The U.S. military is failing its canine veterans. Inside one Marine’s fight to save her dog.
LOS ANGELES — Something was wrong with Baddy. It had been eight months since Charlsie Hoffman adopted the handsome 10-year-old Belgian Malinois, and together they had gotten used to taking long, uneventful walks around the neighborhood. Today started out the same. The sun was shining. The palms were swaying. And then, suddenly, Baddy stopped.
Hoffman tugged on his leash, but Baddy wouldn’t budge. “We didn’t even walk that far,” Hoffman says. “I knew it was a hot day, but…” Her voice trails off. “Baddy tried to pee. He couldn’t. And then he lay down. I could just tell.”
Hoffman was right. After a series of tests, the veterinarian confirmed that Baddy had prostate cancer. “I dropped to my knees and broke down,” Hoffman says. “It was like I had been hit by a car. I was like, ‘Why? Not only does Baddy have to die, but he has to suffer?’ It seemed so wrong.”
The doctor reviewed Baddy’s treatment options. They could experiment with chemotherapy, which is hit-or-miss and would probably make Baddy feel even worse. They could remove his prostate altogether, which would make him incontinent. Or they could try something called IMRT — intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Fewer side effects, a better chance of shrinking the tumor. Without IMRT, Baddy would probably be dead in four months; with it, he could live another two years. They both agreed that it was the best option. The only drawback? The treatment would cost Hoffman $12,000.
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/the-u-s-military-is-failing-its-canine-veterans-117867436181.html