got a kick out of
that!
We lived in a big house in the country with an acre of land which was also across
from an elementary school. On a daily basis, children in the neighborhood would
knock on my door and ask, "Can Brisco come out and play?" There was also many
other dogs in our neighborhood whom Brisco loved to play with, especially his
girlfriend Eva, a blue pitbull and his buddy Snowbell, an all white chiuwawa.
I have to say Brisco and I lived a very happy and fullfilling life in Greensboro,
that is, until tragedy struck.
In 2004, I was in a head on car collision in which I broke both my legs, 7 ribs,
collapsed my left lung, and broke my tailbone. I spent nearly 4 months in a
wheelchair. With all my family over 8 hours away, I had to depend on friends
to help me literally do anything. It is unfortunate that it sometimes takes
a tragedy for a person to find out who their real friends are. Out of all the
friends I had before the accident nearly no one showed up to help take care
of me, or even just keep me company. There was only one friend who never left
my side, my best friend, Brisco. At that point Brisco was my only family. Unable
to work, my bills began to pile up and I was denied medical assistance time
and time again through the state of NC. At times, I sunk into such a deep depression,
I don't know what I would have done without the unconditional love and devotion
of my dog, and it was knowing that he needed me to get better to take care
of him that drove me to be strong and make it through it. Unable to even afford
physical therapy, I literally taught myself to walk all over again. My car
was obviously totalled, so with the lack of transportation and the fact that
I was still dealing with a lot of pain, I made the decision to move back home
to be with my family. There I was also able to get the financial
and physical assistance I so desperately needed.
About a month before Brisco and I moved home, my mother had lost one of her cats
who was hit by a car, and in the same week had to make the heartbreaking decision
to put down our family dog of 14 years, an English Springer Spaniel named Buster.
Buster had cancer which had rapidly spread internally and had a mass in both
his lungs and stomach. At that point mom had to consider his quality of life.
Although Buster had lived an amazingly great life, she knew he could no longer
go on dealing with that pain. I could only imagine how hard it was for her
because Buster was her baby, just as Brisco is mine. Needless to say, bringing
Brisco back home helped bring back some much needed joy in my family's life.
As I earlier stated I somewhat regretted spoiling Brisco the way I did, which
I am embarassed to admitt also included giving him all the people food you
could imagine! I knew he was getting fat but to me he was still my teeny-tiny
baby. My younger sister, who is in medical school, hadn't seen Brisco in person
probably since he was about 10 months old. At Thanksgiving dinner she remarked
on just how fat he had gotten and really gave me a hard time saying that if
I did not stop feeding him people food I would kill him! She scared me so much
that I made an appointment the very next day at our local vet to devise a diet
plan for my fat boy. Weighing in a whopping 90 pounds and only 2 months away
from his 3 year old birthday, I realized I had to stop! The vet suggested I
swith to a prescription low-calorie dog food, increase the amount of exercise,
and most importantly STOP FEEDING HIM ALL PEOPLE FOOD!! Upon doing a physical
exam of Brisco, that is when the vet felt something that concerned her. She
told me not to panic but she felt some lymph nodes that seemed somewhat enlarged,
although it was difficult to be sure with him having that extra fat on him.
She told me she wanted to do an aspirate of his lymph nodes to be sure everything
was okay. I was worried but I knew it very well could have just been because
he was fat. When the test results came back I was devastated to find out Brisco
did, in fact, have Lymphoma! I immediately began to cry thinking the absolute
worst...that my baby would die!
I desperately began to research this disease which only seemed to prove more
depressing. Canine Lymphoma is an aggressive disease of malignant lymph nodes.
Cancer, in general, is the leading cause of death in companion animals. It
has been estimated that almost half of the animals that live 10 years or longer
will die of cancer. And it is unknown what the exact cause of cancer is. With
Lymphoma, tumors sometimes form primarily in lymph tissues, such as lymph nodes.
Because lymphoma is a systemic disease, systemic treatment with chemotherapy
is recommended. 70-80% of dogs initially respond to chemotherapy treatment,
but the initial response is not durable and 80-90% of all treated patients
eventually relapse, and tumors re-grow and eventually become resistant to treatment.
Survival times are, on average, around one year. After reading this information
my heart sank. I could not bear the thought that I might lose my best friend
and at the mere age of three. It seemed there was no hope, that is, until my
other vet provided me with a fax of information he received on very new and
cutting-edge study that was being performed at the University of Pennsyvania
Veterinary Hospital, one of the most prestigous Hospitals in the US.
Once I read about the study, a sense of hope returned. The University of Penn
is conducting an trial whose purpose is to assess the potential benefits and
side effects of using a novel type of immunotherpay treatment (a cancer "vaccine")
in addition to standard chemotherpay. The vaccine is designed to stimulate
the immune system to recognize and attack the cancer anywhere in the body.
Their hope is to prolong the duration of time in which the patient is free
of disease and to increase the percentage of long term lymphoma surviors. Upon
reading this information I immediately called Penn to see if Brisco met the
requirements of the study, which god-willing, he did.
We took Brisco the next day to the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital
to have his initial staging process done, which included another lymph node
aspirate, bloodwork, a bone marrow aspirate among a bunch of other tests to
determine exactly what type of Lymphoma Brisco had. He was diagnosed as having
Stage 4; Substage A. Stage 4 refers to generalized lymph node involvement with
liver or spleen involvement. Substage A means a dog who is not sick, who shows
no clinical signs. In other words, other than being diagnosed with Lymphoma,
Brisco otherwise appears and acts perfectly healthy. This initial staging process
was approximately $1000.00. Thankfully Brisco met all the requirements to participaite
in the study. They kept Brisco at Penn overnight and the next day he was prepared
for surgery. They removed a portion of one of his lymph nodes in the back of
his right leg. To my understanding, they take that lymph node and combine
it with antibiodies and RNA and that is essentially what the "cancer vaccine" is
made up of. They harvest the vaccine in the lab for the course of his treatment.
To participate in the study, owners are responsible for the costs of the diagnostic
staging prior to treatment, costs of chemotherapy (a standard 20-week protocal),
and costs of follow-up staging and visits. The chemotherapy treatment itself
is comprised of 5 different chemotherapy drugs. We were told the total cost
of everything would be near $6000.00! Benefits to the owners include free lymph
node biopsy, free manufacture and administration of the vaccine, and complete
blood counts following the administration of the vaccine, and the potential
benefit of longer term survival. However, Brisco has to make it through the
full 20 weeks of chemotherapy before he actually receives the cancer "vaccine." Both
my vet, as well as, our amazing oncoligist at the University of Pennsylvania
Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Jennnifer Wiley, admitted that it was very rare for
a dog as young as Brisco to get Lymphoma, yet it was for that same reason
they truly believed he has a fighting chance.
I finally had a sense of hope instilled back in me, although there was only one
obstacle that stood in our way. How could I afford $6000.00?! With having recently
moved, I was still no where near financially stable. Even though I graduated
college cum laude, once Brisco was diagnosed I literally took the very first
job I could get. However, my mother was having to help pay my bills as well
as cover hers. It was one of the saddest feelings to think that there is this
option that may help save my dog's life, but that I couldn't afford it. I was
not going to let that happen and was determined to find a way to make Brisco's
treatment possible. We began chemotherapy treatment at Penn and each week we
had to decide which bill we would not pay in order to afford the next week
of treatment. Everyday we prayed and worried about how we would continue to
afford the treatment he so desperately needed to live. I began doing more
research and found out that there are certain groups that provide financial
assistance to owners of pets who animals are sick or injured who can not afford
the necessary treatment. The one organization I found that appeared to be the
most reputable and seemed applicable to Brisco's case in particular was a group
called Canine Cancer Awareness. I had filled out their apllication and explained
in detail Brisco's story. After submitting it, all I could do was hope and
pray. In the meantime, Brisco was responding very well to the chemotherapy.
It was difficult each day just to go to work and leave Brisco alone in fear
he may get sick or have a bad side-effect to the chemo while I was gone, however,
I needed to work to make his treatment possible. One could only imagine my
surprise and dismay when I went into work one Thursday evening to find out
I had been laid off!
Needless to say, I was beyond devastated and depressed, especially considering
that my single mother was now soley paying for everything and struggling. I
immediately began to look for another job, but in the meantime, I also took
advantage to spend all the time I could with Brisco. One morning we were on
our way out the door to go the park when I was overwhelmed with an urge to
check my e-mail. When I saw that I had received a response regarding my application
for financial assistane from Canine Cancer Awareness, I opened the e-mail and
was elated to find out that they made a decision and agreed to make an $1,100
donation to help towards the cost of Brisco's treatment! I was so happy I began
to cry. The fact that strangers still can show such compassion and care is
amazing. This donation could not literally have come at a more needed time
as well. I can not thank this organization enough for their donation. Specific
thanks goes out to the treasurer, Linda Peluso, as well as the Board of Directors.
They have truly helped to save my baby, Brisco's, life! Canine Cancer Awareness
will forever hold a special place in out hearts! Also, once I do get back on
my feet financially, this is an organization I would love to donate to myself!
Once again, THANK YOU!
Sincerely,
— Kristina & Brisco
The CCA Board of Directors has voted to contribute
$1100 to Brisco's cancer treatment.
DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR BRISCO:
04-14-08 — $50 (Donation from Critters Galore)
04-19-08 — $25 (Donation from Patricia)
04-22-08 — $50 (Donation from Mr. and Mrs. William L.)
05-27-08 — $100 (Donation from Susan in memory of Sherlock and Tinker Good Dog.)
BOXX
aka. GOOFY
My Service Dog
UPDATE 4-1-2008—
Where do I, start describing this wonderful dog; I first encountered BOXX when he was six months of age.
I rescued him from a rat-infested basement. His previous owner moved into a house where the owner did accept dogs but
when he saw, he was a Rottweiler he refused to allow him in the apartment. A friend of mine knew I had lost my other
Service Dog and knew I loved Rottweilers, so he called me and told me about BOXX. I practically flew to where he told me to
go when I arrived the owner was there and when they let him out, he went crazy running in circles, he was that happy to be
out. It was love at first sight! He has been with me and is my Service Dog for seven years now, in which, he has literally
saved my life three times. Twice, he kept me from slipping into insulin shock, and once, from breaking my neck or fracturing
my skull, in a fall in the bathroom. On January, I noticed he was limping one night and I thought he may have hurt himself
playing (for he “LOVES” his toys), but knowing about he breed an alarm went off in my head. I tried to shake it off. The next
night, he presented a large lump on his wrist and it was “hard.” I was hoping it was just a fracture or sprain. I called the
vet, and made an appointment. To my dismay it was what I had been dreading. It was Osteosarcoma! We arranged for him to have
surgery. In the interim, we tried to see if he was a candidate for limb sparing, unfortunately, he was not. He was to have s
urgery on February 25, 2008. The vet had given medications for pain and we were waiting for the due date, when a week before,
his paw became the size of a grapefruit. I called the vet, told him about it and prescribed Lasix thinking it may be water
retention. I noticed that, the medication was not affecting the problem, and he was not urinating, as he should have been.
I called and told the vet I was taking him off the medication. Wonderful doctor that he is, he decided to re-schedule the
surgery for February 18, 2008.
On February 18, I took BOXX and dropped him off with my heart breaking and grieving,
due to the fact, that he was losing his leg. We were all worried for he is a “BIG BOY,”
he weighed 143lbs. We did not know how he would manage being a “tri-pod.” It turned out that
the swelling was the beginning of gangrene. Well, I am glad to say he is bouncing back and being
his “GOOFY” self. He started his Chemo sessions, on March 3, 2008. He goes back on April 4, 2008.
There is only one problem to date…he is to smart for his own good. He has connected the fact that
getting into the car means going to the vet. He REFUSES to get in on his own! He is like a mule,
he squats, there is no moving him, only means to get him in the car is picking him up, and I am not
that strong so getting someone to help me get him in the car is very hard. This has been an
experience of a lifetime. HOWEVER, he is worth it and much more!
— Martha
The CCA Board of Directors has voted to contribute
$950 to Boxx's cancer treatment. To help sponsor Boxx's treatment
please give generously:
DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR BOXX:
06-19-08 — $100 (Donation from Susan in memory of Sherlock and Tinker Good Dog, both lost to cancer)
PETEY
UPDATE 6-2-2008—
We are sorry to learn that Petey passed away on May 6th. Megan has generously donated the remaining funds to CCA sponsored dogs fighting this disease.
UPDATE 2-19-2008—
We weren't looking for a dog. Did I WANT a dog? Absolutely!
My life isn't complete without one! But we had moved down to Florida only
6 months prior, we were renting a home that didn't allow pets,
we were trying to buy our own home and I was 4 months pregnant.
It was March 17, 2001, St Patrick's Day, and my husband,
my 3 year old daughter and my pregnant self walked through the mall.
The ASPCA was there that day with some of their shelter dogs. I always go to
see the pups when they are there and whine to the hubby about bringing one home.
This time a particular pup caught my husband's eye. He was a three month old white
and tan shepherd mix and the last of his litter left at the shelter they were born in.
He was a white fluff ball with HUGE ears that stood up on his head. My husband and daughter
played with him for a few minutes and then I drug them away with tears in my eyes. That always
happens when I'm around the shelter dogs....and the pregnancy hormones didn't help. Then my
husband said to me 'I want that dog.' I shook my head and replied 'Don't do this to me....you know
we can't have one at our place....you know I would take home ANY of those dogs if I could.' He just
restated 'I want THAT dog.' We stood for a moment looking at each other and I suggested we walk to the
food court, eat some lunch and really discuss it. We decided over lunch that if he was still there when
we went back, he was meant to be ours and we would take him home. As I'm sure you've assumed, he
was still there....and we did, indeed, take him home. He has been my constant companion ever since,
laying across my tummy throughout my pregnancy, licking and loving my son the day we brought him home,
protecting our home and our family ferociously when the need arises, licking the daylights out of those he loves.
Living in Florida was horrible for him. We fought skin infections and flea allergies.
There were periods of time when he had chewed off all the hair on his tail and hind end.
He was a trooper through it all, never taking his discomfort out on any of the family members,
bearing with us while we bathed him weekly with medicated shampoos and took him to the vet for
skin scrapings and the like. I had a feeling if we had lived somewhere less humid than Florida
we could better battle his skin allergies....and I was right. We moved to Pennsylvania 9 months
ago and he has not had one skin problem since. All of the hair has grown back thick and beautiful
and he has nary an itch! It was like a miracle!
The last week of January I noticed Petey was holding his left ear sort of funny....and
even caught him digging at it a bit. I checked it out and didn't see any tell tale signs
of ear mites but did see some waxy buildup and thought he might have the start of an ear
infection. I cleaned it out and he seemed happier. By the end of the week he was digging again
and I decided to take him into the vet on Monday, as Saturday hours are generally saved for 'emergencies.'
When I woke up on Saturday my husband commented 'You know, Pete's lymph nodes are kinda swollen....I think
he has an infection.' I called the vet and they told me to bring him in. This was February 2nd, 2008. When
they weighed him at THIS vet (a different one than where he got his vaccinations) I took notice that it seemed
he lost weight, but chalked it up to a different scale and more exercise. The vet checked him over and told me
that she didn't find evidence of an ear infection. He was most likely holding his ear funny because the size of
his swollen lymph nodes was making him uncomfortable. In fact, she said, those weren't the only lymph nodes that
were swollen. She had me feel his others....then explained what she thought was going on. She told me she was
worried that it might be lymphoma. She couldn't say for certain without the proper tests, but she said that
the weight loss I had described, along with the swollen nodes was enough for her to worry. We went ahead and
did the aspirate. I got the call on February 4th that it was, in fact, lymphoma. 'Good news, though' she
told me, 'This type of cancer responds very well to chemotherapy.' Not good news for me, as I knew we
couldn't afford it. We were/are living with my parents since we moved up from Florida, still unable to
get our own place, trying to use the time to pay off debts and trying to keep our heads above water.
We had some savings, but my husband lost the job he had gotten when we first moved here and the month he
was out of work ate up all of our savings. I am still trying to replenish some of it. I began
researching online that very day. Looking for organizations that could help out with the costs. I got
the same answer at every turn 'We regret to inform you, due to lack of funds.....'
That is where we are right now. We cannot afford the chemo for Petey and so we have opted to
the less costly treatment of Prednisone. It will only buy him a few extra months. The vet is
saying he may have 6-7 months left. We have changed his food, as well, to a low carb, moderate
protein diet. The research I've done indicates that it can slow the process of the cancer.
These are the only things I can do to help my boy....and even these things are financially taxing.
The vet recommended he have blood work done....we cannot afford it, so in reality, we don't know just
how bad his cancer really is.
I cannot let him go without a fight. I WILL not let him go without a fight.
I will not send him gently into that good night.....not right now....it's not his time.
Please....we desperately need your help!
Help save my boy, Petey!
~Megan~
To help sponsor Petey's treatment please give generously:
DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR PETEY:
02-27-08 — $10 (Donation from nicole)
02-27-08 — $20 (Donation from Nicki)
05-27-08 — $100 (Donation from Susan in memory of Sherlock and Tinker Good Dog.)
POOCHIE
UPDATE 1-30-2008—
Two years ago I saw a picture of a little black dog on an internet
pet rescue site. She had been found on a potato farm and was a
matted ball of fur. To my friends she looked like an
"ugly street dog," but I fell in love with her. I paid her rescue
fee, bathed her, got her a haircut and took her to the vet. I was
told she was about two years old. Poochie has been the greatest
pet and friend that anyone could ever want. She is so special to
me. Recently I noticed some bumps on her stomach. The bunps were
getting bigger and one burst open. I took her to the vet and he told
me that these were breast tumors and most likely cancer. I took Poochie for
a second opinion and this vet agreed and said that Poochie needs surgery and
as soon as possible. The cancer can spread rapidly and the open cancer site
on the one breast can get infected. She gave me antibiotics. Please help to
save my Poochie’s life. I am working part time and going to college, and need
your financial support. Thank you.
—Megan
Orlando, Florida
UPDATE 4-08-2008—Thank you so very much!!!! Poochie is doing great.
She is running around and playing like a puppy again. Right now we are on a wait and see if the surgery was 100% successful.
We are hoping that she will not need more surgery, but it is too soon to tell.
Thanks again.
—Megan
The
CCA Board of Directors has committed an amount
of $300.00 in order to help pay the costs of Poochie's cancer
treatments. To help sponsor Poochie's treatment please
give generously:
DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR POOCHIE:
ROSA
UPDATE 1-15-2008—
Our beloved Schnauzer was diagnosed with Lymphoma August 2007.
This is our story.
When Rosa came into our lives my son was 6 years old.
We have always rescued our dogs and Rosa is no exception. She
was given to us from a local pet store when she was 4 months old.
We were passing by and a woman with a small child asked us to take
a look at Rosa. She told us that she visited the pet shop daily
and that Rosa was an exceptional animal and could not understand
why someone hadn't bought her. The owner explained that she was
there for almost 3 months and they were willing to let her go to
a good home for free. Needless to say we took her. That evening
the Pet Store that she had called home for last 3 months burnt
down. They had a devastating fire and lost all the little lives
inside. We were so lucky to have saved Rosa. I feel this woman
was an angel and there to rescue Rosa. It's been 12 years and Rosa
is our Angel. She has been there for my son and me through the
death of my Mom recently and the loss of our home in 1999. She
has prevailed. We adopted a 10 year old fox terrier 5 years ago
so that Rosa could have a "Fur
Sibling" …
Dixie is now going on 15 yrs. I have been struggling with thyroid
disease for 3 years and my medical bills have been out of control.
I have exhausted my savings for chemo for Rosa which has put her
in remission… I am hoping that we can continue treatment… I
have not been able to work due to my illness and am hoping for
a miracle… Thank you for taking the time to read Rosa's story…
UPDATE 4-21-2008—
I am so very appreciative of this donation.
How can I thank them? Rosa is due for her chemo on Wednesday and
for now she is doing good. Everyday is a blessing. Again, I can't
thank you enough for your concern and donations.
— Marla
The CCA Board of Directors has voted to contribute
$500 to Rosa's treatment. To help sponsor Rosa's treatment please
give generously:
DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR ROSA:
04-21-08 — $50 (Donation from Mr. and Mrs. William L.)
BUDDY
UPDATE 12-14-2007 —
Buddy, my 5-year-old basset hound, has only been with me for a year and a half.
I knew when I went to meet him that I would take him home and spoil him rotten –
and how could I not with a face like that? His story just broke my heart. He was
a victim of abuse but with much patience and kindness, he grew into a happy waggling tailed basset.
Buddy went for a routine vet visit and received a good bill of health. Just a couple of months later,
Buddy was not acting himself. It started with excessive drinking, constant thirst, and lack of appetite.
After several blood tests, an x-ray, and two ultrasounds later, he was diagnosed with lymphoma.
My vet gave me all of my options, and I decided to go for chemotherapy treatments.
I can happily report that not only did he respond well to it, but he has not been sick with the treatments
at all! He is back to being my Buddy – back to sniffing, mooching, and breaking into the refrigerator!
I do not know how long this will last, but I am grateful for the times he greets me at the door, or those
times when he nudges my hand for some attention. Buddy is a fighter, and I will continue to fight for him.
— Kristin
The Board of Directors has voted to contribute $500
towards Buddy's treatment. To help sponsor Buddy's recovery please
give generously:
DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR BUDDY:
12-30-07 — $100 (Donation from Susan. In memory of Sherlock and Tinker Good Dog)
SNICKERS
UPDATE 5-7-2008 —
It has now been 6 months since Snickers completed her radiation
treatments. I am thrilled to report that she has fully recovered
from the ordeal. She is now back to running full throttle in the
woods and fields and playing with her buddies. I admit that I
still get worried when she licks the site where the tumor was, but our
last visit to the radiation oncologist was very positive.
I am so grateful to Canine Cancer Awareness for all the support, both
emotionally and financially. With your support, the bills are paid and
I would like to donate the left over money to someone else in need. It
is the least I can do for giving Snickers a second chance!!
— Katie
UPDATE 1-20-2008 —
When last I wrote in mid December, Snickers was struggling with continued pain and skin
break down of her right lower leg where she had radiation for a soft tissue sarcoma (nerve
sheath tumor). It is now 2 1 months since the completion of the radiation, and while the leg
still bothers her, and her licking prevents it from totally healing, it is now less frequent that
she requires a dressing or medication stronger than Rimadyl. The skin seems much more sensitive
in general, as if it has some sort of nerve sensitivity. I have to admit, that I have wondered
more than once if I made the right choice of treatment, but I am feeling better as things look up.
Overall, she is doing really well, and it is great to see the spark back in her eyes,
or to see her running full out after a squirrel or in a game of chase with her buddy Pockets.
We seem to be having more good days than bad recently. I know we are not out of the woods yet,
and it is terrifying every time she is back to three legs or I see a surprise area of swelling.
Maybe I will always worry, even after the two year mark, which is supposedly when we will be able
to say that the radiation was a success.
Again, many thanks to Canine Cancer for their support and for allowing me to tell Snickers story.
I am grateful for any donations, as the bills keep mounting, but I also have learned so much in reading
about other families’ struggles and the deep love and commitment that they also have for their dogs.
— Katie
UPDATE 12-15-2007 —
Snickers completed her month of radiation treatments at the end of October.
She did very well, and the side effects did not start till the last week of treatment.
It was a rough three weeks after the treatments because the skin on her lower leg blistered and
broke down, and her hair came out. It was VERY painful and the dressing changes were a terrible stress on her.
Things improved over time, and just when we thought we were beyond the worst, she developed swelling on the
outside of the same paw, the last week of November. I was terrified about what it could mean, and the vet
performed a needle aspiration. They said basically it was just scar tissue, but then the sight became infected,
swelled, and then developed an ulcer (partly b/c she licked it). It was causing her much more pain than we or
the vet thought it should, so they put her under, took X-rays and sent off a better sample for culture.
Now, she is back on antibiotics and pain meds again. Fortunately, there was no infection in the bone. It is
just starting to look a bit better, but she is still not feeling great. We are hoping that by Christmas, she
will be feeling much better. Thank you all so much again, and include Snickers in your Prayers and thoughts.
UPDATE 10-18-2007 —
This is a picture of my sweet angel Snickers. She was named even before she became a part of our
family. I had asked my youngest daughter what she would name a dog if we were to get one. She
immediately said "Snickers". What she did not know was that Santa was going to bring her older sister
and her a puppy for Christmas. I looked at many ads in the paper and she was at the first place I went to.
It was filthy, the yard was full of dog waste, and so many dogs. I looked around and there she was. . . she
and her sister were the only 2 of their kind, and they both approached the fence, both eight week old
balls of fur, all bright eyed and happy in spite of their circumstances. It was her eyes that I was
drawn to. How coincidental that she looked like a Snickers bar, dark chocolate and rich brown caramel.
On Christmas morning 2001, screams could be heard in the neighborhood at
the crack of dawn as the girls were sent on a scavenger hunt planned by
Santa. At the end, there was Snickers in big red bow. . .
She is a rottweiler/husky mix; she has the color of a rotti, the stamina
and energy of the husky, and the intelligence of both. She is too smart
for her own good — she opens doors, gates, and the snack drawer, and generally
thinks she is human. And oh, she also thinks she is a lap dog- all 85 pounds
of her. She loves to chase anything that moves, to explore in the woods,
and play in the snow. She is very maternal; our guinea pig Eddee would sit
between her front paws while grazing outside, and she kept watch the whole
time. She loves babies, children, puppies, and most of all, her best friend,
Pockets, a lab mix whom she has grown up with.
She was diagnosed with cancer (nerve sheath/soft tissue sarcoma) of the
lower left back leg a few months before her 6th birthday. Three needle aspirations
later, they thought it was benign, but because of the location, it needed to be removed.
The call from the surgeon was a complete shock; it was CANCER, and they could not get clean
margins because on the lower leg, there is not enough tissue. This type of tumor is contiguous
with the the tendon sheath at a cellular level, so we had big trouble. They said it is a locally
aggressive tumor that will surely grow back in the next 4-6 months. The best options were amputation
or radiation. I was torn, but the radiation oncologist said there was an 85% chance of at least a
5-year survival. Amputation was cheaper, but the thought of taking her leg just did not sit right. I
am familiar with fighting for my health, as I have multiple sclerosis. I was told 14 years ago when
I was diagnosed, that in 5 years, I would be in a wheelchair. I started fighting right then and there,
and I know Snickers has the same fight in her that I have. Lately, she is my Velcro dog, my shadow, but
she is doing well with radiation. She has finished 10 of 19 treatments, and she has been so brave… I dread
the side effects that they say will start any time now, but we are going to hang in there together.
The cost of treatment is going to be about $6000 for radiation,
and I already paid $2000 for removal of the tumor. I talked to my 2 daughters when this
happened, and we agreed to forgo birthdays and Christmas, and other gift giving for the
next year or whatever it takes, so that we could treat Snickers. Still, things are going
to be very tight. I support them on my disability check, and they both have jobs after school.
Child support would have been nice, but their father said my falling embarrassed him, and he
did not bargain for a wife with MS. I would never give up on Snickers the way some wanted to give up on me.
I am so grateful to The Canine Cancer Foundation for their $1000 to help offset the high cost of treatment.
Snickers is worth it and every bit helps. I don’t yet know how I will pay all the bills, but I have faith
that it will work out. I am too stubborn to give up and so is she.
— Katie
UPDATE 09-30-2007 —
At a recent board meeting $1000 was allocated to
Snickers for continued cancer treatments.
To help sponsor Snickers' recovery please give generously:
DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR SNICKERS:
10-27-07 — $50 (Donation from Mary Lou B.)
10-30-07 — $500 (Donation from Carolyn, Anne, and Nancy)
11-05-07 — $100 (Donation from Helen F.)
12-30-07 — $100 (Donation from Susan. In memory of Sherlock and Tinker Good Dog)
01-21-08— $30 (Secret Santa Sponsor Gift)
03-05-08— $50 (Donation from Amy)
AMERICAS
UPDATE 12-07-2007 —
Thanks for asking about us!! We are fine and Americas has come along
just beautifully!! She is back to her goofy, silly wonderful self!
She hobbles along quite nicely and her hair grew back curly where they had
to shave it! I have so much and I have so much to be thankful for. Sure,
I have debt, but who doesn't? I have a home, a family and a million earthly
possessions, good health and a country that I'm free in. I have my sweet
precious dogs and I daughter that I'd die for. I so
appreciate the time and all of your efforts for my application
and consideration and feel honored that you picked Americas and I won't
forget it. I am SLOWLY but surely working on a brochure for CCA to raise
awareness and hopefully lots of funds! I have gained some w onderful friends
through CCA that I truly cherish and I am thrilled to have gotten to know
and share our stories with each other. Through our wonderful dogs, we have
become friends and our friendships are growing and that is so special to
me! Merry Christmas and Thank you for everything!
With love and gratitude,
Kim and Americas
UPDATE 10-14-2007 —
Americas is our sweet and extremely goofy Springer Spaniel/Lab mix puppy. Although she is not a puppy anymore,
as she is turning 6 this November, but I always tell her she is Mommy's puppy. Ohhh!!! Where to start with her
story! I've especially wanted to write a book about her after reading Marley
and Me, Life and Love With The World's Worst Dog, by John Grogan. I though Marley had nothin on Americas—SHE was the world's worst dog. For those of
you that have read the book, you may know a little of what I'm talking about. Regardless, only I could love Americas
threw her journey in life and so it began. I'll give you the short version. My daughter came to me and said they were
selling puppies in front of Walmart and she picked one out and told them she'd be back with her Mama. I said "No way!"
Well, of course I just had to go at least look at them, didn't I? So there they were, 13 little 8 week old puppies in a
cardboard box, cold and no blankets to keep them warm, just the plump fat of one another. There was the puppy that they
had on "hold" for my daughter and I said, "I don't want that one, I want this one!" I handed over $50.00 and the nightmare
began. We decided to name her Americas ( should be spelled Americus ) from the movie, Where
The Heart Is, she is the Walmart Baby.
Keep in mind, this is the short version. After hundreds and hundreds of dollars just the first year of vet visits,
probably thousands of dollars in damage caused by my cute little puppy, I had had it. I posted up "Free Dog" posters at
our local dog shelter. I was broken and absolutely torn, not to mention exhausted from her. However, I wrote up a four
page requirement letter that if she was indeed to be adopted they must pass my strictest test. I knew no one would ever
pass, therefore I could never adopt her out. Oh well, I tried. I also knew in my heart that NO ONE could ever love this
dog like I could. No one could ever understand the special love she needed. She was special and needed patient and
unconditional love. She had faults but her attributes truly over-ruled them. Americas is high spirited, full of boundless
energy! She is just a happy dog and happy to be alive. She is one goofy, silly dog and she knows it. She enjoys life and
enjoys making people and her sister, Lady Dog, happy. Now that she has finally outgrown most of her mischief, she is truly
enjoyed by most!! But, for myself, she is my favorite and she knows it. I can't help it. I love her with everything I have.
She is my best bud, my counselor, my comedian, my shoulder to cry on and laugh on. She loves me unconditionally and has only
judge me lately, when I have not brought her to work with me and gives me those oh, sad eyes. She talks with her own little
voice and lets you know what she wants, whether it be a cookie, a back rub, play time, night time or just some lovin time,
she will let you know. She has a fetish with always having something in her mouth, in the fall she helps herself to several
apples a day from one of three apple trees in our backyard and usually carries just one in her mouth all day, until she
decides to go ahead and eat it. She has many "babies" that she carries around also and many stuffed animals that don't
usually last more than a day, as she loves to shred them to pieces. She often carries just a head or a leg or one of her
babies, it's just something. Many of her pictures she has something in her mouth, I think it's kinda like her sassy or binky.
Early this summer she began to limp-again-had done it before a year to two back but her vet didn't know what the problem
was. She just limped. Then it started to get really bad and she was in definite pain. After several x-rays, he still
couldn't find the problem. As I looked at the x-rays with him and I saw no masses, I said, "At least it's not cancer."
I would find out later I was wrong. After more tests, then an MRI, a Nerve Sheath Tumor was found in her upper right shoulder.
I had to decide to put her down or amputate. Just the thought of not having my sweet Americas not by my side made my heart ache
like it had not ever felt before. I just couldn't do it. I type in NST and to my pleasant surprise I have gained knowledge and
support and friendship from Canine Cancer Awareness. I met people that were crazy. Crazy in love with their dogs like I was!! I
was not alone and felt relief and comfort knowing that people cared and knew what I was going through. I am forever grateful.
After a team of wonderful vets, surgeons, neurologist, and specialists, I decided to have Americas's right shoulder and leg amputated.
The first 1 1/2 weeks was horrible and I doubted myself and regretted what I did to this beautiful being. She was is pain and
was so sad. Then, she came back with her silly, goofy, WONDERFUL self and I couldn't be happier. She is still the same awesome
dog that she was, just now with 3 legs. It has not held her back and she continues to love life to its fullest. She has taught
me to be more patient and compassionate. To look at life more simply. She enjoys the simplest things in life that God has given
us. We just need to take the time to enjoy them. During her recuperation, I spent many many hours loving and watching her every
breath. I'd watch her lay under the apple tree, grab an apple or baby, lay down and wag her tail. Just laying there, she'd watch
the birds, bees and bugs fly by and she'd be so happy. I'd call out to her and say, "Americas, Mommy loves you" and she'd wag her
tail even more and say, "I know, I love you too."
I am a better person for having Americas in my life. I truly feel that God sent |
