Buddy's Page

Weight: 100
Breed: Other
Age when diagnosed: 6

Tumors:

Buddy was about a year old when I rescued him from being tied to a tree without any food,water or shelter. It was a snowy February in North Carolina and I was sledding with some cousins. This dog had been given to them by a friend that didn't want him because he had been brought inside and peed on their laundry basket. I, or rather, my sled ran way down the hill into the darkness and stopped right beside the tree that Buddy was tied to. I seen right away that Buddy was covered by the snow and his tail was raw from him being so thin. His ears had slits up the middle of them from a piece of tin that had been laid down on the ground for him to supposedly lay on. I sat with Buddy that night for a long time and held him. He, having no manners, urinated on me a few times. I didn't mind. Each time that I would sled down the hill, I'd keep going and end up right back at Buddy. With tears in my eyes, I promised that dog that I'd come back for him. Being in college and already having a 5 year old Dalmatian that didn't really get along so well with other dogs, I was unsure of what I was going to do. I went back the next day and took a doghouse, some straw, a water bucket and lots of food. I headed back to college that Sunday evening and for a week or two I had my boyfriend go by there and check on him. I finally, against everyones wishes, asked my cousin if I could take Buddy for a while. The next weekend I was home, I decided Buddy was going back to school with me and having never ridden in a car before turned out to be quite the experience on the hour long trip. With my other Dal, Moto, in the backseat of my truck and Buddy in the front, WOW! I had a rolled up newspaper popping him the whole way, just trying to keep him off of me so that I could drive. We arrived back at college at my house and the first thing he done when we got out of the truck, was to lift his leg and pee on me! This stupid dog I kept thinking. Needless to say, he would prove me wrong. Within a week, Buddy and Moto had become buddies. He came from being tied outside to having a bath and sleeping inside with us very quickly. Housebreaking him and "howdy foot" happened in a few days and Buddy quickly captured my heart. It was hard at first to let him come into my life, since it had been Moto being the baby for so long. My goal of getting Buddy "better" and finding him a new home quickly changed-- much to everyone's dismay. Buddy was very overbearing, obnoxious and silly. No one really liked Buddy but me and I'm the only person that he's ever really had. On March 25th of 2006- two days after what I celebrate as Buddy's birthday (the day I took him back to Boone with me) Buddy was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. I had noticed him limping and then a big knot came up on his front leg. Took him in for xrays, and then biopsy sent off which took two weeks to get back. It was all confirmed and I was shocked. Buddy was only 6 and he acted fine! I was a nervous wreck...and still am- however, we are doing much better. I decided to do nothing. I didn't want to do amputation, couldn't afford radiation or chemo and after Buddy coming from where he came from, I decided to make the last bit of his life happy and full. The vet gave me 3 to 6 months at most. Buddy was spoiled rotten. When I rescued him, he weighed a measley 42 lbs. Upon diagnoses, he was 84 lbs. THE BEST NEWS EVER- BUDDY is still ALIVE and is 100 lbs today! I didn't plan on him getting this fat but when I expected him to pass, I let him get a little too carried away. A few months after the biopsy, the tumor shrunk and Buddy never got sicker. All my friends and neighbors kept insisting that I was crazy and Buddy was fine. The vet says that it is possible that the cancer is in remission, which is rare. He says that for now, Buddy is a miracle dog and that I should enjoy the days that I have now because chances are the cancer will reappear. I even notice that Buddy still limps (and I'm sure the extra weight is not good and I'm trying). It is so hard with him though. He's the happiest dog ever, always into something and frequently wakes me up during the night and has snuck into the kitchen and has his front legs up on the counter in search of food. I don't have the heart to fuss too much when I don't know if I'll really have him much longer. Long story but definitely worth telling. He's a special dog and all I've ever done to make him better is love him with all my heart and soul. Moto is 11 now and they are the best of friends. They haven't ever been seperated for any reason. If Buddy goes for a check up, Moto goes too. I don't know what the future will hold for Buddy, but I keep my fingers crossed everyday hoping that his miracle will live on~

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