Pit Bull With Volleyball-Sized Tumor Gets Adopted By Vet Tech
Andrea Powell
Libby, a 5-year-old pit bull, arrived at The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County with the largest mass they have ever seen on her front leg. The staff immediately fell in love with her sweet demeanor and were determined to help her.
They recalled, "When we laid eyes on Libby, the first thing we noticed was her sweet face and kind eyes.
The second thing we noticed was the volleyball-size mass on her shoulder."
An examination and X-ray confirmed what they feared most, cancer.
"There was a massive tumor in the bone of her upper right leg, causing reactive inflammation that swelled her leg to the size of a volleyball and made her almost immobile with pain," wrote the shelter.
The only option to save her life was to amputate the leg.
The community also fell in love with her and generously donated towards her care. The 10-pound mass and her right leg were amputated by the expert medical team at Blue Pearl.
During her recovery, she touched the heart of one of the veterinary technicians who cared for her. The shelter recently shared the wonderful news that Libby found her forever home.
"After witnessing Libby’s loving spirit firsthand, what happened next came as no surprise. A veterinary technician immediately fell in love and decided to adopt sweet Libby—even after learning of her diagnosis of aggressive bone cancer and that her time left on earth may be limited."
Libby will live the rest of her days surrounded by people who love her, and that is all any dog wants. She has been renamed Wiggles because she is such a happy dog who enjoys playing with her canine and human siblings. She also enjoys naps on the couch wrapped in warm blankets.
"There’s something in her eyes that begs for love and safety," her new mom told the shelter. "I couldn’t turn away from that."
More pets in need of medical care continue to arrive. "As Washington State’s largest-intake animal shelter, we see some of the worst cases of abuse and neglect. And this summer has been especially challenging. Each day, more pets arrive than the last, filling our kennels and stretching our resources to the limit."
Check out their website to see how you can help and scroll through the adoptable dogs here to find your new best friend.
