Cancer Touches Everyone—Especially Dogs
4 to 6 MILLION dogs die from cancer each year
For me…
- My two springer spaniels, Cassie (from a brain tumor and leukemia) and Kaylee (from osteosarcoma).
- My neighbor just died from stomach cancer last month.
- My dad died from nasopharyngeal cancer.
- My husband, sister in-law, and brother in-law have had skin cancer.
Statistics report that 36 children EACH DAY are diagnosed with cancer.
Cancer does indeed touch everyone—and most of us feel helpless.
Has cancer touched you?
Walk for Canine Cancer Research
Cancer in dogs is very similar to people, since we share about 85% of the same genes. Comparative oncology uses pet dogs for clinical trials of cancer treatments that may work to cure some forms of cancer or create palliative care for both people and dogs.
Often cancer drug studies use mice, which don’t normally get cancer. Researchers have to give the mice cancer first before they can test the drugs. Many drugs that work during research studies using mice may not work with people.
Puppy Up Raises Funds for Cancer Studies using Comparative Oncology
In 2008, Luke Robinson, walked his two dogs on a 2,300 mile cross-country trek. As Luke walked, he shared his story of Malcolm, his Great Pyrenees whom he lost to cancer, as he talked to the residents of towns he passed through. He formed a grassroots movement to raise funds for canine cancer research. His goal is to get 2 million dogs to walk simultaneously across the U.S. to raise funds to fight cancer. The Puppy Up Foundation formed from this grassroots movement.
Help Support
Several Chicagoans who blog about pets and belong to BlogPaws (Sandra Townsend – Dolly the Doxie, and Kristen Avery – The Daily Pip) will join Buffy and me on September 16th for Puppy Up Chicago.
Please click here to support me in our fight against canine cancer.
To learn about the use of pet dogs in comparative oncology studies, read my review of Heal The Vital Role of Dogs in the Search for Cancer Cures by Arlene Weintraub.
Please comment if you have had a dog touched by cancer and check out my website on Canine Cancer Concerns.
Above all – please help to support cancer research with Puppy Up.
This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop. Please read the other blogs and comment.
Thank you for helping to fight cancer! I’ve known a few dogs who have had canine cancer, I am not walking, but am happy to support you!
Thank you Beth!
Thanks so much for sharing the cause! I’m really looking forward to the walk it’s going to be so much fun! Your family, dogs and humans has had way to much experience with cancer and to think that cancer occurs more in dogs than people! See you in a few weeks. Dolly and Sandr
I look forward to walking with you Sandra! Thanks for setting up our team! I’m probably going to order a t-shirt for myself to advertise my Canine Cancer Concerns website.
Gosh you have had your share of losses, I am sorry. We lost our Sooty cat to lymphoma and believe very few will not felt the touch of cancer in some way.
I love Puppy Up it engages the heart of every dog owner ❤️
I’m sorry to hear about Sooty. This is my first Puppy Up campaign and I’m looking forward to it!
My heart goes out to you, your friends, family members, and fur family members who have been touched by cancer. Thank you for sharing information about Puppy Up in the fight against cancer. I’m going to check out your links to learn more.
Thanks for checking out the links. Education is key to learning more about cancer and how we can help.
I am looking forward to the walk on the 16th! My dogs have not been touched by cancer, but I lost two cats to cancer and my human family has been touched by it as well.
I’m looking forward to the walk too! I hope we have great weather – you never know with Chicago.
Thank goodness for Puppy Up and thank you for spreading the awareness. I had no idea they did this! Checking them out more. We have lost pets to cancer so we need this!
I love this idea! I work as a veterinarian and deal with cancer on an almost daily basis. One of my good friends just finished her PhD in cancer research and will be working on canine cancer research soon (she just has a two years of veterinary school left). I have never heard of Puppy Up before, but will have to look into now. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Kate! I’m sure veterinarians have a very hard time, especially when you have to tell your clients that their pets have cancer. Hopefully, your friend can help shed some light on how to cure or at least give us more time with our pets that get this disease.
Cancer is one of the most feared, hated and dreaded words in all of the English language, for good reason. I lost my first mastiff to osteosarcoma and our labrador had an aggressive mast cell tumor which fortunately he survived after surgery. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in big dogs, with 8 of the 9 dogs most commonly affected by cancer are big dogs. It is a wonderful thing you and Buffy and the other folks with the Puppy Up campaign are doing. Thank you! Great post!
I have heard that some breeds are especially prone to cancer, many are large dogs. Golden retrievers are especially affected. I’m sorry to hear about your mastiff. Osteosarcoma is an awful disease. I hope your lab is doing well.
JD had a mast cell tumor but that was treated successfully. Eventually, though he died what was thought a brain or spinal cord cancer. Cancer sucks.
Brain tumors are often secondary cancers, which means they started out as another form of cancer. That’s what happened to my springer, Cassie. I have more information on this on my other website http://www.caninecancerconcerns.com. Please feel free to add your story on JD to the site. I don’t have any information yet about mast cell tumors, but they seem very common.
I haven’t had any dogs touched by cancer, but I lost two cats to cancer. Both lost their battle 6 years ago. Today is the 6 year anniversary of losing Beignet to a sarcoma. He was only 11 weeks old.
Eleven weeks! How cruel-life had just begun. I’m sorry about Beignet.
There is way too much cancer in this world, both in people and pets. I’ve had a lot of it in my family, but thankfully never in my pets (Knock on Wood!!) This is a really great initiative, much needed. Thanks for sharing.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
What a wonderful cause to support, and good luck on your fundraising walk! My father died from liver cancer 34 years ago, and my husband’s sister had/has cancer but seems to be doing well. None of my dogs have ever been affected by this horrible disease but 2 of my cats died of it. Thanks for raising awareness of Puppy Up, I had never heard of this organisation. Let us know how your walk goes!!
I plan to blog about the Puppy Up walk after September 16th. I’m sorry about your dad. Cancer treatments have come a long way in the last few decades.
It’s sad that cancer really is something that touches everyone’s life at one point or another. My dad is a cancer survivor and I had a pet rabbit who passed from cancer when he was just 2 years old. Good luck with your fundraising!
I’m glad your dad is a survivor! I have not come across any stories about rabbits with cancer. How did you know? When I had a rabbit, I never took him to the vet and he just died one day. I have no idea what happened.
I’m so sorry to hear about all the people and pups you love who we’re affected by this terrible disease. There’s actually a Puppy Up near me coming up too. I may have to check it out! What a cool event
I didn’t know about it either until I read Sandra Townsend’s blog on Dollie the Doxie a few weeks ago. Check out the Puppy Up website for locations of their walks. If there isn’t a walk near you, please consider supporting them. Thanks!