Even after a mastectomy this "Cookie" is still sweet!

Oct 17, 2009

I recently had the privilege of meeting the dog "Cookie" at our hospital on Thursday. She's an older dog - estimated to be about 6 years old - and has a large tumor on one of her mammary glands. As sad as it is, many older dogs, especially with health problems, are forced to live out the ends of their lives alone at the animals shelter. This is the worst fate for a sweet dog whose only crime is getting an illness that could have been prevented if her owner had spayed her before she was 6 months old.

Even though the euthanasia team knew Cookie would be expensive to take care of, and wouldn't be very easy to get a home for, they couldn't turn their backs on this gentle old lady. She was brought into APA's clinic on Thursday where we spayed her and removed her tumor and surrounding mammary gland. I brought her home that evening so I could monitor her vitals after the surgery, and then sent her to her foster late Thursday night. The whole time she was in my house, I could tell she was very afraid of being abandoned again. Although tired and sore from surgery, and a little drunk on pain meds, she followed me all around the house and wouldn't leave mine or my fiance's side. She barely noticed my cats and was very well behaved.

Unfortunately her spay and mastectomy surgeries, as well as pain medication, antibiotics, etc. cost about $200. We would also like to send the tumor off to have it analyzed to see if it is breast cancer or benign, however, that will cost an additional $200. If you could find it in your heart to give this doggie a second chance like our euthanasia list team did and donate just a small amount of money, I know Cookie would be eternally grateful.

[We have received enough donations to cover Cookie's medical costs. Thank you!]