Canine Cancer Foundation

Story: Logan was lost one year ago to Hemangiosarcoma. He died within 30 days of his diagnosis. Hemangiosarcoma is a blood borne, rapidly advancing form of cancer. Please support any organization that works to figure out how to avoid or eradicate this awful disease.

Story: Prada my Lap/Pointer mix was adopted from a shelter at 8 weeks old. Just 2 weeks after turning 2 years old she just was not acting like her puppy self, she was very lathargic,coughing alot, foaming at the mouth, only wanted to lay in bed. We took her to the vet, expecting a respiratory infection, but instead found out she had a huge tumor in her chest, it was compressing her lungs and heart, the vet could not even hear or lungs or heart beat. At this time we transported her to Michigan State University only to find out with out treatment she maybe had 1 week left and with Chemo maybe 6-9 months. It was 2 years in Feb. since diagnosis and will be 2 years since the end of treatement in September and I am happy to say she just celebrated her 4th birthday!!! We are so so thankful for the research and treatment that MSU provided. I am also very excited to hear about the Morris foundation and this website.

Story: Murphy was diagnosed with lymphoma after I noticed him behaving strangely, and I could tell something was wrong. The vet and our family tried everything but it was too late, God how I wish I would have known sooner maybe I could have done more. Now I just miss him being around. At least the CCC is trying to cure this disease to save other dogs, thank you for that.

Story: Tiki was diagnosed with Large Cell Lymphoid Leukemia on her 5th birthday. We attempted chemo, but 9 days after her diagnosis we had to let her go. She was an absolutely amazing dog and she filled a hole in my heart that I didn\'t even know existed.

Story: Oh, how i wish I had found this website and these research studies 6 months ago. My Irish Wolfhound, Becca, began holding her right hind leg up while she was eating, in mid November, 2007. The vet x-rayed her hip, and checked for ACL damage, gave me a Rx for Prevacox. It made her sick, so we switched to Rimadyl. She seemed to improve somewhat, but in early January she was holding the leg up even with the Rimadyl. Back to the vet, who found osteosarcoma just above the hock joint. He advised against amputation, because of her size, and because he said in his 20+ years of practice only one dog had survived past one year from diagnosis - due to metastasis. We added Tramadol to the Rimadyl, and she seemed to be happy, although not using that back leg. In March, the cancer ate through the bone all the way, and I sent her to the Rainbow Bridge. My heart aches every day.

Story: Our sweet schnoodle Lily contracted mast cell cancer in the spring of 2007. She had a tumor removed in May of that year but by September we noticed that the tumor had not only returned but had multiplied in the area (left side toward her hind leg). After a couple ineffective rounds of prednizone from our vet we took her to a well known veterinary school in Massachusetts in December to see what else could be done. After a whole day of testing it was found that Lily\'s cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and her bone marrow. At the rate that her cancer was progressing, Lily would only live a few more weeks. They suggested weekly chemo treatments, but after much contemplation and prayer we felt that at 12 1/2 years of age the 3-hour round trip each week would be too tiring for Lily, not to mention the side effects, and that it wouldn\'t cure her but just prolong her life a few more weeks or months. It wouldn\'t have been a good quality of life at that point and we feel to this day that we made the right decision. So we brought her home and spoiled her and spent as much time as we could with her for the last weeks of her life. Our only consolation was that she didn\'t realize how sick she truly was. Lily taught us to enjoy each day as a gift, to take nothing for granted, to eat with gusto, and to run free in our dreams. Our sweet little Lily died on January 18, 2008, 6 weeks after her testing in Massachusetts, and we miss her terribly. We have since talked to so many people whose dogs have had cancer. It\'s incredible that canine cancer is so widespread today, and a cure needs to be found so that these animals who ask so little during their lives, but who give us so much joy and love, can be free of this disease. Cancer takes too many loved ones from us, whether human or canine.

Story: My dog jorja had cancer she got the first little lump removed they said we would have to wait and see if they got it before it spread a few months later she developed a huge lump about the size of your fist on her neck we though she had just popped her shoulder out so we took her to the vet a week later and they said thats cancer and its too big we will have to get her put down :( so they did ive been depresed ever since :( im only 11 why did they have to take her from me :(

Story: Daisy died at age 6 1/2 after exploratory surgery Thursday September 20 2007. The Cancer had spread everywhere. We were unaware she had cancer we lost her that day she did not come home. We need to make pet owners aware of Canine Cancer and we need more research so our pets do not have to suffer.

Story: Pepper (Also known as my Furry little daughter) was 13 years old Dec 2007. She is now almost 13 1/2 years old. In Feb of 2008 she started developing a rapid growing tumor on her left side towards the back. She\'s always been a very proud dog so when she was starting to become unable to get around because of it, it changed her entire mood. We took her to the Vet full-well knowing what the answer would be. Sure enough she had developed K9 Breast cancer. And given her advanced age, and also the fact that she had a pre-existing heart condition it made the prognosis very grim. We were informed that this is common in female dogs who have not been spade. (So if you\'re reading this and you have a female do which you do not plan to breed anymore, PLEASE have her spade if for no other reason than to prevent problems in her later years). Well at that point we were faced with a decision, we were told what would happen if we did nothing (which was not very nice, for us or for my poor pepper), and were also informed that she would only have a 20% chance of making it through the anesthesia because of her age and heart problems. And also were informed of the cost. Well, cost was not a factor. As you all undoubtably know, when a member of the family is sick you do what you must do to give them every chance of pulling through with a decent quality of life. Well we wasted no time and decided to move forward with the operation even with the ods. I figured 20% chance of surviving and feeling better, is better than a 0% chance of a painless future. We all spent the last 24 hours before the operation with her, praying for the best but knowing the ods. We wanted to make sure that whatever the outcome, she would feel loved. Well the day of the operation was one of the most nerve-wrecking days of my life. We all waited for the phone to ring, partially afraid of the sound of the bell, but also hoping and praying for the best. Four hours after it started, the phone rang. She had made it through the operation, was awake, and they had gotten all of the detectable traces of the tumor. Removing the affected area, including two ovarian cysts. They determined nothing had spread to the lungs, and that she should make a complete recovery. She has since become an inspiration to all of us, and she is as I am, a Cancer Survivor! She beat the ods, and her love and inspiration has become a guiding light for many others now.

Story: Maggie is our beautiful 8 year old Catahoula mix, rescued from the Humane Society at the age of 6 months. She was acting differently on 9/22/2007, so we took her to the vet, they did an ultrasound, and found a lot of blood in her abdomen and a mass on her spleen. They did an emergency splenectomy, and the diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma came on 9/27/2007. We had a consult at the Texas A&M Veterinary School, and were referred to an oncologist locally. Maggie had 4 rounds of IV doxorubicin, and on 1/3/2008 we were looking to start an antiangiogenesis protocol. An ultrasound that day revealed a small mass on her liver. She had a small bleed on 1/23/2008, and seemed to be recovering. Another large bleed on 1/26/2008 took her life. Maggie will always be our forever girl. Stubborn, beautiful, long-eyelashed, tennis ball catcher, snugglebunny, howler-extraordinaire, walka-with-Dad taker, doofus, fluffy-butt. We miss you our girlie. So much. You\'re always with us, and we\'ll love you forever.

Story: Gator was diognosed with cancer 2 years ago . My family thought that he would die that very week.So we decided to spoil him as much as possible.Personally i prayed for him.I Guess it worked he now can clear five steps just to get a squirel

Story: Lost Puppy today after a 1 1/2 year fight with cancer. First bone cancer--with a limb amputation (totally worth it) and then nasal cancer. We will miss her dearly. I am so sick of CANCER killing the people and animals we love as our family members!

Story: Tifanny was dx w/Lymphoma at the age of seven. Her ophthalmologist \'saw\' it through her eyes...so to speak. Over-vaccination, I truly believe, was the cause. Chemotherapy, holistic therapies, dietary changes, and love all helped to put the cancer into remission for nine months; long enough for T to celebrate her 8th birthday (and we\'d thought she had \'licked\' the bugger!). Unfortunately, it came back with a vengeance and we saw it again, in her eyes. The eyes truly show so much...The friends we\'ve made as a result of the year Tifanny lived with the cancer (she LIVED, believe me! there was no stopping her) has brought this atrocity to the attention of many fur-parents. What I learned helped that year helped with my husband was dx with cancer-we knew what to do to fight it. Let\'s band together to learn more and help everyone!

Story: When Jerry\'s regular vet just kept prescribing different pain meds for a persistent limp he insisted was arthritis, we decided to take Jerry to the renowned veterinary teaching hospital at UC Davis, California. Our only regret is that we didn\'t go sooner! The incredible staff and students there identified a large osteosarcoma tumor and amputated Jerry\'s front left leg. Jerry bounced back the next day, quite literally. He wouldn\'t even get on the cart to be wheeled out of the hospital. He hopped up to us with a smile, glad to be free of the pain. That was Thanksgiving Day, 2006 and the doctors gave us a prognosis of 3 to 4 months. As I write this in mid December, 2007, I am happy to say we have proved them wrong. Within a couple weeks Jerry was back to his playful self. And not long after that, he was catching Frisbees on the beach, and swimming. Yes, three legged dogs can swim! We have the movies to prove it, and you can see them on Jerry\'s canine cancer resource blog at www.tripawds.com! For the past six months, we have been traveling cross-country with Jerry, spreading the word that life on three legs ain\'t so bad. After all, it is better to hop on three legs than to limp on four. Drop by tripawds.com today to see where Jerry is now and read all about his special diet, the supplements he takes, and other health tips.

Story: We bred Chance and he was sold but the sale fell through so you could say we took a chance on keeping take a chance (pet name chance). As a puppy he wasn\'t all that stunning, but his breed takes about 2 years to mature. He did very well in the show ring and took to Millie his kennel mate very well. He slept on my bed most nights with his other house mates. At 1 year old he had his a nice coat and started doing very well on a breed level. April we had a big show and he was 2 and looking stunning with coments being made such as \" he will win the royal this year on a breed level, and he is looking really good.\" At our breed championship show he won Runner up Best In Show which is very good. Dad said if he won he would transfer ownership to me. At the end of July we had a small local show and he was out of sorts with a slight runny nose, had lost weight (we put it down to Millie being away from him because of seasons) we took him to the vet on Wednesday and he said the blood cell count was wrong. I knew what this ment as we had started studying blood results at tafe. It took 3 weeks to come to the conclusion it was Myloid Cancer (in the bone marrow) during this time his condition worsened with him not eating and not being able to stand he would hit the floor as he would not sit or lay down. For these 3 weeks I slept on the floor in the loungeroom with arms out in front of me with Chance between them so if he did fall he didn\'t hurt himself. With the diagnosed finalized the vet gave him 6 weeks. We put him to sleep 3 days after the diagnoses. He now lays at the front gate of the property with an Angel statue on top of him with his only children who also didn\'t survive buried around him. And on August the 16th the sun hits the angel and it lights up. To this day I still talk to him and will continue to do so until the day I die and rejoin him.

Story: Chulo, our red Aussie, earned his wings on the night of the 28th of November, 2007. We took him to the our vet because he had developed a really bad cough the night prior. We thought it was kennel cough. It was there that he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart on the 27th. We rushed him to an emergency clinic where after other tests showed he had cancer in his liver and in his heart. We decided to bring him home and spend his remaining time with us. Little did we know that he wouldn\'t be with us for to much longer. He didn\'t seem to be himself but being the trooper he was, he stuck it out and acted as normal as possible. He just had to rest a lot more. They told us there was nothing we could do and that he could go at any time. They said let him do what ever he wants to do. That night he slept with us and let us comfort him. He was so independent this was odd for him but, he seemed to get comfort from it as much as we did. The next day, we took him to the park, rides in the car and he played with his brothers all day. That night he seemed to be slowing down and stopped eating and his breathing became harder and harder for him. He tried to sleep but couldn\'t get comfortable and began just to stand up. His eyes were so tired. The vet said that when it was time, he would tell us and sure enough, he followed us and looked at us with his deep brown eyes and told us it was time. We wanted to be selfish and keep him with us but he told us it was time and we could tell (even his brothers) that he was now in pain. We took him to the emergency room and said our last goodbyes. We held him as he left this world. We know he in a better place and no longer hurts. He can swim and play all day now. It was the hardest thing we have ever had to do. He was loving, loyal and so smart. He did two things for us to let us know it was alright: When we first brought him home with us nine and a half years ago, he threw up in my lap (I think he got car sick) and just to be funny up until the end, he threw up one last time (which he hadn\'t done in a really long time). We just moved to palm springs and if you know PS, it NEVER RAINS. Knowing how much I love the rain the following day it rained all day and night, more than it has in what we found out was about 5 or 8 years. The following morning was amazingly beautiful. We take tat as a sign that he is OK, misses us but we made the right decision. We will always miss and love you, thank you for the time we had and the memories we made. Until we meet again...... Your dads and ,-._,-. \\/)\"(\\/ (_o_) Ruff!...your brothers

Story: I found Candy at an animal shelter. She was the only one that was not barking. She sat at the back just shaking from being so scared. The minute I put my hand to her cage she walked up and licked my hand, ever so gently. I took her into my family that day. Since then we have been hiking, biking, horseback riding together, you name it. This little girl was unstoppable. I have had so many physical problems in my own life and all the while, my little girl never left my side. I can\'t tell you how much hope and inspiration she always gave me without saying a word. Of course she was never left alone, my father would babysit during the day and he too is sooooo in love with her. She is 13 now and has been diagnosed with lymphoma cancer. I have tried to do this the naturalpathic way because she had starting having seizures a couple of years ago and did not want to put her through the conventional approach. I have always fed her the best food I could find, I thought I did everything right. So why does she have to leave me. I may only have her for a few more days or a few more weeks at this point. But what I do know is that I owe it to her to what is best for her. I don\'t know how to be strong right now, because I have cried solid for the last 2 months. God, how I pray she knows how much I love her and how I will miss her every day until we are together again. Because I will not have lost an animal, I will have lost my baby.

Story: our story is about maggir the boxer. Maggie was diagnosed in May 2007 with lymphoma. she started her chemo treatment in atown 50 miles from home. during maggies treatments i had some medical issues myself, the doctors thought i had lung cancer and sent me to the same town to have test ran for me. week after week i would take maggie to her chemo and i would go down the road to the humabn cancer center for test for myself. it ended up that i had surgery all along maggie stilltaking chemo herself but my out come was so much better than maggies, there was no cancer to be found in me after all but through it all maggie ws with me comforting me, maggie is a certified TDI dog and was so good at her therapy dog skills everyone everywhere loved her but we lost her oct9 2007 to this cancer, she was 1 month shy of her 5th birthday. ou hearts are broke and we miss her dearly, our family wants to do all thats possible to help this foundation win the war with cancer

Story: Tony is a beautiful Beagle mix. He has been diagnosed with lymphoma. For the first thirty years of my life I never understood how or why people loved their dogs so much, but after we rescued Tony this past summer, I now completely and totally understand that love. He\'s simply the best friend that a person could have. Even more than that, Tony has taught me more about living life than I ever thought possible. From him, I\'ve learned how important it is to be loyal, to enjoy a simple walk in the fresh air and to play every day, no matter what else may be going on. I\'m so very sad that my friend is most likely going to go away soon, but I\'m very happy that I got to have him in my life, even though our time was too short.

Story: Our precious Zuni was diagnosed with terminal transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder just 3 days before Christmas 2005. It was a devastating blow as she was 12 years old and always healthy. We had noticed she would \"pee\" more frequently on our hikes but I just thought she was peeing on spots that other dogs had marked. There was not a lot we could do as far as treatment because the involved area had extended too wide to do surgery. We had her on medication and she did really well. She lived another 9 months and did really well until the last week when we made the decision to let her cross over the Rainbow Bridge. With the care and dignity our veterinarian provided we were able to let that happen at home. We cherished every moment she was with us both before and after her diagnosis.

Story: Chaser sometimes shuffled along like an old lady dog, but mention ‘the C word’ (cookie) and she magically transformed into a spry puppy. Of course, you’d have to holler “cookie” or she wouldn’t hear you. Her hearing wasn’t so great. Still, for a 14-year old Brittany, the old girl was more than holding her own. There was absolutely no compelling reason to visit the veterinarian anytime soon, except I had been preaching the gospel of twice annual vet visits in my print columns, on my radio shows and on TV appearances. So, I oughta practice what I preached. Still, I wasn’t worried about anything being wrong with Chaser. After all, if anyone should pick up on subtle signs of illness in pets – it’s me. Right? While I’m not a veterinarian, for many years now I’ve written and broadcast about veterinary medicine, giving me just enough knowledge to be dangerous. A few days before my scheduled vet visit, I noticed a growth on Chaser’s back end. I had a bad feeling about this, which our veterinarian Dr. Sheldon Rubin confirmed, identifying the growth as mast cell cancer. Of all the words in the dictionary – cancer may be the one we least want to hear. Rubin, renowned for his skills as a surgeon, assured me, “We caught this early, and that could save your dog’s life.” Still, I couldn’t help but picture what all pet owners do at these times. A little movie played in my head – all while my eyes welled with tears. The mini-documentary of Chaser’s life began with my wife Robin and me rescuing her when she was about seven months old. Unfortunately, poor Chaser was afraid of everything - strange people, other dogs, even fire hydrants. Whenever she was in public she looked so pitiful that even Chicago’s finest questioned us, thinking she was a stolen or abused dog. I recalled Chaser’s separation anxiety. Whenever I closed the door of my bathroom to do my business, she did her business on the other side. She also piddled whenever we left the house. As veterinary behaviorist Dr. Nicholas Dodman once said separation anxiety dogs “love too much.” I don’t know that a dog can literally love us too much, but clearly Chaser and I were connected as I never had been before with a pet. My wife became a desperate dog housewife. One time when we left the house, she blew up a picture of me, draped an old worn t-shirt around it, and played a recording of my voice. She figured if Chaser could see, smell and hear me – she wouldn’t be so upset by my departure. It didn’t work. This creative approach pre-dated the use of anti-anxiety medications in pets and veterinary behaviorists, who today could offer help. I hung in there – and over time Chaser underwent a Pygmalion transformation into my fair confident canine. Can you believe, I thought about all of this while Rubin simply added, “I’ll do the surgery in a few days.” He did. Due to the location of the tumor (which was removed and further analyzed), and Chaser’s advanced age, there was no advantage of continued treatment (such as chemotherapy or radiation). Veterinary oncologist Dr. Barbara Kitchell at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, East Lansing said, “If Chaser can make it a year (without recurrence after surgery), you’ll probably be in the clear.” By golly she did. You can beat cancer. Sure, she did have a few bad days immediately following the surgery, but it didn’t take long for her to bounce back. There was no fountain of youth. Over time, I wished they had made walkers and hearing aid for dogs. However, on her own, she learned when our younger dog, named Lucy, barked, there must be a reason – so she we would too. More important, whenever our other pup headed in the direction of the kitchen, she realized it was worthwhile to follow. And if you hollered that ‘C word’ (cookie) loud enough, a year plus after the surgery, she’d still compete in the run down the hallway to the cookie jar. Rubin said that if I had waited more than six more months (for her annual check up, as opposed to going in for a bi-annual exam) - the cancer would have been too wide spread for a surgical option or the tumor would have grown in size too large to be operable. Kitchell was blunt: “You simply wouldn’t have Chaser anymore if you hadn’t made that six month appointment.” The American Veterinary Medical Association and Ft. Dodge Animal Health (pharmaceutical/vaccine manufacturer for pets) are supporting a campaign to encourage twice annual routine wellness exams for all pets. Learn more at www.nationalpetwellness.com. Approximately a year and a half after the surgery, I woke up one morning, and Chaser just didn’t seem right. She also had some difficulty breathing. After X-Raying her lungs, Rubin suggested she had bronchitis, and prescribed a bronchodilator and antibiotic. She improved. But about two weeks later, Chaser spontaneously turned down a meal. When that happened, we new something was very wrong. This time, the X-Ray showed her lungs were filled with cancer. This cancer, not likely in any way related to her earlier mast cell cancer. We euthanized her less than 24 hours later, as her condition quickly declined. A piece of my heart will always be missing. For a dog Chaser’s size, one canine year for us is about as equivalent to six or eight “dog years.” When a person is diagnosed with cancer, and with minimally invasive surgery as the only treatment – who wouldn’t turn down another six to eight quality years? She lived for more than a year after the surgery – not bad. We’re grateful for every moment we had with Chaser. And, to be honest, I suppose we took too many of those moments for granted. It’s likely in just the time it’s taken to reader this story, another dog has just died of cancer. We can’t allow all these deaths to be in vain. To honor all these dogs – each with a stories of their own…How can we possibly not do everything in our power to support the Morris Animal Foundation initiative to Cure Canine Cancer? How great it would be if Lucy (our other dog), who is now 12 and Ethel, our puppy, are never diagnosed with that C word. It’s possible – and we can help make it happen.

Story: It was June 5th, 2005 when I got the call from my vet for the results of the biopsy. I knew deep in my heart that the small lump I found between Diesel’s teeth was cancer. Osteosarcoma! Osteosarcoma? Osteosarcoma… The word hit my ear and I fell into a pool on the floor and cried for hours, which turned to days and weeks… It just did not make sense! Diesel was only 2.5 years old at the time of his diagnosis. The dog of my dreams, the Doberman I had worked my entire life for… we were on the track to achieving all of our goals. It is hard to believe how fast the first year flew by while dealing with such difficult things. The summer was a sad time full of diagnosis, surgery, and chemo... it is as if the season just passed without me. It was one of the most difficult times in my life as I had to watch my soul-mate dog go through all of it. That is until I allowed myself to open up to the lessons. I am a firm believer in that everything happens for a reason and there is a life lesson packed into each and every thing that comes our way. When Diesel\'s OSA diagnosis was new and felt like an open wound to my heart I was closed off to the lesson that was hiding behind the pain. But his great spirit forced that wound to heal and to teach me that so much of illness is in the mind. Diesel trooped through each and every surgery, vet appointment, and chemo session with a wagging nubbin, and a stuffed duck in his mouth. He did not know he was diagnosed with cancer - all he knew is that he got to go for lots of car rides, got to meet all sorts of cool new people, when he felt a bit of stress he chomped \"ducky\" and when tired he preferred to sleep in his dog cot shaded by the tree in the back yard. I realized it was my human brain that latched onto \"the diagnosis\" and he could care less about the word cancer. Thanks to the support of the wonderful people on the email list BoneCancerDogs I was able to make and own Diesel\'s treatment plan. I worked hard and found happy medium that makes my human-brain content and while staying open to the dog spirit. My human-brain requires a stringent cancer diet, supplements, fish oils, herbs, exercise, lots of water, and a daily dose of Colorado sunshine. In respect for his dog spirit I don\'t allow myself to worry about him in his presence, and I have forced myself to stop treating him like he is ill. His dog senses, after-all, where beginning to wonder why in the world mamma was acting so weird. Now over two years later with my amazing dog still at my side. I am able to appreciate the fact I can own the decisions that I made for my dog, and that we have learned so much together over the couple of years and that I have been able to share this time together with him. By no means has this journey been easy or the lessons easily acceptable - but this has been our journey, perhaps it will help give a piece of hope to just one new person that gets the dreaded cancer diagnosis in their animal. To those of you brand new to this battle - I understand the actual physical pain that your heart endures when first dealing with this diagnosis and the chaos that surrounds you while trying to decide what to do. Just member… there are no wrong decisions! They have the will to survive… we just have to find them the way!

Story: Bizzy was born on April 26, 1996. He was diagnosed with cancer about two years ago in 2004, he was nine years old. At first, we did not know what was wrong with him because be kept on peeing on himself. He never wanted to go outside or play with his ballie. We thought, he is getting old that is why he does\'nt want to play or bark anymore. We took him to the vet and the vet told us that we should get him neutered. So about a week later we took him to a place that does free neutering, which in my eyes was a huge mistake. When we got to the place it was already crowded, our name was about the tenth on the list. They told us to leave the dog and we would pick him up later. When we got there later that day out dog looked like he was the last one to be operated on, he could barely walk and on his paper it had \"warning, or aggressive\" something like that, I can\'t remember. on our way home i told my parents i had a bad feeling about this place. I had a feeling that they did his sugery last. I know Bizzy, he was a very protective dog. No one could even pass in front of our house without him barking at them. He liked no one, except for his family. So I believe that he probably did not want the people to touch him. So we got home and he was doing fine. About a month later his condition worsened. All he did was slept he did nothing else, he greeted you at the door and went back to bed, he no longer barked. Anytime he attempted to pee outside he was straining to pee. He strained so hard to pee that he would pass gas. A couple of months later he did not even want to go outside so my parents decided to take him back to the vet. The vet said that he would open him up to see what was wrong with him. so the date was set it was on August 12, 2004. i will never forget this day because that would be the last day Bizzy would come home. My parents took him early in the morning and they told me that Bizzy went willingly with the doctor. The doctor said that he would call immediately when he knew what was wrong with the dog. At around my mom said the vet called and told her that there was nothing he could do because the cancer had spread to his bladder. At around 1 o\'clock i got a call from mom saying that I should come home. I kept asking her whats wrong, but she wouldn\'t answer me. i could hear in her voice that she was crying so I knew it was bad news. I told my job that i had to leave and took the next train home. My brother picked me up from the train station and I asked him what\'s wrong with Bizzy, he just started crying i knew then that something was really wrong. When I got my parents and sister was sitting on the sofa. My sister just got in from work and she was crying so I knew this had to be bad. My mother then told me that Bizzy had cancer and that they were going to put him to sleep because there was nothing that the doctor could do. I broke down and started weeping. i could not believe it that my precious Bizzy would not ever be coming home. I asked them what time we were going to leave the house to go to the vet\'s office they said that we would leave at five. I cried the whole time. I cried all the way to the vets office. When we went into the office to say our final goodbye. Bizzy was so happy his tail was wagging. My entire family was crying. We took out other dogs Tiny and Lucy so that they too would say goodbye. When Tiny went to Bizzy it looked as if Bizzy told tiny something as if to say you are now in charge. We stayed with him for about twenty minutes. we did not stay for his last breath because it would be too hard. We decided to het him cremated. Everyone in my family was so heart broken. there was nothing else we could do, if we kept him alive the vet said that he would suffer and punish and would die in a couple of months so we made the best possible decision. this decision was made because no one in my family wanted to have to find his body when we woke up or came from work or school. i cried that entire night, i could not go to sleep. I had to go to sleep in my parents room. When I woke up the next moring I looked on the side of the bed a place where Bizzy always slept and did not find him and I started crying again. I cried everyday for about two months I missed that dog so much and still do. I wish that he was still here so that he could have met my niece, but know that he is here in spirit. We will never find another dog like Bizzy. I think Tiny misses him too because on occasion we call his name (Bizzy) and Tiny gets up to find his Bizzy but he is no where to be found. Just tying this story brings me to tears. it\'s been two years since he passed but his memory is fresh in my head. I can\'t remember how he barked, or how he smelled or things that he liked i just remember how much i loved and still love him. He will never be forgotten never.

Story: Our loving dog bizzy was diagnosed with cancer about two years ago, he was nine years old. At first, we did not know what was wrong with him because be kept on peeing on himself. He never wanted to go outside or play with his ballie. We thought, he is getting old that is why he does\'nt want to play or bark anymore. We took him to the vet and the vet told us that we should get him neutered. So about a week later we took him to a place that does free neutering, which in my eyes was a huge mistake. When we got to the place it was already crowded, our name was about the tenth on the list. They told us to leave the dog and we would pick him up later. When we got there later that day out dog looked like he was the last one to be operated on, he could barely walk and on his paper it had \"warning, or aggressive\" something like that, I can\'t remember. on our way home i told my parents i had a bad feeling about this place. I had a feeling that they did his sugery last. I know Bizzy, he was a very protective dog. No one could even pass in front of our house without him barking at them. He liked no one, except for his family. So I believe that he probably did not want the people to touch him. So we got home and he was doing fine. About a month later his condition worsened. All he did was slept he did nothing else, he greeted you at the door and went back to bed, he no longer barked. Anytime he attempted to pee outside he was straining to pee. He strained so hard to pee that he would pass gas. A couple of months later he did not even want to go outside so my parents decided to take him back to the vet. The vet said that he would open him up to see what was wrong with him. so the date was set it was on August 12, 2004. i will never forget this day because that would be the last day Bizzy would come home. My parents took him early in the morning and they told me that Bizzy went willingly with the doctor. The doctor said that he would call immediately when he knew what was wrong with the dog. At around my mom said the vet called and told her that there was nothing he could do because the cancer had spread to his bladder. At around 1 o\'clock i got a call from mom saying that I should come home. I kept asking her whats wrong, but she wouldn\'t answer me. i could hear in her voice that she was crying so I knew it was bad news. I told my job that i had to leave and took the next train home. My brother picked me up from the train station and I asked him what\'s wrong with Bizzy, he just started crying i knew then that something was really wrong. When I got my parents and sister was sitting on the sofa. My sister just got in from work and she was crying so I knew this had to be bad. My mother then told me that Bizzy had cancer and that they were going to put him to sleep because there was nothing that the doctor could do. I broke down and started weeping. i could not believe it that my precious Bizzy would not ever be coming home. I asked them what time we were going to leave the house to go to the vet\'s office they said that we would leave at five. I cried the whole time. I cried all the way to the vets office. When we went into the office to say our final goodbye. Bizzy was so happy his tail was wagging. My entire family was crying. We took out other dogs Tiny and Lucy so that they too would say goodbye. When Tiny went to Bizzy it looked as if Bizzy told tiny something as if to say you are now in charge. We stayed with him for about twenty minutes. we did not stay for his last breath because it would be too hard. We decided to het him cremated. Everyone in my family was so heart broken. there was nothing else we could do, if we kept him alive the vet said that he would suffer and punish and would die in a couple of months so we made the best possible decision. this decision was made because no one in my family wanted to have to find his body when we woke up or came from work or school. i cried that entire night, i could not go to sleep. I had to go to sleep in my parents room. When I woke up the next moring I looked on the side of the bed a place where Bizzy always slept and did not find him and I started crying again. I cried everyday for about two months I missed that dog so much and still do. I wish that he was still here so that he could have met my niece, but know that he is here in spirit. We will never find another dog like Bizzy. I think Tiny misses him too because on occasion we call his name (Bizzy) and Tiny gets up to find his Bizzy but he is no where to be found. Just tying this story brings me to tears. it\'s been two years since he passed but his memory is fresh in my head. I can\'t remember how he barked, or how he smelled or things that he liked i just remember how much i loved and still love him. He will never be forgotten never.

Story: Mr. Midnite was diagnosed with and lost the battle with Mast Cell Cancer. This was discovered when the veterinarian removed \"tumors\" from his belly...she went in to remove 2 and found more than 10. We had a choice to let him suffer through chemotherapy, or live the rest of his life happy...we chose to let him live the rest of his life happy. He went from being the strongest, biggest, healthiest Doberman to just a shell of his former self. Midnite was the perfect dog...loyal, smart, loving, tolerant...you name it, Midnite was it! He used to help bring in groceries, help my Grandmother up the steps, bring in her purse, open the gate when told, he even walked the goat on a leash! He was just a perfect animal. HIs cancer got worse and worse....he was visibly in pain. Finally, on April 12th, 2007 we made the decision to humanely end his suffering. He was only 9 years old. We all miss him as he was a part of the family..however, he will be waiting on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge for us!

Story: I beagn my life with my Maggie only four short years before she was diagnosed with lymphoma. The vets at Auburn University School of Veteranary Science found her cancer. They treated her with love and compassion, and the hardest day of my life was the day I had to say goodbye to my sweet girl. Maggie was a registered Chihuahua- and was a most beloved dog- she was like my child and I still grieve for her. She passed away on October 28, 2006. In her photo you can see her swelled up lymph glands.

Story: Today, March 21, 2007, marks two years that Albion has been cancer free. She had her final chemo treatment on March 21, 2005 and chest x-rays came back clear. She has gotten chest x-rays every three months since then which have all come back clear. We couldn’t be more thrilled that she is beating the odds. Adrian and I never dared to hope that she would still be with us this long after the diagnosis (Nov. 3, 2004). But every day is a gift and we’re doing our best to cherish the time we have with her and Theo. So here’s to Albion, our precious cancer survivor. She’s our Hero!

Story: In Loving Memory of our Cody Our Cody passed away August 25th, 2007. He was only 9 ½ years old. In May he had a low-grade malignant soft tissue sarcoma, hemangiopericytoma surgically removed from his neck and we were told that it was completely removed. We continued to check for any new topical tumors (photographed). The veterinarian would aspirate all the lipomas that we would find. In August we found another red mass behind his right ear and our Veterinarian removed it and said it did not look malignant. After the surgery, Cody was tired and just seemed sad. Cody developed a bacterial infection at the excision site and was not eating but would if hand fed. We were sent home with medications for a hot spot. Cody tried to go for walks and eat but had to be carried home. He would not leave us in the kitchen and we cooked his favorites. Cody looked at us with “Help me eyes” and then had a seizure and collapsed, returned in panic to the vet. This time x-rays and blood work showed us an enlarged heart, possible ruptured spleen and low anemia, we rushed to the Emergency Vet hospital. The Emergency vet said they tried to stabilize his heart and drain fluids, but he was not responding to CPR. Cody died due to pericardial effusion, ruptured neoplasia (hemangiosarcoma or chemodectoma). Our poor Cody, unknowing to us a tumor had spread into his heart. We requested cremation and left in tears. Shocked as parents there was nothing we could do. Cody loved walks with Cheetah, baths and lots of love. He gave years of service as a Pet Therapy Dog in nursing hospitals and a newspaper printed photos of him working. Cody loved to wiggle his butt when you called him “Boogedy-Boogedy”. This was the sweetest dog to everyone. Our family is deeply sorrowed and will miss him always! http://www.geocities.com/peacedolls/hemaware.html http://www.labbies.com/cancer_letters.htm#Hemangiosarcoma

Story: Cassie was born June 9, 1999 and during her 4 short years with us, she brought joy and love not only to our family but to many. Cassie was a quiet, calm and very loving dog. Because of her loving gentle disposition, at the age of one, she became a pet therapy dog for the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA and worked at many hospitals and nursing homes in the area. She gave love to many patients and brought smiles and laughter to them. She was a sweetheart to all. At the age of 3, she was diagnosed with lymphosarcoma, a non-curable cancer. She began chemotherapy and for 14 months fought a great battle and had a good quality of life. However, on October 31st, 2003, she lost her battle. She is greatly missed by many and always in our hearts. During her short time here, she touched many and her loss will change our lives forever

Story: We lost our greyhound to cancer on May 30, 2007. She would have been 14 in November. It all happened in three weeks but felt like a lifetime. She went from having an exam, where blood and urine were taken (showing elevations) to having a chest xray and ultrasound done (which showed a mass on the kidneys). Because of her age and the fact we almost lost her previously while under anesthesia several years ago, we were hesitant to have the biopsy done. We made an appointment with a specialist only to cancel it a few days later. We never got the chance to find out for sure what was killing Foxy. Foxy\'s health was quickly deteriorating. Her kidneys were shutting down and she wasn\'t urinating at all. She couldn\'t eat yet was vomitting. She could barely stand, and when she did it took every bit of strength to do so. She would stumble and almost fall because she was so week. We were afraid she would break something if she fell. Though we both knew what the outcome would be, my husband left it to me. Foxy had always been \"my girl\" and I made the decision it was time to let go. It was the hardest thing I\'ve ever had to do but I loved her too much to see her suffer. I called the vet and made the arrangements. They told me I could bring Foxy right over. When I called Foxy she got up, as best she could, and ran into my bedroom. To this day I second guess my decision, that maybe she had some fight in her that I wasn\'t seeing. But when I put her leash on she came with me. At the vet I went into the room with her, told her I would be by her side, then and always, and sobbed, apologizing for not being able to do more, not wanting to let go.

Story: we had a great dane that past away to cancer. he was only 2 yrs. old when we lost him. it was a tumor in his front leg. and the vet. told us that there wasnt nothing we could really do about it. they said we could have his leg removed and do kimo. but it might only give him 6 more months to live.it was a very aggresive type of cancer.

Story: As I read these stories, I am sick to see how many Greyhounds there are. I have had 3 Greyhounds with osteosarcoma. Ashley was 12, Lightning was 7 and Blue was 8. It is a horrible, horrible disease, and SO painful! I hope there is a cure quickly so that no more of any of these animals have to live through the pain of cancer. So many people think dogs don\'t feel pain - well - I am here to tell you they do! I am a Registered Veterinary Technician and I see dogs almost every day suffering with some form of cancer and it is so sad for them and their humans! Let\'s find a cure!!!

Story: Our dog Ben is a survivor. He is a survivor of neglect. He is a survivor of cruelty. He is a survivor of cancer. Before we rescued him three years ago, Ben was tied to a tree for 8 years. He had never had his nails trimmed and probably never had a bath. He was filthy and had broken teeth, but he was gentle and loving from the moment we met him. Time was running out for Ben. His owner was planning to shoot him. Luckily, due to some great friends, we found out about Ben just in time. Because Ben was left tied to a tree, he was vulnerable to the cruelty of humans. Neighbors fed him housing insulation to try to kill him. His tongue was shriveled and black.ened He has had two types of mouth cancer, the most recent of which was squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Our wonderful vet, Dr. Donna Mueller, and all of the vets and staff of our vet clinic, love Ben as much as we do and recommended that we take him to the University of Wisconsin at Madison for oncology treatment. In order to save his life and maintain a good quality of life, Ben had his tongue removed and underwent three months of chemotherapy. It has been three months since his last chemo and Ben is doing great. We know that every day we share with him is a gift. We want to give him the best possible life, because that is what he gives us every day.

Story: I lost my Aussie Jixxer on March 8, 2007 to Canine Lymphoma. From the time he showed symptoms (he had to pee every 2 hours) to when i had to put him down it was only 18 days and during that time he had surgery to try and remove a tennis ball sized tumor in his chest as well as some chemo treatments. I never knew dogs got cancer, now I do -- and am going to do everything I can to make sure that if a dog gets cancer, they can be treated and go on to live happy lives... I miss my Jixxer, the 6 years i had him were way too short...but he taught me unconditional love and to believe in myself... he will live on in my heart forever...

Story: Anubis was diagnosed with Mast Cell Tumor disease in 2006. With the help of Dr. Bailey and the new drug Lomustine, Anubis has been symptom free for one year. It was a great relief to know that the diagnosis of cancer was not an immediate death sentence, and even though we will never be worry-free, we\'re cherishing this time spent with a \"healthy\", happy dog.

Story: I adopted Auggie Doggie from BROOD Rescue Group in 2000. He was three years old at the time. He\'s was a beautiful tri-color basset hound. Auggie had all the traits of a basset(stubborn, willful and ate anything on the ground(no matter what)). He was the bright spot in my life. I found out that he had oral melanoma in April of 2006. My vet said that this is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer and that he would have six months to a year. My vet and I decided that Auggie should see an oncologist. The oncologist said that if Auggie had six radiation treatments that he would live a normal live. Well, Auggie and I traveled sixty miles a week to have the treatments. It was hard for him but as every pet lover knows a piece of cake for me. I would do anything to make him better. He finished his treatments around the fourth of July and had a clean x-ray in September. In late November early December he started bleeding from the gums. The oncologist and vet thought he needed his teeth cleaned. Two weeks later his vet said that she thought the cancer was back and along with the oncologist recommended chemo. We started chemo one week before Christmas and my Auggie died December 28 2006. He tried so hard to live. I miss him everyday. His Christmas stocking still hangs on my wall at my computer and will remain there. He remains in my heart forever.

Story: We lost our greyhound Bucky to bone cancer about a year ago. She was only eight years old and so wonderful and funny; I still miss her. She is the third greyhound we have lost to bone cancer. My heart sinks at the first hint of a limp. I hope you have speedy success in finding a cure.

Story: Not a survivor. My beloved Pete (former racing greyhound) had a tumor in his belly and I had to have him put down. The organization I belong to has a jingle bell walk every Christmastime to raise money for canine cancer. This money was given to the Morris Foundation to fight cancer in greyhounds.

Story: Our 8-year old schnauzer, Rascal, had a tumor removed that effects the nerve sheath and the biopsy stated that dogs with this type of malignant tumor survival rate is 1-3 years. We are now going into our 4th year. The vets told us there was nothing that could be done other than tumor removal; then, our herbalist suggested a treatment of cancer-fighting herbs, which we have continued with to this day and he seems to be doing great.

Story: Unfortunately, this is not a survivor story, but one to share. My German Shorthair Pointer lost his life to liver cancer a year ago now he was nine years old. He survived surgery to repair the disease bloat when he was five years old, but liver cancer overtook him quickly four years later. Liver cancer is not something that can be seen, the only "warning" signs I had was he kept following me around all day, stuck to my side, and that he slept a lot. After a few weeks of that and a diagnosis of separation anxiety, he lost his appetite and lost weight. I had to give him to God to take away his pain. He was a great family dog and a big part of my life. I miss him terribly. It's a shame that cancer goes so unnoticed in dogs. Hopefully with more cancer research, less families will lose their pets to canine cancer.

Story: My Chihuahua had a tumer behind her eye that was said to be Lymphoma. I went to 2 doctors before I started giving her Chemo. She was by best friend and I would have done anything to help her. I did not know about this website and all the help I could have got. I spent thousands of dallors trying to help her and she just kept getting worse. I didn't want her to suffer so 2 weeks ago I had to put her to sleep. Now that I read this it breaks my heart because I would have done anything to help her stay alive. Loosing my little girl was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. It is too late to help my Chihuahua but I want to thank everyone that helps dogs with cancer because they deserve a chance just like everyone else.

Story: My dog Turbo had Canine Lymphoma and survived for about half a year before we had to put him down. We hope that in the future no dogs will have to be put down because of Canine Lymphoma or any Canine Cancer.

Story: Our 8-year old son has cancer and has been treated by oncologists that are a part of the Children's Oncology Group. Kevin is alive today and doing a heck of a lot better thanks to our brilliant team of cancer specialists. From them we heard about how the veterinary cancer doctors are working jointly with the human doctors on cancer treatments, including the ones saving Kevin's life. We had no idea. Dog cancer patients come to the hospital to visit the children with cancer. Everyone gets cheered up. Thank you for this web site so we could share. Thank you for this research.

Story: Cancer in dogs is much more of a problem than many dog owners know. We learned about the problem first hand when JoJo began to limp now and then. His limp came and went and very early on it didn't seem like much to be worried about. If it kept up we were going to take him to the vet. One day we threw his ball and as he ran back with it his front leg just snapped. It was horrible. In the vet emergency room the x-ray showed that a bone cancer tumor had completely cut through JoJo's leg. JoJo lost his leg, but after some intensive and highly advanced chemo, he is doing super. We were told if it was not for recent research advances JoJo would have died in 6 weeks or less.

Story: Two of our dogs have had cancer. Lucky is an 11-year old mixed breed and Doc was a pug who lived to 12. Lucky had cancer in his jaw and Doc in his back leg. The cancer treatment and care both received was amazing. We are so grateful to the several vet and vet cancer specialists in the LA area who not only helped stop the cancer in our dogs, but also were able to greatly reduce the pain both began to have. Doc lived a great happy life until the end due to the dog cancer research that had been done. Our vet told us about Morris and the dog cancer research they have been funding. This is wonderful work that helped our dogs.

Story: Not really a survivor story, my greyhound for many many years just died from bone cancer. He got it so quickly and it was over in no time. I did not know about all the treatments. I am getting another greyhound and I am going to make sure that I watch for all of the signs. The limp was really a terrible start to cancer. My vet diagnosis my dog with Arthritis at first, came back and told me to take doggie celebrex. A month later he had full blown bone cancer in his shoulder. It was a horrible thing for me to watch him pass on. We have to do something about this dreadful disease. I really miss my Jericho.

Story: I always thought getting cancer was the beginning of the end for a dog. But the treatments available today and the doctors working on them are truly miraculous. My wife and I just celebrated our dog Cali's birthday by getting her a brand new puppy to grow old with. I hope we have many more birthdays together like this one. It's so hard to let go.

Story: My first dog Henry died of bone cancer and I hope that my new dog does have to go through that. It was so hard on our family, lets find a cure and we won't ever have to worry about that.

Story: My dog Boozer recently faced the fight of his life against cancer. It was a long battle but he survived and is doing great. The advanced treatments at the hospital I believe saved his life, thanks for all your hard work Morris.