Page 14 - DoggieRescue E-Magazine November 2018_Neat

14 NOVEMBER 2018 DOGGIERESCUE.COM MAGAZINE

• • • feature “ SCARLET ” SEARCHING FOR A FOSTER HOME

SCARLET

A BRAVE GIRL DEFYING THE ODDS

BACKGROUND 31ST AUGUST DoggieRescue was
contacted by a pound with a 9 year old ‘RESCUE ONLY’
Boxer cross with a swelling on one foot. The reports from
the pound were that this dog had a beautiful nature and
adored hugs. We decided to give her a chance and Scarlet
( as we called her ) was rescued.

SCARLET’S PROGNOSIS She went immediately to our
vet who on examination found Scarlet was underweight and
reluctant to sit. She was found to have some major arthritic
changes in her spine that gave her pain. We biopsied the
mass on her foot and results were the worst we could have
expected. She had osteosarcoma, an aggressive, very
painful cancer that spreads quickly through the body and
can result in spontaneous fractures at the site. The
prognosis was that if we did nothing Scarlet might have just
a few short, painful weeks or months to live but with total
leg amputation and chemo she might get up to 12 months
on average, perhaps even more of pain free life. Living at
the shelter in a kennel situation we could not even consider
any options that might give her more time. We started
desperately to look for a caring foster home but each day
the foot grew more painful and the tumour larger.

SURGERY: 1ST OCTOBER Scarlet had little
time left with the way the tumour was growing.
We had no foster home for her as yet but we
needed to act quickly before it was too late.
Everyone who has met her says what a
gorgeous loving dog she is and deserves a
chance. We could not let her go and to give her
any chance amputation was the only option.

Scarlet is pictured at The Cottage Animal Hospital with vet nurse
Courtney after her big operation and this brave girl is still smiling!