Help Our Sweet Dog Milo Fight Cancer

Help Milo Fight Lymphoma

Hi, my name is Nicole. I’m reaching out with a heavy heart to ask for help for someone who means the world to me - my sweet 5-year-old goldendoodle, who has just been diagnosed with lymphoma.

On April 7th, Milo was officially diagnosed with lymphoma, and on April 8th he began his first treatment as part of the CHOP protocol.

This news has completely devastated me. My dog isn’t just a pet, he’s my best friend, my constant companion, and my greatest source of comfort through life’s challenges. He’s been by my side through thick and thin, and now he needs me more than ever. The thought of not being able to provide the necessary care for my Milo is unbearable.

Despite doing everything I can to support his care, the financial burden of his diagnosis and treatment has become overwhelming. I am currently back in school as a full time nursing student pursuing my BScN. My mom, a single parent, and I have stretched every resource we have, but we’re at a point where we simply can’t manage this alone.

With great humility, I am seeking help to cover his ongoing medical expenses. I never imagined I’d be in a position to ask for help like this, but I’m doing it for him. With your support, I can continue his treatments and give him the fighting chance he deserves. Every donation, no matter how small, brings us closer to hope. Even just sharing this page means the world.

Milo is being treated at Toronto Animal Health Partners by Dr. Gagnon, where he will require weekly chemotherapy treatments for 4 weeks followed by a 1 week rest. This cycle is repeated 4 times (16 treatments given over a 19 week period).

The estimate of his chemotherapy medications alone is $9,600. Not including additional assessments, blood tests and scans.

The team at AHP has been incredible, and we are especially thankful to Dr. Gagnon for his compassionate care.

This journey began when we noticed Milo limping and experiencing a decreased appetite. We also discovered a small lump on his left hind leg. On March 12th, we took him to the vet, where needle aspirates were performed. The lump was diagnosed as a benign lipoma.

About a week and a half later, his appetite continued to decline, and his limp worsened. On March 25th an x-ray revealed mild hip dysplasia, which was tough to process, but we were determined to do everything we could to help Milo manage it. Blood work followed, showing some abnormalities that suggested potential kidney or liver issues. A urinalysis was done to screen for Addison’s disease, but the results came back negative.

On March 31st, we moved forward with an abdominal ultrasound, which revealed multiple nodules on Milo’s spleen and lymph nodes. These were suspected to be malignant growths, prompting a referral to AHP. There, we met with their internal medicine specialist, who performed needle biopsies of the abdominal nodules. The results confirmed round-cell lymphoma.

We saw Dr. Gagnon (oncologist) on April 8th, and Milo began his first round of treatment that same day.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, for caring, and for being part of his journey. Your kindness and generosity would help give Milo the best chance at treatment and a longer life.

With gratitude,

Nicole