My Best Friend Just Got Cancer
Donation protected
When you're talking about pets, everyone is familiar with the old saying..."Dogs are Man's best friend". Well, they were close, but there is so much more to it...
See, I grew up with cats and dogs, but I was never lucky enough to call one my own. I guess to be honest, I wasn't ready. When I was 23 I moved to California from Omaha Nebraska for that whole dream thing, and soon after decided to rescue a dog because, damn... This city can get lonely.
I knew I wanted a big, bad pit bull because I had a roomate who had one, and if you have ever been lucky enough to share a home with a pit bull, you will know that the whole "big and bad" theory goes right out the window! Pits are the sweetest, most loyal, kind loving dogs!
After looking and looking, I finally found her. An 8 week old beautiful brindle pit! Holy cow, this was it. I was going to do it...
The first time I saw her, I couldn't help but stare....she was SO cute! The foster woman sat her down and she ran over to me, jumped on my lap, and started licking my face....
She hasn't stopped yet.
She has become my best friend, my child, my confidante, my psychiatrist, literally the best thing that has ever happened to me.
So let's fast forward to right now. Zoe is now a little over 10 years old. A couple weeks ago she gets fleas and I have to take her in to my vet. As we are in his office he notices that her lymph nodes around her throat were enlarged and swollen. This seemed to concern him a bit as he then fired off an array of questions. "How long have these been here?"
"Have they gotten bigger?"
He then says he wants to take a biopsy of her lymph nodes and for me to call in a week for the results. A week?! What does this mean? I went in for fleas and now I'm waiting on a biopsy?! Talk about a long week!
Monday comes, and I call the doctor. Right away I could tell in his voice that something was wrong.
" So we got the biopsy back and we found a small possibility of cancer... We would like to take a blood test to see if it's either leukemia or lymphoma."
Wait, what?! Excuse me, did you just say cancer??!!
I was able to make an appointment to bring her in for the blood test, but everything before and after that was a blur.
The word Cancer is debilitating. Even the word can mentally crush you. I barely had any answers, but for the next three days my life was a mess. I was filled with questions and anxiety.
Monday comes, and I call in for the results.
....The blood test comes back normal
What?! That's good right?
Yes and no. The blood test reveals that she does not have Leukemia, (Thank God), but that it does look like it's Lymphoma.
How was this possible? We go in for fleas, and come out with Cancer?!
And lymphoma?!
Dogs die from this terrible disease SO fast! It's terrible and unfair. Lymphoma is incurable...
Talk about complete devastation. Lucky for Zoe she had no idea what was going on, but her daddy, who was trying to hold it all in, was about to have a mental breakdown.
I had to calm down though. Dogs sense energy and I had to keep strong for my girl.
The next step was the oncologist. She sat me down and explained to me that Zoe has a case of Small Cell Lymphoma. She proceeded to tell me that we found it at the best time and that if treated, I would be able to keep my best friend around until she was a teenager. Well, I guess out of all the bad news so far, this was the best of the worst. I can't imagine losing Zoe so early. We still have plans!
Speaking of plans, of course that was my next question. What was the plan? How do I keep Zoe around for as long as possible while keeping her happy and healthy?
After a long discussion, we came up with an amazing game plan involving medications as well as holistic healing.
Now this is where I desperately need your help! We need your donations.
I, like most of you, don't have a lot of money. This has already cost well over $1000 dollars, and it's only been the first 2 weeks of prognosis. With all the medication, vet check ups, new diet and holistic healing, I wish I could clone myself so I could work double, and triple. This is going to be a long and expensive road, and although I am doing all I can, ANY help would be a BIG help!
This dog is my life. I am asking with a heavy heart for any assistance in helping keeping my best friend alive! I'm not the person to ask for hand outs, but unfortanelty I am out of options.
Please everyone, I am doing anything and everything to take care of my dog. If I have to beg on the side of the freeway to keep my dog happy, healthy, and alive, I will!
Zoe and I appreciate anything. We kindly thanking you for reading our story, and even if you are in a position where you can't help out financially, please please please share our story.
Thank you, and I will keep everyone up to date on how my girl is doing. For everyone that donates, Zoe will be doing a meet and greet to thank each and everyone of you! Hope you like dog kisses:)
Thanks again
Sincerely
Tony and Zoe
See, I grew up with cats and dogs, but I was never lucky enough to call one my own. I guess to be honest, I wasn't ready. When I was 23 I moved to California from Omaha Nebraska for that whole dream thing, and soon after decided to rescue a dog because, damn... This city can get lonely.
I knew I wanted a big, bad pit bull because I had a roomate who had one, and if you have ever been lucky enough to share a home with a pit bull, you will know that the whole "big and bad" theory goes right out the window! Pits are the sweetest, most loyal, kind loving dogs!
After looking and looking, I finally found her. An 8 week old beautiful brindle pit! Holy cow, this was it. I was going to do it...
The first time I saw her, I couldn't help but stare....she was SO cute! The foster woman sat her down and she ran over to me, jumped on my lap, and started licking my face....
She hasn't stopped yet.
She has become my best friend, my child, my confidante, my psychiatrist, literally the best thing that has ever happened to me.
So let's fast forward to right now. Zoe is now a little over 10 years old. A couple weeks ago she gets fleas and I have to take her in to my vet. As we are in his office he notices that her lymph nodes around her throat were enlarged and swollen. This seemed to concern him a bit as he then fired off an array of questions. "How long have these been here?"
"Have they gotten bigger?"
He then says he wants to take a biopsy of her lymph nodes and for me to call in a week for the results. A week?! What does this mean? I went in for fleas and now I'm waiting on a biopsy?! Talk about a long week!
Monday comes, and I call the doctor. Right away I could tell in his voice that something was wrong.
" So we got the biopsy back and we found a small possibility of cancer... We would like to take a blood test to see if it's either leukemia or lymphoma."
Wait, what?! Excuse me, did you just say cancer??!!
I was able to make an appointment to bring her in for the blood test, but everything before and after that was a blur.
The word Cancer is debilitating. Even the word can mentally crush you. I barely had any answers, but for the next three days my life was a mess. I was filled with questions and anxiety.
Monday comes, and I call in for the results.
....The blood test comes back normal
What?! That's good right?
Yes and no. The blood test reveals that she does not have Leukemia, (Thank God), but that it does look like it's Lymphoma.
How was this possible? We go in for fleas, and come out with Cancer?!
And lymphoma?!
Dogs die from this terrible disease SO fast! It's terrible and unfair. Lymphoma is incurable...
Talk about complete devastation. Lucky for Zoe she had no idea what was going on, but her daddy, who was trying to hold it all in, was about to have a mental breakdown.
I had to calm down though. Dogs sense energy and I had to keep strong for my girl.
The next step was the oncologist. She sat me down and explained to me that Zoe has a case of Small Cell Lymphoma. She proceeded to tell me that we found it at the best time and that if treated, I would be able to keep my best friend around until she was a teenager. Well, I guess out of all the bad news so far, this was the best of the worst. I can't imagine losing Zoe so early. We still have plans!
Speaking of plans, of course that was my next question. What was the plan? How do I keep Zoe around for as long as possible while keeping her happy and healthy?
After a long discussion, we came up with an amazing game plan involving medications as well as holistic healing.
Now this is where I desperately need your help! We need your donations.
I, like most of you, don't have a lot of money. This has already cost well over $1000 dollars, and it's only been the first 2 weeks of prognosis. With all the medication, vet check ups, new diet and holistic healing, I wish I could clone myself so I could work double, and triple. This is going to be a long and expensive road, and although I am doing all I can, ANY help would be a BIG help!
This dog is my life. I am asking with a heavy heart for any assistance in helping keeping my best friend alive! I'm not the person to ask for hand outs, but unfortanelty I am out of options.
Please everyone, I am doing anything and everything to take care of my dog. If I have to beg on the side of the freeway to keep my dog happy, healthy, and alive, I will!
Zoe and I appreciate anything. We kindly thanking you for reading our story, and even if you are in a position where you can't help out financially, please please please share our story.
Thank you, and I will keep everyone up to date on how my girl is doing. For everyone that donates, Zoe will be doing a meet and greet to thank each and everyone of you! Hope you like dog kisses:)
Thanks again
Sincerely
Tony and Zoe
Organizer
Tony Cascio
Organizer
Lakewood, CA