Committed to Curing Cancer: Morris Animal Foundation

Judith Piper, Executive Director of Old Dog Haven, has asked that I draw your attention to the Morris Animal Foundation because of the ground-breaking work they’re funding to help cure cancer in dogs. According to John Reddington, DVM, PhD, President and CEO of Morris Animal Foundation, “Each year, an estimated six million dogs are diagnosed with cancer. The need for sustained research to develop new diagnostics, treatments and cures is critical. With help from our partners we are gaining on cancer every day.”

The above quote is especially relevant for those of you who live with an older dog because even though cancer can occur in dogs of any age, it’s more prevalent as a dog gets older. Cancer is also the leading cause of death in senior dogs, and can appear in almost any organ. It’s important to watch your dog closely and check with your veterinarian about your dog’s health.

The Morris Foundation is committed to developing new ways for veterinarians to detect canine cancer earlier, identify better-tolerated and more effective canine cancer treatments, and ultimately find a cure for this devastating disease. Recently the Morris Animal Foundation received a grant designated to specifically fund their Osteosarcoma Initiative. (Osteosarcoma is an aggressive tumor that spreads rapidly throughout the body and is the most common primary bone tumor affecting dogs.) Almost all dogs diagnosed with osteosarcoma eventually are lost to metastatic disease, making focused research in this area crucial to developing new and effective treatments.

Go to http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/ to find out more about the Morris Animal Foundation and make a donation to help their efforts.