Letter: SLT nonprofit helping treat dogs with cancer

To the community,

Max was just a tiny puppy when he was found wandering the streets of Houston. Lucky for Max some kind hearted South Lake Tahoe residents who were visiting on vacation found him and took him from the mean streets of Houston back home with them to Lake Tahoe, where he found his forever home with DeAnn Forman.

She saw Max on a rescue website for animals and it was love at first sight.

Max

The goofy puppy from Houston fit right in. Not only did DeAnn adopt him, but the entire neighborhood fell in love, taking turns visiting him when they had spare time to walk and exercise the energetic puppy, and checking in on Max when DeAnn was working long shifts.

DeAnn first noticed a mass when she took 18-month-old Max to get him neutered. After the surgery Max continued to spot pale red tinted urine. DeAnn knew her perfect, fun loving puppy needed to head back to the vet. At Sierra Veterinary Hospital, Dr. David Monroe diagnosed Max as having transmissible venereal tumors, a canine STD that produces cancerous tumors. Left untreated this cancer would spread and end Max’s short life.

Enter Wild Blue Dogs, a canine cancer nonprofit that provides funding for treatment and research. We are funding Max’s chemotherapy treatment and his prognosis is excellent.

Wild Blue Dogs is delighted to announce that after six weeks of chemotherapy, Max has finished his course of treatment with great results. All of his tumors have been killed by the chemo and there is no evidence of any metastasis (spread). His veterinarian will follow up in a few months with blood work to make sure all the cancer has been eradicated, but Max’s prognosis for a full recovery is excellent.

Without Wild Blue Dogs, the Sierra Veterinary Hospital, and the generous support of Wild Blue Dogs donors, Max would have died from his tumors. Instead he is looking forward to a long and happy life.

Special thanks to South Lake Tahoe residents and visitors who donated the money that saved Max’s life and kept a family together.

Nicole DiAngelo, Wild Blue Dogs