Canine Cancer Medallions for You and Your Dog

Sampson models his new Magic Bullet Fund medallon to show his support for this important canine cancer resource.

 The Magic Bullet Fund (MBF) is offering some beautiful stainless steel medallions for both dogs and people, to raise awareness of canine cancer and to give you one more way to show your support for this great organization.  The front of the medallion features the MBF logo, and the back, features the words “Fight Canine Cancer” and the MBF website address.   

The Magic Bullet Fund is the only canine cancer group that exclusively focuses on providing financial assistance to dog guardians who cannot afford the lifesaving cancer treatments that their dog needs. 

Imagine finding out that your dog has cancer, and that it’s treatable, but not having the resources to help him or her fight.  It is a heartbreaking situation that so many people face, especially during these tough economic times.

As a program of the Perseus Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all donations to The Magic Bullet Fund are tax deductible, and your dollars go directly to the veterinary clinics providing pre-approved cancer treatments as they are provided.  In addition, the families that are approved to receive MBF funds are also required to help raise funds for their own dog with MBF’s assistance.  The Magic Bullet Fund is an extremely effiencient and responsible organization where no donation dollars go to waste.

MBF currently has three different options for you to obtain one of these canine cancer medallions.

• With a $25 donation, you will receive a medallion for your dog OR one on a chain for yourself or a friend.
• With a $40 donation, you will receive both medallions.
• With a $50 donation to one of the dogs currently needing funding, you will receive both medallions PLUS a signed copy of the book “Help Your Dog Fight Cancer” by Laurie Kaplan, the founder and administrator of the Magic Bullet Fund. (This is our Top Pick for Must-Have Canine Cancer Books.)

This is a great way to support a very important organization, and to let others know that you are dedicated to fighting canine cancer.  These items would also make a great gift for someone whose dog is currently fighting cancer, to show them how much you care. 

For more information about The Magic Bullet Fund or to order your canine cancer medallions, visit: www.themagicbulletfund.org.

For additional canine cancer information, resources, or support, visit the Georgia’s Legacy website at: www.fightcaninecancer.com.

Dogs on the Cat Walk in WI on August 1

Join us for “Dogs on the Cat Walk” on Saturday, August 1, to help raise money for the National Canine Cancer Foundation.  Hosted by 3 Goldens and a Gator Pet Boutique, this fun event will feature:

• Dog Fashion Trends for 2009
• Pet Photography
• Animal Rescue Groups
• Healthy Food & Treats
• Silent Auction, with all proceeds benefiting the National Canine Cancer Foundation.

Date:          Saturday, August 1
Time:         10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location:  3 Goldens and a Gator Pet Boutique
                  5200 Douglas Ave., Ste. C
                  Racine, WI

3 Goldens and a Gator Pet Boutique owner Jennifer Hartman with Gator and her three Goldens.

3 Goldens and a Gator was established by Jennifer Hartman in 2008, to provide pet owners with a unique shopping experience featuring high quality food and natural treats, specialty dog accessories and gifts, apparel for you and your pup, dog beds and so much more!  Jennifer decided to host this event after losing one of her beloved Goldens, Sota, to cancer. 

So, if you live in SE Wisconsin, please come out to 3 Goldens and a Gator on Saturday, August 1, to support canine cancer research and treatment.  Georgia’s Legacy will be there too! 

For more information or to find out how you can help OR if you would like your dog to be one of the fashion models, visit www.3goldensandagator.com, or email Jennifer at 3goldensandagator@att.net.

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For more information about canine cancer and Wisconsin area resources, visit
Georgia’s Legacy at www.FightCanineCancer.com.

New Hope for Dogs with Brain Tumors

The National Canine Cancer Foundation shared this news article about a new treatment option for dogs with brain cancer that has been developed at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. 

Not only is this exciting for those who have watched their dogs suffer from Glioma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, but also because this research may lead to new treatments for other forms of systemic cancers.  According to the Dean of the College, Trevor Ames, DVM, MS, “the far-reaching implications of this promising new treatment are almost difficult to fathom; not only could these treatments lead to a cure for brain and other systemic cancers in dogs, but because dogs and humans share many physiological traits, dogs could also be the missing link in the cure for brain cancer in humans.”

Five dogs have received this treatment so far, and have shown promising results.   As a result, the University is now formally opening the clinical trials to other dogs with primary brain tumors. According to their website, “treatment will occur through the canine brain tumor clinical trials program. The trial team currently has funding to treat up to 50 dogs but that number could soon exceed 100 if additional grants and charitable donations come through.”  They are actively looking for dogs who may qualify.

For more information about the clinical trials, call the UW-Minnesota Small Animal Surgery appointment line at 612-625-8755 or 612-626-8387 or visit their website at www.cvm.umn.edu.  Or to donate to support this research effort, contact Sharon Staton, director of advancement, at 612-624-1247, or e-mail her at stato001@umn.edu.

PDF of Clincal Trial Flyer: http://www.cvm.umn.edu/prod/groups/cvm/@pub/@cvm/documents/asset/cvm_asset_117295.pdf

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Batman’s Treatment Now Available to Other Dogs with Brain Tumors

By Fran Howard

Batman with Dr. John Ohlfest and Dr. Liz Pluhar

Batman, the first dog to undergo a breakthrough experimental treatment for brain cancer, has become a poster dog for the revolutionary therapy. The pointy, black ears of the 10-year-old German shepherd mixed breed dog gave the cancer-surviving superhero his name, but his doctors and a novel therapy gave him back his life. Without treatment, Batman was not expected to survive past Halloween 2008. Given the circumstances, one wonders whether Batman’s doctors, G. Elizabeth Pluhar, D.V.M., Ph.D., and John Ohlfest, Ph.D., aren’t the true superheroes.

The University’s dynamic duo developed a combination treatment plan for dogs with glioma, a very aggressive and relatively common form of brain cancer. The treatment, which has given Batman a new lease on life, is now available to other dogs with brain cancer. The three-pronged approach to treatment consists of surgical removal of the tumor, treatment of the surgical site with a form of gene therapy to attract immune cells to destroy remaining tumor cells, and administration of an anti-cancer vaccine made from the dog’s own cancer cells to prevent tumor recurrence.

Pluhar, a surgeon at the Veterinary Medical Center, and Ohlfest, head of the neurosurgery gene therapy program at the Masonic Cancer Center, gave Batman his initial treatment in August 2008. Today, the neurological deficits that led to his diagnosis have been almost eliminated.

“We documented an anti-tumor immune response that has correlated quite well with tumor regression,” says Ohlfest. In other words, the treatment appears to have worked, and the implications could be far-reaching for both animals and humans.

“There is the potential for this type of therapy to be used on nearly any type of
systemic cancer in dogs, not just brain cancer, because the immune response covers the entire body,” says Pluhar. “I’m hopeful this therapy may in time be used for other types of systemic cancer in dogs.”

Through funding from government agencies and private foundations, Ohlfest and Pluhar have treated four other dogs for similar tumors. The second dog to receive treatment exhibited an impressive tumor regression following six vaccinations, and Ohlfest and Pluhar are optimistic that the other dogs will show similar responses.

Canine brain cancer therapy has been organized within the brain tumor clinical trials program, and the treatment team has funding to treat up to 50 dogs. That number could soon exceed 100 if additional funding is achieved.

The cost of therapy for one dog can range from $10,000 to $20,000. However, dogs with tumors that originate within the brain may be eligible for the brain tumor clinical trials program. The program will cover the vast majority of treatment costs while a dog remains in a trial. 
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If you or someone you know has been affected by canine cancer, please visit the Georgia’s Legacy website at www.fightcaninecancer.com for information, resources and support to help.

New Canine Cancer Drug Approved by FDA

Palladia is the first FDA approved therapy to treat mast cell tumors in dogs.

Pfizer Animal Health announced yesterday that the FDA has approved the first drug to exclusively treat canine cutaneous mast cell cancer.  Up until now, dogs with cancer have been treated using human cancer drugs, with modified protocols. 

Palladia, which is given orally, has been in development since 2000, and has demonstrated very positive results in dogs with mast cell tumors.  According to Pfizer, 60% of dogs receiving this therapy showed positive results including a complete disappearance of the tumor(s). 

Mast cell tumors are the second most common type of tumors among dogs.  They are especially common among breeds such as Bulldogs, Boxers, Pugs and Boston Terriers.  Because mast cells are found throughout the body, they can appear virtually anywhere, and tumors are often overlooked or misdiagnosed in their early stages.  They are often considered the “great imitators.”  It is important to not that some mast cell tumors can be benign.  Only through cytologic testing can a veterinary professional determine the grade of tumor and whether or not it is malignant.

• For more information about Mast Cell Tumors and pictures as they can appear, CLICK HERE to visit the CanineCancerAwareness.org website.

• To read more about Palladia and how it is used to treat canine cancer, CLICK HERE to read the full press release from Pfizer Animal Health.

• CLICK HERE for a story from FoxNews.com about Palladia.

For more information and resources related to canine cancer, please visit the Georgia’s Legacy website at www.FightCanineCancer.com.