Comments Off on Companions in Crisis Feature: Moose
On July 4th, we noticed that Moose’s lymph nodes seemed swollen, and a few days later we were on our way to determining that he had lymphoma. Moose has no symptoms, just is a happy, go lucky, tennis ball loving snuggle machine. Moose came to us by chance, as he always came over from the neighbor’s house, who was never home, and we would play fetch with him, and him and our other dog, Cammy, became attached at the hip. His owners left him outside all of the time, and would leave for days at a time. It didn’t take long for us to ask if Moose could become a permanent part of our family. He’s been with us 6 years now, and we can’t imagine exhausting every option to try to extend his quality and length of life with us. There’s never a good time to find out someone you love has cancer, but we couldn’t be less prepared to deal with something like this financially. We bought this house in October, and recently found out we are expecting a baby. Because I have been working in a COVID ICU at my hospital throughout all of this craziness, I am now being told that in order to avoid caring for covid positive patients due to my pregnancy, I must take disability. While I am looking into my options, my hours are now limited, our income is taking a major hit, and we are trying to prepare for a baby. Moose means the world to us, and the thought of not being able to do everything possible for him due to financial reasons is inconceivable.
Comments Off on Pet Portrait Giveaway by Artist, Tammy Hinkle
For your chance to win, simply donate any amount to FETCH a Cure through the end of August (8/31/2020) by filling out the form below or by donating to a fundraising page listed on our 10th Annual Mutt Strut event page:
For a BONUS ENTRY and a whole lot of FUN…..
1. Post your favorite pic of your “Fur-baby” on “Memories in Paint” @tammyhinkleart
2. Tell us your pet’s “likes & dislikes”
3. Share or tag a friend who may want to join in on the fun!
The winner will be announced Wed., Sept. 2nd and will receive a 5”x7” pet portrait; oil on canvas hand painted by Tammy Hinkle ($250 value). The finest of details will be “painted live” at FETCH a Cure’s Mutt Strut on October 4th at Libbie Mill Midtown.
Together we can make a difference and have fun doing it!
Comments Off on Meet Nala: Caretaker, Companion, & Survivor
This is nine-year-old Nala’s third time facing canine cancer. As a pug and two-time cancer survivor, her parents knew to keep an eye out for any new lumps or bumps. Sadly, this summer her dad noticed a bump at the base of her tail and their veterinarian determined that it was cancer. Although this tumor is more aggressive than the others, with chemotherapy, Nala’s veterinarian is hopeful that she can beat cancer once again. Through FETCH a Cure’s Companions in Crisis program, Nala is getting the treatments she needs to continue being a caretaker and beloved companion for her adoring family. Read more about Nala’s sweet soul and caring tendencies below, and let’s wish her all the best as she’s treated at The Oncology Service in Richmond, VA.
Nala’s Caring Spirit
In the fall of 2007, my husband was working for the World Health Organization, running health programs in developing parts of Latin America. By winter, he was disabled, diagnosed with a number of rare neurological disorders, crippled with confusing symptoms and unable to work.
By 2014, Mike was in the worst of it. He was in severe pain 24/7 and, understandably, extremely depressed. His doctors suggested we get a dog, both for company and to help him have a routine during the day. That was when we found Nala.
Nala was 3 when we adopted her, and she is the brightest, funniest, cutest (factual statement, as pulled from every person who has ever met her) dog I’ve ever met. Nala immediately and instinctively understood Mike. She woke him up at the same time every day – later than most dogs would want to eat and go out, but as early as he could manage. She somehow knew when his pain was particularly bad, changing her MO from climbing wildly all over him (I can’t claim she’s the best trained…) to laying quietly next to him, one paw resting on his chest. She kept him to an unfailing schedule, which meant he met our neighbors with dogs on similar schedules – probably the first time he had been social in years, confined as he was by his pain, generally not well enough to drive, and me at work all day. For the first time in years, I came home to Mike with stories to tell again – Nala had a crush on Monkey, the pug across the way, but hated the toy poodles that were always barking in the ground floor balcony across the street.
When Jenny, one of our two rescue bunnies at the time, was diagnosed with a heart tumor, Nala took over her care too, standing guard when Mike gave her her nightly meds and licking Jenny’s head while pointedly ignoring Trouble, Jenny’s beloved but grumpy companion.
Two-Time Cancer Survivor
Some breeds are predisposed to mast cell tumors, and pugs, we’ve learned, are one of them. We moved to RVA (or back to, in my case) a year after first adopting Nala, and in the winter of 2017, Nala was diagnosed with her first mast cell tumor. She needed chemo then as well, and came through it like a champ. Last summer, she developed two more mast cell tumors, which luckily only required surgery. The debt from all of that is substantial (if only I had the social media talent to make Nala one of those pug influencers), but we are committed to doing whatever is needed to keep her happy and here with us.
Since Nala’s initial tumor, Mike has made it a habit to check her regularly, and this summer (because, you know, 2020) he found a minuscule tumor right above her tail. When her primary vet came out into the parking lot after the biopsy, he just threw his hands in the air and shook his head. (At three tumors in, he declared the problem was becoming rather annoying. We adore him.)
He did surgery that day, and we were at the oncologist just a few days later. We understand from Nala’s oncologist that this tumor is far more aggressive than the previous ones – without chemo, she would only have a few months left to live. Nala tolerated this same treatment extremely well the first time around, and so we hope and believe that she will be just as resilient this time. Pug genetics, our oncologist keeps saying, aren’t supposed to throw tumors this aggressive in the first place, so we hope that maybe this means it didn’t get a chance to metastasize before we caught it.
One last thing that seems part of the story — last summer, to our continual amazement and disbelief, a treatment was finally found for Mike’s symptoms. While he can’t be cured, the treatment works well enough that he can live (sort of) like a normal person again. When the pandemic rolled around, and Mike was unable to be treated due to hospital closures, he slipped back into months of his previous pain and disability, and Nala picked right back up like her support pug duties never left off. We can’t imagine life without her and can’t imagine doing everything we can for a dog who has done so much for us.
Comments Off on Cancer Doesn’t Wait: Please Give Today
Our 10th Annual Mutt Strut Pet Cancer Awareness Walk is all about raising awareness and funds for pets like Cora. 2020 has been an uncertain and difficult year for all of us, but cancer does not wait. Your gift will give families like Cora’s hope and options during a scary diagnosis. While many of us are home and enjoying extra moments with our pets, you can give the gift of time to a family in need.
Cora spent the first 2 years of her life in a hunt club where she was mistreated and abused. After ending up in the pound, she was rescued by BARK, where she would go on to live for 2 years. She cowered in the corner of her kennel – trembling, tail tucked, head down – and refused to eat. Adopters overlooked her, opting for other dogs. One person adopted her but returned her less than a month later. She seemed to have given up.
“My heart dropped when I read her story online,” says Amy, Cora’s mom. “I knew I could be her miracle and give her a chance at a new life.” At the time, Amy was depressed and, like Cora, felt like she wanted to shut down. “Cora didn’t really seem that much different than me.” Cora and Amy leaned on each other. Amy patiently worked with Cora to make her feel safe, loved, and cared for. In turn, Cora gave Amy love and support when she needed it.
Cora’s Battle Against Cancer
Early this year, Amy felt enlarged lymph nodes in Cora’s cheek. They immediately went to the vet, where they confirmed Amy’s worst fears: Cora had high grade large cell malignant lymphoma. Amy knew they had to fight. “I called last summer her ‘first summer of freedom’,” she said. “My heart can’t accept that that could be her last.”
Because of donors like you, Cora was given a fair chance to fight this awful disease. Because of donors like you, Cora won.
Ways to Give
To help give more pets and families a chance at a happy ending, please explore the opportunities to give to FETCH a Cure below. Thank you so much for supporting our lifesaving work.
“When I adopted her, I told her that I would never give up on her and will do whatever it takes to give her the best life she could dream of. Thank you all for helping me keep my promise to her!”
Comments Off on Companions in Crisis Feature: Bourbon
Bourbon is a 9-year-old pitbull mix being treated for canine cancer (B cell lymphoma) by Dr. Monica Jankowski at Virginia Veterinary Centers. With the support of FETCH a Cure’s Companions in Crisis program, Bourbon’s family is fighting to give him a fair chance against canine cancer. Read more about this handsome boy and his family below:
I’ve had Bourbon since he was roughly 11 weeks old when I purchased him off of Craigslist while a college student at Radford University. While at the time it may have been my biggest impulse decision, it was hands down the best decision I’ve ever made. He has been my best friend since I brought him home. He’s been with me through some of the most transitional phases of my life: through college graduation, a horrible breakup, my wedding to my husband last year, and most recently buying our first home in April.
Bourbon is the most stubborn, lazy, sweet, grumpy dog you’ll ever meet. We call him Eeyore because of how he mopes around…we think he does it for the kisses on his lips and for the extra butt scratches. Bourbon is a tester…he sees how far he can push and get away with and at times it’s definitely pushed him. Like the TWO times he ate a full rotisserie chicken out of the garbage can. And YES, this is how we found out he knows how to open a mechanical trash can with his big head. Or the time he jumped out of a moving car as a puppy. This is how we found out we only crack the window a little bit for him. Or the time he ate an entire bag of almonds and we learned by the look of his poop that he clearly doesn’t chew his food. And my personal favorite time — when we found out his love for paper products after chewing up my college diploma.
The 9 years I’ve had with Bourbon, and the 6 years my husband has had with him have been the best of our lives. Our friends with kids laugh at us and say “If you think you love your dog this much, wait until you have kids.” We don’t need to wait until we have kids because we already have one. Bourbon is our baby. Our big headed, droopy-lipped, frowny face, snuggly, chicken nugget, tooting baby.
It has been the toughest pill to swallow hearing that he has lymphoma, and to be honest, I don’t think it’s fully set in. I always joke that cloning would be figured out before Bourbon passed away and then we could live with him forever (we’re still hopeful). He’s the strongest boy. I KNOW IT. And I know that if he could just have the fair fight with treatment that we could have more time with him. Our hearts aren’t ready to say goodbye, and our bodies aren’t ready to give up the snuggles and kisses. He’s a fighter, and if a rotisserie chicken can’t take him down (twice) we refuse to let some stupid cancer.