Phoenix celebrated a milestone on April 1st. The medical team of the San Diego Humane Society put up a party for him to celebrate his cancer-free status.
In a news release, the facility announced that his “pawty” was celebrated with a peanut butter cake, party hats, cheers, and tons of hugs from the staff of El Cajon, California’s Pilar & Chuck Bahde Center for Shelter Medicine. After all, the four-year-old Saint Bernard/shepherd mix has an extraordinary history with the facility.
He first came to them in November 2020 as a malnourished stray, missing some fur and covered in fleas. After a thorough check-up from their veterinary team, they diagnosed him with a malignant cancerous tumor called Transmissible Venereal Tumor or TVT. This disease, if left untreated, could be severe.
Fortunately, they detected the cancer early enough – making Phoenix qualified for a treatment called Vincristine chemotherapy. The San Diego Humane Society, in its desire to provide every shelter dog a chance at medical care, assisted him through 13 sessions of chemotherapy. Phoenix’s cancer masses have decreased after the treatments, but he was not declared cancer-free yet.
Colleen Tansey from VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital helped treat Phoenix’s cancer by volunteering electrochemotherapy procedures for him. She commuted twice to San Diego during her days off to treat him for free.
Danielle Clem, DVM, and San Diego Humane Society’s campus hospital director said in a testament that it took a village to help Phoenix’s case. She said that not only did they have an expert from Los Angeles volunteer her expertise, but they also had an amazing foster family who ensured Phoenix’s comfort during treatments. She also gave props to the San Diego Humane Society’s medical team, who were involved during the process.
And for the good news you’ve all been waiting for, after several rounds of cancer-free diagnosis, Phoenix was finally adopted by veterinary assistant Colette Troughton! She also helped set up the canine’s anniversary party.
Troughton describes Phoenix as a big dog with an even bigger personality who inspires her to see the good in everyone. She said she feels fortunate to spend her days with him. She said she would be eternally grateful to all the caretakers who showed their love for him and made his recovery possible.
Source: San Diego Humane Society / Facebook
