Marshall's Page

Weight: 72
Breed: Labrador Retriever
Age when diagnosed: 11

Tumors:

Marshall came into our lives in the July of 1998. It was 6 months after the birth of our child. We already had a 2 year old lab and we thought she needed a playmate. We decided to adopt from lab rescue as we wouldn’t have time for a new puppy. Marshall wasn’t exactly what we were looking for. We had told the rescue lady we wanted another yellow female. It wasn’t three days later, on a Wednesday, the rescue lady called again. They had a 1 ½ year old chocolate male coming in later that week. We agreed to go see him on Saturday. She told us his name was Marshall.

We aren’t sure what happened, but not long after the phone call, we both felt like we had to get Marshall. It was meant to be. Least did we know Marshall was born at a food research facility and had lived the first 18 months of his life in a cage with little to no human contact. He was a mess. It took a good year for him to trust us and not cower when we would raise our hands to pet his head.

As the years went on he became known as our sweet baby boy. When our daughter would go play in the yard he would go lay there and watch her. If someone were sick, he wouldn’t leave their side. He was not only sweet but he had the BEST attitude of anyone (animal or human) I have ever known. Everything was exciting and great to him. He was excited to wake up in the morning, when someone came home he greeted them with a huge fluffy bone (his favorite)and eating was always the best!

He was diagnosed in early December of 2008 with bone cancer. At first we thought it was just a limp from his arthritis getting worse then we got the news. Amputation was not an option as he had FCE (stroke in the spinal column) when he was 3. The stroke left his left back hind at about 80%. We decided to go with pain management and also try a monthly bisphosphonate IV. He did well on the treatment for 5 months. In early May, his health started to decline. His shoulder became the size of a grapefruit- probably both new bone growth from the bisphosphonate and the tumor cells and his leg began to swell. He had a hard time walking and climbing the 2 stairs down to the grass was impossible. During the last few weeks of his life we would put him on the couch with us every night and put an ice pack on his leg just to help with the pain.

We finally made the decision to end his suffering on a Wednesday and made an appointment for Saturday. During those final days we did everything to spoil him. He got loads of cookies, extra food, lots of time outside lounging in the grass and lots and lots of hugs and kisses.

On Saturday, May 16, 2009, we helped our baby boy cross over to Rainbow Bridge. He was 12 years old. It was the hardest thing we have ever done but we could not let him suffer any more. Through it all, he never lost his zest for life. We take comfort knowing he is still guarding over us from above.

Run free sweet boy we shall be together soon!

Your family loves you – always!

Pictures

Marshall enjoying afternoon sun Marshall enjoying afternoon sun