Rescue Tail / Aspen

By Tara McFarland

Sometimes the hardest stories are the ones we never know. Aspen, as we have now named her, was a lone Husky with an enormous mass on her neck, full of fleas, found wandering aimlessly on the back roads in nowhere Big Pine Key. It appeared she had been dumped, left on her own, unaware of her surroundings. When a Good Samaritan called to report he had spotted her, Aspen came to him gently, happy to have found a human who would keep her safe.

At our Marathon Campus, we checked for any form of identification, any clues as to where she came from and whom she belonged to. Without a collar, tags, or a microchip, we had nothing to do but wait and see if anyone came forward missing their beloved old dog. As the days went by our hearts sank deeper that nobody was looking for this sweet dog.

After the five-day stray hold was up, our concerns to find her family turned to the mass on her neck. It was incredibly large, softball sized, ulcerated and angry looking. She stoically showed no pain, but certainly the growth was causing her discomfort.

Dr. Aundria DelPino of Marathon Veterinary Hospital performed the delicate procedure to remove the formidable mass. After surgery all that was left was an impressive scar from the back of her ear all the way down her neck. Despite her age, Aspen recovered quickly and enjoyed all the extra attention she was receiving from our loving staff and volunteers.

That’s when we received the report from the Laboratory. Cancer. Matrical carcinoma to be exact. With a slew of follow-up bloodwork and radiographs, our relief came from knowing that it did not appear that the cancer had metastasized anywhere. Thankfully, Dr. DelPino had taken good margins and with the cancer removed, and not present anywhere else,  she is currently cancer-free and her prognosis is good.

Aspen is incredible. She is kind and gentle. She has a wonderful easy-going demeanor. She has met other dogs at the shelter, cats, and even kittens. She gently takes a treat from your hand, sleeps quietly throughout the day and wants nothing more than a family of her own and someone to take love her for the rest of her days. Adopting a senior dog is one of the most rewarding experiences. The love you give a senior dog is returned in gratitude for giving an older animal a chance to live the rest of their life with a renewed sense of comfort knowing they are forever safe. Aspen is looking for that family and is available to adopt at our Marathon Campus. Visit us at https://fkspca.org/adopt/adopt-a-dog/, to complete an adoption questionnaire for Aspen. Whoever her next family may be, they are certainly lucky to have the chance to have Aspen as their beloved companion.