This is Cocoa Puff, she is my dog. Unfortunately she was used for breeding over and over until she was too old to be of use to her owner, then she was dumped on Craigslist as "free to a good home". The irony of that always gets me. These people don't want the animal any more and haven't provided a good home but now they demand one for their pet. Anyway, a rescue picked her up and got her spayed and had a dental done.

   We adopted her about a month later. She had many health issues due to the lack of medical care and repeated breedings. After about a year, we found out she  had mammary(breast)cancer. This cancer is one of the easiest canine cancers to prevent. Spay your dog before she ever comes into heat and she will have no chance of getting this cancer.  Poor Cocoa Puff was not spayed but rather used to make money for her owner. Cocoa Puff died just over a year ago after three cancer surgeries. She didn't actually die from cancer but rather from heart failure brought on by all her other health problems.

   Sunny Bottorff knows the agony of losing a dog to cancer all too well. She lost her beloved Cocker Spaniel, Sierra-Nevada, just weeks after she was diagnosed with cancer. Sunny wanted to do something to help so she started the Sierra-Nevada Canine Cancer Foundation. Their signature event, the Paws 4 Hope Now canine cancer walk is this Saturday, October 1. Here's more info about the walk and how to register, Paws 4 Hope Now. I've heard that Pet Pals own Patty Spitler will be there as well.

   Hope to see you on Saturday to help celebrate those like Cocoa Puff that we've lost too soon and those dogs that are still winning their battles. It's a very family friendly event and is a celebration of lives and a chance to educate people about cancer in dogs. It's estimated that one in three dogs will get cancer at some point in their lives but many people don't realize that our pets can get cancer too.