Dogster

return to top

Diary of a Pampered Pooch

cancer

I didn't mean for Tiger's first diary entry to be this one, but I hadn't planned on him having a diary. He is overshadowed by Pilsbury in the exhibitionist arena.

If you read his arrival story, you'll know that my husband and I have had Tiger since he was approximately 8 months old. This April he turned 13. A good, long, pampered life for a pooch found in the woods full of buckshot.

Amazingly, until this year he has been so healthy we've never worried about him. Sure, he had a bit of a skin allergy but flea medication and a good diet kept that under control. And he has been a bit of a recreational yakker at times, but it never seemed to bother him much and the vets could find no physical cause.

This year has been different. In April, we dealt with the surgical repair of an ear hematoma, leaving our handsome boy with a ear that flops a bit strangely when compared to the other.

And just a few weeks ago, we found out during surgery for bladder stones that he has bladder cancer. The rapidly metastisizing kind. It has spread to his lungs and we aren't sure of the time we have left. He isn't in any pain but we're watching him for signs of that.

You would never know. The vet continues to marvel at the fact that if he hadn't seen it himself, he would never have guessed. Tiger's spirit is still great and we're still enjoying him.

Which we'll continue to do until the end. And who knows? He may surprise us all and give us years more to be bettered by his love.