“I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.” – Doris Day (actress)
In This Issue: November Is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month — Here’s What You Should Know; PuppyUp Walks A Success — Thanks To You; How You Can Help Puppy Up; Vaccine Appears to Control Canine Osteosarcoma; Puppy Up Calendars & Six Feet Together Sweatshirts Are Ready To Pre-Order.
November Is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month — Here’s What You Should Know
From DogTime
By Mike Clark
November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s a great time to spread knowledge about pets and cancer, as well as a time to educate ourselves about the things we can do to prevent or treat cancer in our own pets.
Cancer can be caused by a variety of environmental and genetic factors, and there are many different types of cancer that range in how aggressive and common they can be.
Any dog can develop cancer at any point in their life, though some breeds are more genetically predisposed. The Veterinary Cancer Society reports that Golden Retrievers, German Shepherd Dogs, and Rottweilers can have up to a 70 to 80 percent chance of developing cancer over the course of their lives.
Older dogs are also more at-risk, and the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation reports that up to half of all dogs over age ten will develop cancer. Overall, one in four dogs will likely develop cancer in their lifetime, and it’s the leading cause of death in dogs.
Clearly, cancer is one of the greatest threats to the health and well-being of our canine companions, which is why Pet Cancer Awareness Month is so important. As responsible pet parents, we need to be aware of the ways we can fight cancer and teach others to do the same.
And as always, talk to your veterinarian. They can provide you with a lot of information and advice to help you make good decisions and keep your pets safe.
Here is what you should know during Pet Cancer Awareness Month.
Pay Attention To Diet
Learn The Different Types Of Cancer
Talk To Your Veterinarian
If you see any of the following signs that may be symptoms of cancer in your dog, talk to your veterinarian right away:
· Unusual swelling or lumps
· Sores that don’t heal
· Weight loss
· Appetite loss
· Bleeding or discharge from the mouth or other orifices
· Unusual odor, especially from the breath
· Difficulty eating or swallowing
· Exercise aversion
· Lameness or stiffness
· Difficulty breathing, urinating, or defecating
Even if you do not notice any signs or symptoms of cancer in your dog, you should still maintain a schedule of regular vet visits every six months to a year. A routine check-up can sometimes detect cancer before it becomes a major problem, and early detection is very beneficial for successful treatment of cancer.
For the complete article, including helpful links, please follow this link.
PuppyUp Walks A Success, Thanks To You!
Our PuppyUp Walks for 2020 have concluded. But in spite of the restrictions due to Covid, our Six Feet Together virtual walks and our in-person walks in Hudson Valley, NY and Little Rock, AR were all a success, thanks to the enthusiasm, innovation, and hard work from our volunteers, sponsors, and donors.
Whether you took a virtual walk with us — through town or around your yard — or you joined us in person in Hudson Valley or Little Rock, we thank each and every one of you for your unfailing support. We’re already planning for next year, and we all hope to see and walk with one another in person again soon!
In celebration and honor of some of the many canine cancer heroes we met this year, we’d like to highlight just a few of them:
These are just some of the faces that inspire us.
THANK YOU to all who participated in our PuppyUp Walks. It’s been a year of great challenges. But cancer remains one of the greatest challenges we all face — pets and people. Together we’ll continue to meet cancer head on, just like the Canine Heroes who inspire us.
“A dog has one aim in life… to bestow his heart.” (Writer and editor J.R. Ackerley)
How You Can Help Puppy Up, Just By Shopping
Be sure to use smile.amazon.com and make The Puppy Up Foundation your Charity of Choice.
Puppy Up gets a small portion of each sale, so every purchase counts.
If you have not registered for Smile yet, go to https://smile.amazon.com. You’ll be directed to select a charity.
You can help when you shop at Kroger, too.
Login to your Kroger account online – click on community rewards.
Search for The Puppy Up Foundation either by name or IQ193 and click enroll.
Every time you shop at Kroger and use your rewards plus card, you can help us earn money.
Thank you!
Vaccine Appears To Control Canine Osteosarcoma
Researchers at MU College of Veterinary Medicine are testing a patient-specific treatment using a dog’s own tumor to fight bone cancer
From Veterinary Practice
A greyhound named Ruby is among the many dogs diagnosed with osteosarcoma to have her life extended after undergoing a new cancer-fighting treatment at the University of Missouri (MU) College of Veterinary Medicine.
A research team led by oncology faculty members Jeffrey Bryan, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (oncology), and Brian Flesner, DVM, MS, DACVIM (oncology), is exploring the use of a patient-specific, precision medicine treatment for bone cancer in dogs, Mizzou News says.
Specifically, researchers are working with ELIAS Animal Health to create vaccines using an affected dog’s own tumor. The vaccine is injected into a patient to stimulate antitumor lymphocytes, which are then collected and expanded outside the body to create a transfusion of the patient’s immune cells, MU says.
“Essentially, the lymphocytes are exposed to chemicals that make them very angry and ready to attack the targeted cells,” Dr. Bryan tells Mizzou News. “Then, we transfuse them back into the patient’s blood like we would a blood transfusion.”
This leads to the killing of cancer cells by the “angry” lymphocytes, Mizzou News reports.
The process, which lasts approximately seven to eight weeks, targets specific cancer cells and avoids the toxic side effects of chemotherapy. The results open the door to future clinical trials for human cancer.
Ruby, who received the treatment more than three years ago, is a living example of the vaccine’s potential, researchers say. When she was first diagnosed with osteosarcoma, she received a prognosis of less than a year, and her owners were told she would have to undergo several rounds of chemotherapy, along with amputation of the cancerous limb.
“What we learned in this dog study—the successes and failures—is already informing what is being done in human studies,” Bryan tells Mizzou News. “We hope to expand the types of cancer we treat using this method.”
For more on this story, click here.
Puppy Up 2021 Calendars Are Ready For Pre-Order
The 2021 Puppy Up Calendars are ready to pre-order. Don’t miss your chance to get one (or several) of these unique calendars. Every year the Puppy Up calendar profiles a different pet each month, with stories of how cancer touched them. Monthly pet holidays are also noted as well as national observances. Great gifts for all pet lovers.
We know you’ve all been anxious to place your orders, and we appreciate your patience. By placing your order soon, you will be guaranteed to receive your desired quantity.
The price is $15 each. If you order 10 or more at one time, you can receive a discounted price of $12.50 each. Please contact ginger@puppyup.org to receive a code for the lower price. Include the quantity you will be ordering.
Please click here for the order form.
Thanks again to all who entered or donated to this contest.
Oh, the weather outside is frightful,
But our sweats sure feel delightful!
OK, pretty bad.
But you’re sure to be warm & beat the cold in one of our great Puppy Up Six Feet Together Sweatshirts and Hoodies.
Plus, they make great gifts, too. Pre-order now, here.
*** Last chance to pre-order and reserve your size!
There Are Other Ways To Help Us
Just like there are many different breeds of dogs, The Puppy Up Foundation needs many different volunteers to help the organization. No matter where you live or how much time you have to offer, there is a role for you.
Are you detailed-oriented, creative and artistic, great at internet research or making phone calls? Would you like to volunteer at fun, educational events? Share your interests and talents and help raise awareness and funding for canine cancer and comparative oncology.
Donate to the Cause
It’s estimated that between 4 and 6 million dogs die from cancer each year and recently it was announced that 36 children a day are diagnosed with cancer. Our pets and our children are being attacked by this deadly disease. Your donation to The Puppy Up Foundation will help further our mission of discovering the causes of cancers and their common link in both pets and people.
Your gift is very much appreciated and fully deductible as a charitable contribution. The Puppy Up Foundation is a 501 C(3) organization and our tax ID number is 47-2319212. All transactions conducted on our Web site are encrypted using a secure server to protect your privacy. All donations are final. All transactions are happening in the United States.
We can always use your help. If you’re interested, send me an mail at ginger@puppyup.org.
Sincerely,
Ginger Morgan, Executive Director
The Puppy Up Foundation
