Diana may be a new hospice mom, but as a volunteer with Muttville’s vet suite team, she’s gained experience with many senior dog health issues, which prepared her for Cooper! Enjoy the story about their wonderful adventures…:
Cooper, my hospice dog, is a success story in progress. I was at the right place at the right time to see this big goofy messy labradoodle take his first steps into Muttville, fresh from transport. He was an owner surrender at an animal shelter, with a request to be euthanized.
I’ve learned a lot of things since I started volunteering at Muttville. One of them is to not jump to judgment when a dog has been surrendered by their owner. Sometimes, there’s a very difficult story behind the why. I remember to give extra thanks and gratitude for what and who I have in my life, especially when I can bring a new dog into my world.
Cooper is that new dog. He has an oral malignant melanoma. This means he has a cancerous mass on his mouth. Cooper arrived at Muttville two months ago and after his intake exam was identified as a hospice dog. I decided to foster this big goofball for a few days while a potential hospice family considered taking him in. It didn’t work out for them and Cooper, and I stepped in to be his hospice mom.
Cooper is my third big black senior dog. After losing my second senior last November, taking long strolls lost their meaning and it was hard to go back to the beach with out my four-legged buddy in tow. Cooper, with all his energy, helped me make up for lost time.
Cooper is an athlete, and loves a good walk, especially up hills. To satisfy his yen, we do uphill neighborhood walks around Buena Vista Park and Corona Heights. Cooper isn’t a slow walker. With time and consistent training I got Cooper to advance from tugging to fast pace walks and now loose leash walks. Good boy Cooper! Thanks to Cooper, I’ve lost weight and am back on the beach again. And thanks to Cooper, there is never a dull moment when we explore Lands End and Golden Gate Park. He gets many compliments from locals and tourists, “What a handsome boy!” and “He must be a puppy, how old is he?” I like to think my first two seniors sent Cooper my way, for the win.
Based on available medical records, Cooper received his original melanoma diagnosis over a year ago. With his Muttville veterinary exam and biopsy, it’s confirmed the cancer has spread to his lymph nodes. I am taking a palliative approach to his care. While he’s outlived the “average” survival rate for this aggressive form of cancer, (estimated at 3-6 months, and dependent on numerous variables), I’m focused on making sure he has the best quality of life possible.
One of my neighbors said “You must like to hurt your heart”, when she heard I took on a hospice dog. I’m sure hospice parents out there understand how startled I was when I heard this. It would hurt my heart far more if this vivacious happy dog didn’t have a home when I could give him one. It’s hard enough for a big black senior dog to find a home, let alone one with a cancer diagnosis. The joy I get from seeing Cooper inhale the sky from the car window, run on the beach and his cuddles is more than I can ask for. Cooper deserves the time of his life, everyday until he has to cross the Rainbow Bridge. It’s a gift to be the one to help him live out his journey with lots of love, treats and belly rubs.
7/13/16
Are you the proud parent of a Muttville dog? Send us your story! Include three of your favorite photos and send it to success_stories@muttville.org with the subject line 'Success Story'.
