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Elllie takes rest in a favorite place at home
The canine world recently lost Ellie, a sweet girl who lived the glamorous canine dream of moving on up from the shelter to a deluxe apartment in the sky (actually, a lovely house in the Hollywood hills). Ellie had a great life after her caretaker rescued her from a Los Angeles animal shelter. Ellie, a pit bull terrier, did not face the ultimate fate of many rescued pit bulls; she was fortunate enough to be rescued and lived a privileged life among other dogs and cats from similar backgrounds.
Ellie died from complications secondary to Hemangiosarcoma (HSA), a malignant cancer of blood vessels. HSA is one of the most severe and common cancers seen in dogs. HSA can manifest in the skin (dermal) or internal organs. Dermal HSA can typically be removed without negative corresponding internal consequences. Internal organ HSA is likely to affect the spleen, liver, or heart potentially causing possible severe, sudden-onset hemorrhage from the corresponding organ. Regardless of the timing of clinical detection of internal organ HSA, there is a low likelihood of survival greater than one year. Treatments elected for HSA include surgery, chemotherapy, nutritional and suppement support, and acupuncture.
Ellie became a patient of mine after surgery to remove a bleeding HSA tumor from her spleen. She underwent a series of chemotherapy treatments to fight her cancer. I provided Ellie dietary and supplement support to nourish her immune and musculoskeletal systems and other ailing tissues. Additionally, I used acupuncture to manage discomfort secondary to her cancer and chronic, age-related orthopedic abnormalities.
Ellie’s age was unknown, yet we speculated that she lived over 8 years. Ellie’s guardian stressed to me the importance that her remaining days were not spent confined to a hospital setting or cage. He wanted Ellie to have the best quality of life possible despite her cancer diagnosis. Ellie died without human intervention in her familiar home environment in the company of her guardian and animal companions.
Thank you for sharing in the memory of Ellie.
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Copyright of this article is owned by California Pet Acupuncture & Wellness (CPAW), Inc.
Republishing any portion of this article, pictures, or video in any format must be permitted by CPAW, Inc.
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