Brooke - face 35

Multiple Mammary tumor removal surgery and biopsies

Breed: Beagle
DOB: 2002
Sex: Spayed female
Foster home: Christine

It is clear from Brooke’s mangled ears that life has not always been easy for her, yet she has one of the sweetest, most people-focused, and trusting personalities of the many dogs we have come across!  Beautiful little Brooke was an unclaimed stray that Animal Control asked APB to help with because of her extreme sweetness and because she had a visible mammary tumor that would make her adoption from the shelter unlikely.

After scheduling surgery for Brooke to be spayed and have her tumor removed, we also learned that Brooke has additional mammary tumors that will require a second surgery.  Chest X-rays were recommended and taken to determine whether there had been any metastasis to her lungs, and fortunately none was evident.  We are hopeful that the second surgery will be the last step in giving Brooke a clean bill of health, but we are also awaiting the results of her tissue analysis to tell us exactly what kind of tumors have been growing and if additional treatment will be necessary.

Our greatest hope is that Brooke can soon be given a clean bill of health and go on to find a wonderful family that will be hers forever, but we would very much appreciate any contributions to help pay for her surgeries and treatment along the way!

Brooke3a

Update – June 24, 2007
WONDERFUL news! We got Brooke’s lab results back, and her mammary tumors are benign!  We are planning for Brooke to have a second surgery to remove her remaining tumors, but Brooke’s vet tells us that there is a high probability that the remaining tumors will turn out to be benign as well.

And Brooke says that even though she had a big yucky operation, she is feeling great and hardly sore at all now.  She loves to snuggle and get kisses, roll around joyfully on the couch, and sniff the rabbit trails in the yard!

Brooke - body 32

Update – July 31, 2007
Brooke’s second surgery is finished, her sutures are out, and she is feeling better than ever. The results of her second tissue analysis were not as happy as the first set, but the news is still encouraging overall. Some of the tissue removed did turn out to be cancerous, HOWEVER, it is a relatively non-aggressive form of cancer which appears to have been completely removed without spreading to another part of Brooke’s body. We are thankful that the surgery was done before Brooke’s condition advanced, and we have every reason to believe that she will live a healthy life from here on out!

Thanks to John & Karen Schankin for sponsoring Brooke!