Not much has been known about Pistachio’s life before he was surrendered to a shelter in Ohio.
When the Beagle arrived at the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter, he was sick and needed lots of medical care. His owners didn’t have the means to get him treatment, so they opted to give him up.
Thankfully, a team of dedicated vets and their staff got him into surgery. The little pooch was operated on for an inguinal hernia. The procedure was successful, but during the process, one of the vets noticed a mass in the dog’s body. He removed it and had the suspected tumor biopsied.
The test result was devastating. Pistachio has cancer.
Common in dogs
The lovable Beagle was diagnosed with lymphoma. It is an aggressive form of cancer and one of the most common types found in dogs. The cancer cells attack the lymph nodes and then spread to other organs.
There are treatments available, like chemotherapy, but most of the time, a dog with lymphoma is given a few months to survive. If they are lucky, they can have several years.
When the shelter staff learned about Pistachio’s condition, they were crushed. How could such a happy and carefree dog have his life cut short? But they were not about to give up. He deserves to have a long life.
Pistachio underwent several treatments, including chemotherapy. Amazingly, he responded well. The cancer cells were prevented from spreading further and have been significantly reduced.
A new family
The amiable Beagle became more lively and playful. The staff adored him and wanted to see him find a good family. His battle against cancer gave the dog a lot of exposure and made him a local celebrity.
People cheered and wished him well. And soon, applications for his adoption started pouring in. After careful consideration, they found a family that suited Pistachio very well. He even had a new canine sister in his new home.
Pistachio will continue his treatments to prevent the cancer cells from coming back. Hopefully, he will have a long and happy life with his new family.
Source: Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter via Facebook
