SAP Joins “Smile For A Cure” For Canine Cancer | Houston Pet Photographer

     In August 2010, my beloved 4-year-old dog, Douner, was diagnosed with Lymphoma Cancer.    With this type of cancer, you are not aware the dog is sick until the cancer reaches the lymph nodes in the neck.  By the time the neck lymph nodes enlarge, the cancer has consumed the body.   When he was first diagnosed, he was given maybe 6 weeks to live.   It was so incredibly hard to watch him suffer each day.  I opted to try chemo treatments for him (the cost is incredible), which worked at first and allowed us a few more weeks of good quality of life with him, but it only delayed the eventual outcome.  We were told even if the chemo did put the cancer in remission, it might only give him maybe a year.  So we were left with no choice but to stop the chemo.   Douner passed away on Nov 26, 2010 the day after Thanksgiving.   It has been almost 2 years now, but it is still so difficult to talk about and even harder to write this post.

     Douner was 1.5 years old when we adopted him from a local shelter in Texas City.  He was a mix of Rhodesian Ridgeback and Plott Hound and became such a momma’s boy.   I signed him up for doggy day care at The Pet Palace , enrolled him in obedience class and even an agility class (he won 1st place in the final exam!)  Douner  basically raised my lil Lucy (6 wk old puppy) her first year with us and was so patient with her.  He spent hours teaching Lucy how to play and he even spent time playing with the cat.

     For a year now, I have wanted to do something to celebrate Douner’s memory so I decided to start by joining the National Canine Cancer “Smile For A Cure” campaign that runs during Aug and Sept each year.   The entire session fee of each shoot that I book specifically for this campaign, goes directly to the National Canine Cancer fund.

     I hope each and every one of you will take a moment to read and think about purchasing a session and also pass this on to anyone that you think may be interested.

     I am available for sessions starting Aug. 8 in Houston/Galveston.  Sessions must be booked with me in advance.  Email or call me for more details and to book a session.