Give Cancer the Paw: How You Can Help

It seems we're loosing way too many pets to cancer these days.

I don't know if it seems that way because my awareness is heightened after losing Cosmo Havanese to cancer 10 months ago or if it's because cancer is truly on the rise. Either way, the facts don't lie. According the National Canine Cancer Foundation:

• 12 million cats and dogs are diagnosed with cancer every year
• Cancer affects one out of every three dogs
• Half of all dogs diagnosed will die from cancer

But even with these grim statistics there's hope. Cancer is not a death sentence -- amazing advances in treatments can provide some pets with high quality of life for years to come.

So when we heard about the Give Cancer the Paw Blog Hop, which kicks off today, we wanted to participate to help share some of the information we gathered from our cancer experience, and how you can help.

Fundraise for cancer research 

Just last weekend we participated in the Puppy Up! Atlanta walk to help raise funds and awareness for cancer research through the 2 Million Dogs organization. You can learn more about it and look for a walk in your area here.

Many of this year's walks have already taken place, but you can keep them on your radar for next year or start up a walk in your area.

Photo by ABJ Photography

We had a terrific time walking in the Puppy Up! walk with Rocco... who always has a terrific time!

Support the National Canine Cancer Foundation

This November, PetCareRx is teaming up with the National Canine Cancer Foundation to spread the word about National Pet Cancer Awareness Month.

You can join in the effort to raise $5,000 for the NCCF. For every "like" on the PetCareRX Facebook page, they'll donate 50 cents to the foundation. 

Fuel the Love to Fuel the Cure with Zuke's

Today, Zuke's announced a new social media campaign titled "Fuel the Love to Fuel the Cure"to help support The Dog and Cat Cancer Fund (DCCFund), a non-profit organization dedicated to understanding, treating and preventing canine and feline cancer. 

This campaign will invite and inspire Zuke’s fans to share photos and videos of their dogs in action and loving life. For every person who follows @ZukesPets on Instagram or Twitter and tags their action-packed photo or video with #FuelTheLove, Zuke’s will donate $5 to The Dog and Cat Cancer Fund up to $10,000.

Here are a few more resources to help with coping with cancer:

• Pet360 has started a pet cancer support group
• This quality of life scale helps pet caregivers determine the current state of their pet's day to day existence and can help guide future care
• This article I wrote on dealing with pet loss includes additional resources and support group

We're joining the first Give Cancer the Paw Blog Hop, co-hosted by Peggy's Pet Place and Pooches Smooches. Check out the blogs in the linky below for more helpful information about pet cancer.

Help us fight cancer with Puppy Up! Atlanta Walk Nov. 3

Even if you're not in Atlanta, you can join us in the fight against cancer. Here's how!

For Atlanta folks

In Atlanta, you can join the Puppy Up! walk to help raise funds for cancer research. The walk is organized by 2 Million Dogs, a national nonprofit organization that funds comparative oncology research benefiting both pets and people.

Date: November 3, 2013

Time: 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Location: Jim Miller Park Marietta, GA

Preregistration by October 30 is $20 per person; free for kids 14 and under. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. Registration the day of the walk is $25 per person. Participants may bring up to two dogs each. All dogs must be four months or older, up to date on vaccinations and must be on a 6-foot or shorter leash (no retractable leashes). Water for dogs and waste bags will be provided.

You can register to walk here.

For folks outside of Atlanta area

Please consider making a donation on our fundraising page. Rocco and I will be walking in memory of Cosmo Havanese who lost his battle with lung cancer late last year. Remember, no donation is too small (or too large!). We are thankful for anything our pals can do to help in the fight against canine cancers.

You can also check here for a walk in your area.

Some recent 2 Million Dogs projects

The organization donated $80,000 for a comparative oncology study of mammary tumors at Princeton University in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. The project treats shelter dogs with mammary tumors and then studies tissues to understand how breast cancer metastasizes in women.

More recently, 2 Million Dogs contributed $20,000 to fund a study on osteosarcoma (bone cancer) at MIT and Harvard’s Broad Institute, which is studying eleven breeds disproportionately affected by osteosarcoma.

2 Million Dogs is also providing $80,000 to Animal Medical Center of New York to study transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), the most common type of bladder cancer veterinarians diagnose, and a difficult cancer to treat.

Please help us help fight cancers in canines and people too!