****Please make sure to read latest update in the update section also*****

On July 1st, we discovered a small lump about the size of a quarter on Memphis' side. We went ahead and scheduled an appointment to go get it checked out for the next day. The initial visit with the vet didn't seem to be too concerning, but we scheduled surgery for 2 weeks out regardless to get it removed. Within 2-3 days of the initial vet visit, the lump had grown into the size of a golf ball and became more concerning - back to the vet we went and we upped the surgery to one week out. Within 2 days again, the lump had grown into a tennis ball and Memphis was struggling to breathe. At this point, we were advised by our vet to head over to Access Specialty Animal Hospital because this needed immediate attention.

Upon arrival, they immediately placed Memphis into an "oxygen cage" to help alleviate her struggled breathing while they performed x-rays, CT scans, and blood work. Regardless of what was causing this lump, it needed to be removed ASAP for Memphis would not have made it through the night. The next morning on July 7th, Memphis had emergency surgery to remove this lump - this included removing 5 of her ribs (dogs have 13 on each side), repairing her diaphragm that the mass had attached to, and draining the bleeding in the area around her lungs which involved 2 chest tubes. Multiple hours of surgery and 70 staples later, the mass, along with her ribs and surrounding tissues had been removed by her surgeon, Dr. Sherman. Below is an overview of Memphis body from above - the yellow circle below is the mass itself, blue is the blood and fluid that built up making it difficult for her to breathe, and the white circle is her heart that was being pushed over from the center.

Memphis spent 6 nights after surgery recovering and being monitored by Access and their team and was finally able to come home with us while we awaited biopsy results from the removed mass and ribs to determine the cause of this incident.

About a week later we got the biopsy results, and they confirmed that Memphis had a very aggressive osteosarcoma tumor (cancer of the bone). Fortunately, Dr. Sherman was able to remove the mass and miraculously achieve clear margins. However, due to the aggressiveness of this tumor and type of cancer, it has been recommended that Memphis continues treatments and gets a few rounds of chemotherapy to help reduce the chances of another growth coming back and prolong her livelihood with the least possible complications. With chemotherapy and continued monitored treatment, Memphis has a much better than expected prognosis and the chance to give us some more great years.

Currently, Memphis is at home, doing well, and resting, and we have scheduled an appointment to follow up with an oncologist for continued treatment.

If you have seen us within the last 4 years of Memphis life, you have seen Memphis. We take her practically everywhere we go whether it's in the ocean, the everglades, the pickleball courts, Home Depot trips, you name it. She has been an absolute rock in our lives and means so much not just to us, but to everyone she has come into contact with and grown to love over these years due to her sweet disposition and (large) attitude in such a small body.

We are reaching out via GoFundMe because transparently, this has taken a large financial toll on us and due to the complexity and severity of the situation, the pet insurance is not looking like they are going to help out any... Out of pocket, we have spent about $25,000 on the surgery and recovery, and the additional chemotherapy and treatments will only add to that number. If Memphis has made an impact on your life and you're willing to, everything is going to go to her continued treatment and help re-coup the expenses thus far. For anyone willing and able to help, we thank you so much and so does Memphis, even a little bit means everything to all of us.