Harley, a cat in Alexandria, is our latest Companions in Crisis grant recipient. He is being treated at Del Ray Animal Hospital for lymphoma.
“At four months old, Harley was taken to an animal shelter by a mother of a toddler who bit the kitten. After hearing that he was surrendered for protecting himself, I adopted Harley and another cat named Tessa. From day one he has always looked after his feline sisters. He would yowl at me if their food dish or water bowl were empty or if the cat box needed to be cleaned.
“Now Harley has a half-brother, who is half Siamese. He’s the same age as Harley, and started losing his sight about a month ago, Harley plays his bodyguard and seeing-eye cat. Or he did until about a month ago, when I noticed he wasn’t eating like he usually did, nor drinking or using the litter box. Harley has always been a big solid cat, but when I picked him up to brush him (a favorite), I noticed he not only looked smaller, he wasn’t solid anymore.
“When the vet asked me how old he was, I was shocked to realize he wasn’t the kitten I had adopted 14 years earlier. After feeling his tummy, she had that look — the one that all doctors have when they tell their patients about their terminal illness. Harley knew; he buried his head in my arms as I put my head to his and covered him as she went on about letting him go.
“FETCH a Cure is the first place I have found that can help me relieve Harley’s pain and suffering. He’s been my baby his whole life, and I’m not ready to give up on him.”
“We rescued Bo in 2012 from the Virginia Beach SPCA when he was almost a year old. He had been left at the shelter by friends of his previous owner. We immediately went to meet him, and it was a match made in heaven! He licked our faces as well as his adopted big ‘sister,’ Daisy. They were close until she passed in 2018. He now has a little boxer sister named Rosie he loves. He enjoys playing tug-of-war with her, running at the dog park, and going for walks in the neighborhood. She is certainly keeping him in shape! One of his favorite indoor activities is getting treats out of the numerous Kong toys laying around the house. He uses his ‘Chewbacca voice’ if you aren’t giving him enough attention!
“Bo was recently diagnosed with anal sac carcinoma. This form of cancer is rare but can be aggressive. We began a long process of diagnostic tests, surgeries and now chemotherapy. This was all discovered incidentally during an examination due to some urinary issues, which turned out to be due to bladder stones that were removed before his tumor surgery.
“Bo is a big love bug and loves to lie on our laps and gaze into our eyes. He is the sweetest boy and makes friends wherever he goes. Everyone always says how happy he is and how enjoyable he is to have around. He is one tough cookie and is already back to playing like a five-year-old boxer again!”
Meet Karly, a chocolate lab and our latest Companions in Crisis grant recipient. Karly’s mom writes, “My sweet dog Karly was my grandma’s dog. My grandmother, who absolutely adored Karly, passed away in October 2020 from Alzheimer ’s disease. The dog my grandma had prior to Karly passed away from lymphoma, and she got Karly immediately after.
“Karly was diagnosed with metastatic mast cell disease after a surgery to remove a tumor in her eye. Unfortunately, the tumor was not removed completely, and the cancer has also spread to Karly’s right submandibular lymph node. She is only four years old and still has so much life in her. She is the sweetest dog I have met and loves nothing more than cuddles and walks! I want to do everything I possibly can to help her and get rid of this cancer. She means the world to me, just like she meant the world to my grandma.”
Karly is being treated by Dr. Gordon at The Oncology Service Springfield. Speedy recovery, Karly!
Meet Nya, our latest Companions in Crisis recipient, who lives in New Kent County.
“Nya joined our family as a puppy of 13 weeks as my wife’s and my first dog. She was one of the last huskies left in the litter; because she had brown eyes instead of blue, no one wanted her. As with most huskies, she was wide open and full of life from day one, which has continued for nine long years. She is our first baby and is treated as such despite already costing us thousands in home damages and her first surgery.
“Fast forward to the present when she was diagnosed with a grade 1 soft tissue sarcoma. Swift Creek Vet removed the cancerous mass but were unable to get clean margins, indicating that the cancer remains. After speaking with an oncologist, we learned that the recommended course of action to cure her is to have a board-certified surgeon try and get clean margins. Without this surgery the oncologist estimates a 30% chance of local recurrence with a possibility that it could move from grade 1 to grade 2. Nya is a wonderful dog who has separation anxiety from my wife and me, and quite honestly, it goes both ways. I do not know what we will do without her.”
Nya and her family have been awarded a CIC grant to help cover the costs of her surgery that will take place at Blue Pearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital in Richmond. Good luck, Nya!
Tyson, who received a 2020 CIC grant, is now a 2021 recipient also as he continues his treatments for lymphoma. His mom Chase tells his story:
“I adopted Tyson from Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS). As I walked by his cage, the lovable pitbull mix just looked up at me quietly with those big brown eyes, as if telling me that he wanted me to rescue him. He looked so cute, sitting there quietly, and seemed to have the best manners. Little did I know that, at age two, he was still full of puppy energy! I went back the next day to get him, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. He was there for me in 2016 when my parents split, in 2017 when my grandma died, in 2018 when my mom died, and in 2019 when I had to put down two of my mom’s old cats that I had inherited. Coming home to his wagging tail, big smile, and beautiful brown eyes made each day just a little bit easier.
“In October 2020 I found two lumps on either side of Tyson’s neck. After an emergency vet appointment, pathology report came back with a diagnosis of stage IV lymphoma. Unfortunately, as I called at least 10 oncology offices in Maryland, each of them told me that due to COVID and lack of PPE, they were booked weeks or even months out. I knew that was not acceptable because of how aggressive Tyson’s lymphoma was. His swollen lymph nodes quadrupled in size after they aspirated, and spread throughout his body. I knew I had no time to waste. Thanks to a last-minute cancellation at Towson Atlantic Veterinary Internal Medicine and Oncology the internal medicine doctor with the opening worked with the oncologist to determine the severity of Tyson’s lymphoma.
“After x-rays, ultrasound, bloodwork, and urine tests, they determined that Tyson needed chemotherapy ASAP to survive another week, so he had his first preliminary chemotherapy treatment that afternoon. When we picked him up that night, he was said it was due to the lymphoma quickly taking over his body and the strong double treatment he was given. I slept on the couch with him because he could not climb steps and in case he needed to go out in the middle of the night. He was so weak that he peed in his sleep. However, within 48 hours Tyson was back to his old self again and within 72 hours his lymph nodes were already shrinking!
“The decision I made that day was not an easy one. Many people told me I was poisoning my dog, killing him faster, and that it was not fair to give him drugs because he did not have a voice. But I knew that if Tyson did not have that round of chemo that day, he would not have lived another week. In my eyes, the chemo that they have injected into his body was liquid gold that saved my dog’s life!
“Tyson has yet to have any real side effects from the chemotherapy. Within 48 hours of treatment, he is always back to his old self. Seeing him sunbathe on the back deck, bark at the guys mowing the lawn, chase the Amazon van, greet me at the door when I come home, and cuddle with me at night, has made this all worth it. The only difficult thing was that towards the end of his multi-agent protocol treatment plan, which we were doing every other week, his lymphoma started to develop in other areas. The first time they showed up internally on different parts of his body, and the second time they appeared under his skin. Therefore, the doctor and I decided to do chemo every week as long as he continues to do well and has no side effects.
“The hardest part for me has been the cost of all these treatments. At first, I got a care credit because I thought that would be enough. I soon found out that $1,000-$1,500 per treatment adds up fast. After three weeks of those charges, I realized I could not afford this by myself. I reached out to BARCS, where I adopted him, who reassured me that there were ways to get financial aid. The biggest challenge I found is that if you are not poverty-stricken you cannot get help.
“I knew I could not give up so I kept searching and found more than 50 organizations that would help animals and people in need. I probably applied to 30 different ones to get help paying for Tyson’s treatments. As of today, February 2021, I have found seven organizations that offered me grants. Some might’ve only been able to provide me with $200, but others were able to provide me with as much as $2,000. Every little bit helps! I continue to search weekly for additional organizations to apply for financial aid since I am only on week 14 out of 19 of Tyson’s treatment plan.
“Through this long and challenging journey, I have discovered that there are a lot of people out there that care for animals as much as I do. Tyson continues to do well with his treatments; therefore, I will keep them up as long as he is a healthy and happy boy! I hope this gives everyone hope that there is help available, you just need, time, patience, and a list of resources. If you don’t know where to start, ask your vet, or talk to your local rescue, shelter, or Humane Society.
“I am grateful to FETCH a Cure for helping me face this challenging situation.”
Harley, a cat in Alexandria, is our latest Companions in Crisis grant recipient. He is being treated at Del Ray Animal Hospital for lymphoma.
Meet Karly, a chocolate lab and our latest 
Meet Nya, our latest 
“I adopted Tyson from Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS). As I walked by his cage, the lovable pitbull mix just looked up at me quietly with those big brown eyes, as if telling me that he wanted me to rescue him. He looked so cute, sitting there quietly, and seemed to have the best manners. Little did I know that, at age two, he was still full of puppy energy! I went back the next day to get him, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. He was there for me in 2016 when my parents split, in 2017 when my grandma died, in 2018 when my mom died, and in 2019 when I had to put down two of my mom’s old cats that I had inherited. Coming home to his wagging tail, big smile, and beautiful brown eyes made each day just a little bit easier.