Dog-Mama, KT, here. We are writing this to ask you to help keep celebrating and uplifting the health of our beloved pup, Cocoa Bean. I’m going to do a little biography and then outline the needs for her care.

 

 

Before we chose a pet, my sister and I ruminated on names and agreed “Cocoa Bean” was a dreamy combination of cute, funny, and loving. When we met our pup, she came with the name, and we knew she was our meant-to-be-family. She was an immediate point of connection to help hold my family member’s individual and collective broken hearts together. She entered our family’s life during serious economic and emotional trials as we navigated the Great Recession, restructuring our family dynamic, and juggling too much hurt. She joined us as a vulnerable mop of a puppy, with a broken left rear leg. We adopted her at about 5 months old in October 2008.

Her demure attitude quickly melted as she healed and showed us how much she loved us and was meant to be our family. Always available to share an adventure, snack or snuggle, she is motivated by her love of people and her love of food. She has bounced between households, dinner parties, adventures, and daily life with gusto. She was with me at the beginning of Lars and I’s courtship, our transition from my apartment with my dad and sister to a group house, marriage, jobs, buying our home, the birth of our human baby, Alisa, helped us survive the pandemic and so many other changes. Bean has aged some, and may have become more territorial with the addition of her human sibling, but seeing her zeal to herd Alisa shows me home much she loves our little kid, too.

 

In March, Bean had great bloodwork and checkup results, but late spring, started to slow down, sleep more, leap less, eat less. At first, we thought she was moody after a week fostering a lost dog, but it didn’t seem right. It wasn’t like her, she had recently been bounding with our toddler around the playard with the toddlers. The vet was booked and we finally got a slot in early June. At that appointment, June 6th, an x ray revealed a mass everywhere her intestines should have been and they referred us to an emergency vet for ultrasounds. The ultrasound revealed a large mass on her spleen. Full of shock and tears, we listened as they explained that many times, such masses, especially large ones, might be benign. We were told it was non-emergent and to try and schedule a surgery but keep her comfortable at home and watch for loss of strength, vomiting, or blood. The surgeons were booked for weeks before we could get a consult, but June 18th, I got worried when she wouldn’t get out of bed and we went back to emergency vet. Thankfully, they worked diligently to move up her consult date to June 22nd and find a clinically appropriate surgery time. They kept her overnight and prepped her with fluids. We borrowed and made a plan and she successfully made it through splenectomy surgery on June 23rd. We were able to bring her home a day later, June 24th. While we are overjoyed and enjoyed her rebound at home, we patiently prayed over the coming biopsy results.

Yesterday the surgeon called and shared that the biopsy revealed a sarcoma and that they can’t tell if it is liposarcoma or histiocitic sarcoma cancer without more testing. We have been referred to veterinarian oncology. So far all this has cost over $10,000 and completely tapped our savings. Beyond that, the hospital accidentally charged us twice so we had to borrow additional funds. Pride and ego would keep me from asking for help, but I know that there is strength in vulnerability. I know many of our loved ones like you share a relationship and memories of your own with her .

 

She is in the first week of recovery from her surgery and is showing us, she is still the robust Poodle Queen that has been a long-time muse of our hearts, 14 years old or not. Her appetite and gusto have come back with zeal. I know a tumor sounds scary, but she’s shown us how well she takes care of us and herself. She’s showing us she has more life to live and share. Our pets are our family and if you are reading this page, it’s likely you already know and love her, too. I hope you’ll help us prepare for the next phase of her care. It’s worth it to honor her needs as best we can. We love you and appreciate hers and our community coming to her aid.