The following sites are terrific sites for owners looking for some extra moral support:

http://www.fightcaninecancer.com/caninecancerdiganosis.html- This site the number one resource I would recommend, especially for owners who have just recently discovered their dog has cancer. This site covers information from first steps, all the way to saying goodbye. The best part is, the site creator was the owner of dog with cancer!


http://www.dogcancerblog.com/- This is a wonderful source concerning treatment options. The blog was created by a very well known and respected veterinarian. You can also buy The Dog Cancer Survival Kit through this site. It's packed with just about every possible little detail you could know about canine cancer, and how to deal with it! However, all of the information is a little overwhelming and does cost quite a bit averaging at about $100 for the kit. 

http://redrover.org/- If you're looking for financial aid this is the site to look! Red Rover give grants to pet owners who cannot afford their pets medical treatment. You must apply through their website, but you must meet all guidelines before applying. 



 
There was a quote that I heard once that has stuck with me for years. I'm sure it originated from somewhere else, but I first discovered it from a movie many of you may have seen called "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". 

"We are meant to lose the ones we love. How else would we know how important they are to us?"

I love this quote. It is 100% true, and has taught me to view the passing of others in a whole new light. I think it's important owners realize that their dog came into their life for a reason. Whether it is to be a friend, a working companion, a life savor, or just someone to listen to, your dog is there for a reason. But just as your dog enters your life for a reason, it must leave your life for a reason as well. Sometimes, it may be hard for us to understand why they have to leave when we are not ready to say goodbye, or ready to stop that day to day love that a dog and owner share. It is just part of life. Dogs only live for an average of 12 years, while humans live for an average of 70 to 80 years. If you put it together, that adds up to be around 6 to 7 dogs for a person to own in a lifetime (if you own one dog at a time). That's 6 to 7 lives that we can share with a loving dog; each of which change our lives for the better. So, we are meant to lose the ones we love. If they were always with us, and there was never a possibility that they would ever leave us, how would we know how important they are to us?

 
Canine cancer comes as a shock to owners because there are no prominent symptoms. Cancer is something that slowly grows overtime and is often times only discovered once it is at its most fatal stage, which is almost always too late for a chance of a cure. If you're caught in this situation you may be blaming yourself. "Why did I not see this sooner?" The truth is, you most likely caught the cancer the soonest you possibly could. You should not blame yourself. To try your best at early detection of cancer you should be sure that your dog visits the vet twice a year for a checkup. The vet can check for abnormal bumps or other signs that cancer may be present. In today's society it is hard for owners to even afford a vet checkup, let alone cancer treatment. I recently interviewed  a local veterinarian and vet tech, and I learned some valuable information from them. Cancer treatments run well over $1,000. Many vet clinics will offer payment plans to help the owners afford treatment, but these plans are only offered on a limited basis. There is pet insurance, but it is frowned upon in the animal care field. This particular vet clinic only recommended getting pet insurance if you have a puppy and are just starting out with vet care. Even with these limited payment plans, owners find themselves without the money to continue. This is when euthanasia comes into the picture. Many owners come to a dead end with vet bills, and have no where to turn but to euthanasia. If you are at this point you are probably blaming yourself for the death of your dog as well. Again, you should not blame yourself. Having a dog euthanized is often the best choice for a suffering cancer dog. Euthanasia means merciful death. It is an overdose of anesthesia, and causes the animal's heart to slow to a stop without feeling any pain. I have experienced a euthanization first hand when I job shadowed a vet tech. The dog had mouth cancer, and the owner could not afford treatment so had opted to have the dog euthanized. The vet layed the dog on a table, inserted the needle, and less than a minute later the dogs eyes slowly closed: no pain or suffering involved. It is actually a very peaceful thing, knowing the dog is no longer in pain. When asked if euthansia is ethical, the vet tech I interviewed replied "Oh yes! Why let them suffer?" After experiencing the life of a suffering dog with cancer, I could not agree more. 
 
I get the notion that people look down upon cancer dogs. We feel sympathetic towards the animals, which we naturally should, but I believe that owning a dog with cancer should not be frowned upon. Think about if you were a cancer dog...would you like it if people always looked down at you with sad eyes and frowns? I think dogs have the kind of nature where their emotions are highly effected by the emotions of the people around them. If you were always looked down upon by sad faces, wouldn't that make you sad too? I'm not saying you should throw a party for your dog when it's diagnosed with cancer, but I ask that you don't think of the cancer as a curse or a burden. A dog who has cancer should be cherished. They are inspirations. Each cancer dog helps broaden the research for  treatments and cures for cancer. Each cancer dog is a guide for people with cancer. Each cancer dog has a story to spread hope and support to others. Each cancer dog was diagnosed with cancer for a reason. Sometimes it may be hard for the owners to understand that reason, but everyone should know it is not a bad reason at all. Instead of looking at cancer as a disease, as evil, or as a retched thing; view it as a lesson, as a guide, almost like a blessing. Cancer in humans has brought us farther in medical research and influenced greater technology, it has taught us the importance of living life to the fullest, it has turned us into fighters -never giver upers-, it has taught us the true meaning of hope. All of us animals lovers agree that animals are no different than humans. Cancer in dogs has brought us those same things. Is canine cancer really a curse on your dog, if something good is coming from it in the end? 
 
As part of my research I have been interviewing owners whose dogs have been affected by cancer. The more people I interview the more I respect each and every person who is experiencing the battle with canine cancer. Each time I hear or read the responses of an owner it brings tears to my eyes to hear their heart breaking stories and tough struggles. I could never even imagine myself being in their shoes. 


I know that if I ever discovered that my baby, a 7 year old chihuahua named Chloe, had cancer my whole world would crash down. As I have previously posted, half of all dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer. I can't help but to ask myself "will my dog be part of that half?" If she happens to be, I now know how to deal with it through my research for this project. However, actually dealing with it is a completely different story. I feel that most owners who first discover their dog has cancer go into a shock like state of mind. When I imagine my dogs vet telling me "Chloe has blah-blah cancer that is spreading to the blah and is already at stage blah. She may only survive for about blah more weeks" I see myself staring blankly at the vet in disbelief. I hear myself denying the vets diagnosis despite how trained he is. I see myself beginning to cry as the vet proves to me his diagnosis is in fact correct. I feel my heart sinking into my stomach; feeling more like a 10 ton weight being thrown at me, knocking me down so hard that I think I won't be able to move for a few days. I feel like I wouldn't be able to entirely move for a few days...that I would shuffle around school with my head down and never say a word to anyone in fear that if I open my mouth the only thing that would come out would be the tears running out of my eyes. Being a curious person who lives by the quote "nothing is impossible, the word itself is I'm possible" I know for a fact I would search for every possible thing I could do to help my dog. But also being a person who easily shuts down when being put down I could see myself coming up with all of these things to do but them becoming discouraged and never actually doing them. 


Throughout my journey so far with my project I have discovered that the best possible thing you can do for your dog is to never lose sight of hope. Hope is the bee to your suffering flower. Hope is the key to the locked door. Hope is the biggest underlying part of canine cancer. You cannot, no matter what, let that hope slip out of your hands. Every morning when you wake up next to your dog think of the hope and allow yourself to smile. When your dog becomes a cancer dog don't let that title discourage you, think of the hope and accept the title as an honor. If your dog passes or is euthanized as a result of cancer, still do not lose that hope. Your dog may no longer be with you, but it's time is through and it's purpose is fulfilled. Now you can help and support others going through what you experienced in the battle with canine cancer. Above all, never lose hope

I may stumble, but I will not fall
Things may be hard, but for you I will conquer all
I promise you the one thing I can
I'll never lose hope as long as I stand