I just got this heart warming note from one of my clients and wanted to share it with everyone who may have lost hope for one of their beloved canine companions diagnosed with a terminal illness like cancer.

Harley’s Story,

Hi! My name is Harley (short for Harley Dawson Tug Hampton the first). I am a Dogue de Bordeaux (French mastiff). I was born AUGUST 3rd, 2005 and my journey starts there. I’m not sure where I was born or who my real parents are. All I know is that one day 2 ladies came and took me home from the pet store. I was 8 weeks old and 18 pounds. I had this giant head that was so heavy for my body to hold up for long periods of time. Despite my looks my new mommies loved me. In addition my feline and canine companions learned to tolerate my endless drool and ungraceful mobility. Over time I grew into an incredibly handsome dog. However, I never did outgrow the drooling or clumsiness.

I attended puppy school so that I could learn to listen to my mommies. I did quite well for the most part. My best friend was a Yorkshire terrier – wasn’t that bizarre to watch. I actually am 1 class away from being a “therapy dog”. Both of my mommies are nurses, and as a puppy I would go visit the residents in the nursing home they worked at. I used to love the smiles I would bring to their faces just by being there. I also loved the scratches I would get and the occasional biscuit. Face it, it was an easy job and mastiffs are rather lazy so I loved it! Give a paw here or there, sit, down, speak – what dog in his right mind wouldn’t.

I moved to a new home when I was around 1 ½ years old. The place must have been made for a big lug like me. I had so much room to get around that for a second I forgot how clumsy I really was. My mommies got really busy working so I started staying home a lot more. On the rare occasion I would get to go visit at my moms job I always found myself looking in one room for one little lady. I would go to her bed and put my head on it – she would get a bright smile on her face and give me a big kiss and scratch. The last time I was there I couldn’t find her. Guess she had to go away and very soon I will go away too.

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Dr. Carol,

Here is a picture of Dandy. I hope you don’t mind that he is sitting in a chair. I took lots of pictures. He was much more cooperative in the chair. As you see, he is a very serious Westie.

We are enjoying using your Naturally Healthy Dogs book. It certainly does have a lot of useful information in it. I especially like the natural approach to caring for dogs.

Dandy is doing really well. He loves the cold weather we have been having. He still stays in bed late in the morning. However, after his leisurely wake up, he has breakfast and goes up our long stairs to “work” in Tom’s office.

He has a few ailments as to be expected at his age. Most have been taken care of. He had an “ear stroke”-a broken blood vessel in his ear. For a while, his right ear would not stand up like the left. However, it usually does now.

He had testicular cancer, but is cured from that. He has two issues now. He has Cushings Disease. lt is under control with Lysodren, but that has caused him to gain weight. And of course, being recently neutered has contributed. We are working on that. He also does not hear well, but we are working around that, too.

As I have written earlier, the Senior Paaws do help him a lot. He has a lot more energy. Even at almost 14 years old, when he thinks he is going for a ride or a walk, he runs around the house and he barks and twirls.

Not bad for 14!

I am so glad I heard your ad for Paaws on the radio.

Thankx for everything!

Leewood and Tom W.
Dallas, Texas

Pets like people suffer from cancer; in fact it’s the number one cause of death for both species today. Purdue University, College of Veterinary Medicine is on the forefront of new research that may offer new hope for some pets. Radioactive scans are now available for pets with cancer on an experimental basis at Purdue University.

Learning how to keep your pet healthy is very helpful to prevent the development of degenerative diseases, including cancer. Veterinarian, Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM offers a few tips.

First and foremost, the saying” you are what you eat” applies to people and pets alike. A good diet is essential. Consider giving your dog fresh home-made foods and treats including carrots, broccoli and green beans, to name a few rather than just focusing on chicken and rice. Remember whole foods and fresh veggies are healthy snacks, far superior to commercial dog treats found on grocers shelves. As with people, vegetables also help ward off cancer.

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Hello Dr. Carol,

It is with much sadness I’m contacting you to let you know, Calvin passed away today. I would like to thank you for all the years of good health that he did enjoy.

After we talked and I changed his diet, he was doing well. Unfortunately, Tuesday night, he collapsed on the front lawn. I brought him to the emergency hospital, as it was 11pm,only to find out he had a baseball sized tumor on his spleen. I decided to bring him home and take him to his own vet the following morning. I took him in as soon as they opened and they kept him all morning to run tests. They did an ultrasound and found what I was hoping they would not find. I decided to schedule surgery for the very next morning.

They asked me if I wanted to go home and get him some of his own food, so I did. When I got back there with the food, he was not interested, but I decided to spend some time with him before leaving him for the night. I took him out the side door and it was sunny and we sat in the grass. He looked at me and I knew. His head dropped and I picked him up and carried him back in. I put him on the exam table on a soft blanket and he took his last breath while I held him.

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Campaign against canine cancers expects eradication of disease within 10 to 20 years!

Chagrin Falls, Ohio- june5, 2008- More than half of the dog-owning households in North America will experience the pain and distress of learning their beloved pet has cancer.  But now, thanks to the efforts of the Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) and their Canine Cancer Campaign, our pets may have an opportunity to beat this disease.   Even better news is that this campaign may end up helping people in their own battle against cancer!

The Morris Animal Foundation has spent 60 years promoting and protecting animals through their funding of humane animal health studies and, more importantly, sharing the information from those crucial initiatives.  Their current Canine Cancer Campaign hopes to raise $30 million in five years in order to cure and eliminate this canine killer.

Cancer is the number one cause of death in dogs over the age of two.  In fact, one dog out of every four will die from this dreaded disease.  Owners of purebred dogs face even greater risk – estimates from the Golden Retriever Foundation show that about 60% of Golden Retrievers die from cancer.

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