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November is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month. While the diagnosis of cancer can be very heartbreaking, we wanted to shed light on some happy stories that will hopefully show the sheer strength and will power dogs can have.
While even hearing the word “cancer” might seem scary, these stories may serve to give you some hope. Cancer isn’t necessarily a death sentence, and if you provide your dog with proper care with the help of your veterinarian, amazing things can happen.
A dog’s strength is truly incredible, and these stories of dogs surviving cancer are proof.
1. Dog With Cancer Becomes Therapy Dog
Molly the Labrador was abused and neglected. She had serious medical conditions that her owners didn’t take care of.
The Southern California Lab Rescue organization saved her just in time. She was overweight, missing fur, and her ears had fly bites. Thankfully they fixed her all up, but they discovered a bump in her neck, which turned out to be cancer.
After everything Molly overcame, she bloomed into one of the happiest dogs you could ever meet. Her cancer went into remission, and she got back to a healthy weight.
After Molly beat cancer, she became a therapy dog for human cancer patients. Molly found her calling, and after healing herself, she helped others heal, too.
2. 11-Year-Old Dog Goes Into Remission
Beni, an eleven-year-old dog, survived cancer, even at his advanced age. His owner found a lump in his groin and took him to the vet, who diagnosed it as lymphoma.
Within one night of treatment his tumor started to reduce. After 26 weeks of treatment, Beni was in remission for five months.
When Beni’s owner first brought him in, it looked like he would only have two weeks to live. A year and a half later Beni was still with us and doing better than ever.
People were shocked when they found out he was eleven years old because he acted like a puppy.
3. Gold Retriever Reacts To Beating Cancer
Lily the Golden Retriever had a tumor on her spleen. Without a blood transfusion she would have been dead in hours.
After an emergency surgery it was discovered she had Hermangiosarcoma, which is very common in Golden Retrievers. Without surgery she would not make it, but with surgery there was still only a ten percent chance that it would be benign, and she would only live a few months.
Her owners decided to take the risk, and in the end, it was the best decision they ever made. Lily ended up being in the ten percent category and it’s obvious from this video she was ecstatic about it. Her owners never gave up, and neither did Lily.
4. 3-Legged Rottweiler Survives Cancer
Vader the Rottweiler started limping one day, so his owner brought him into the vet. They discovered Vader had Osteosarcoma cancer in his right front leg.
The only option was to amputate his leg, or he would have one to two months to live. It wasn’t an easy decision because his owner was scared of how Vader would do with just three legs, but he put his trust in the hands of veterinarians.
Dogs with amputations can live mostly normal lives. Within 24 hours of his surgery, Vader was already running up and down the stairs. After surgery, Vader went through chemotherapy and felt better than ever.
5. Canine Lymphoma Can’t Stop Macha
Macha was diagnosed with Canine Lymphoma at two years old. Immediately she was taken into surgery, even without having an appointment.
After recovering from surgery she was treated with chemotherapy for about a year and a half. When Macha first came to the hospital, it looked like she didn’t have much chance at survival at all. A year and a half later, it was a completely different story.
Macha never gave up and neither did her veterinarians. With help from the Morris Animal Foundation Macha was given a new lease on life.
6. 6-Year-Old Boxer Mix Pulls Through
Sassy, a six-year-old American Boxer/Staffordshire mix was joined at the hip with her owner Paulette. Paulette had severe back pain and depression, so at the suggestion of her doctor, she got a dog.
Sassy helped Paulette overcome her issues, and Paulette returned the favor. When Sassy had a lump on her neck, it turned out to be cancer. It was an aggressive type of cancer, and if no treatment was done, she would only have about two years to live.
Paulette needed Sassy for emotional and physical support and did everything she could to get her treatment. Sassy got surgery, and it not only saved her life, but it also saved Paulette’s.
7. K9 Officer Bloodhound Rallies With Help From Community
Ethel the Bloodhound worked as a K9 officer for the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. She worked every day to help save lives with her powerful sense of smell, but this time it was her life that needed saving.
Ethel developed a lump on her nose, and it turned out to be a stage 1 cancerous tumor. After undergoing 16 treatments, with the support of the community, Ethel was on the mend.
She went into remission, and her trainer was grateful to have his partner in crime-fighting back.
8. Angel Never Gave Up
One day, Angel’s owners came across a lump on her belly. Initial tests came back as negative, but two weeks later, after more tests, she was officially diagnosed with cancer.
It was one of the most common cancers found in dogs, but it also one of the most responsive cancers to treatments. While chemotherapy would put her in remission, a full recovery would require a bone marrow transplant.
Her owners didn’t give up and held fundraisers to help raise the money necessary for Angel’s transplant. After 25 weeks of chemotherapy, Angel had her transplant.
Three years later Angel was doing better than ever. She never gave up because Angel was a fighter.
9. Mastiff Therapy Dog Loses Leg, But Beats Cancer
Bailey the Mastiff, a therapy dog, made at least 400 visits to nursing homes. She loved her job helping seniors feel better and probably helped around at least a thousand people a month.
However, this time around, Bailey needed some help. Bailey didn’t want to put her left front foot down, so her owners took her to the vet. It turned out to be bone cancer.
Bailey had to get her leg amputated, but that didn’t stop her. Of course, at first Bailey struggled to walk and kept falling down, but after a lot of rehabilitation, she figured it out. She was able to start enjoying life to the fullest and continued to do her work as a therapy dog.
Do you know a dog with a cancer survival story? Do you think these pups can inspire hope in others? Then let us know in the comments below!