Pulse - September 2021 - 29

ANIMAL HEALTH FOUNDATION
ANGEL FUND
Angel Fund Helps Brutus'
Human Parents Get Him
Needed Surgery
A
few months ago, Lisa and Joe Smith took
Brutus, their yellow 12-year-old dog to
see Dr. Kelly Alcala at Monarch Veterinary
Hospital in Laguna Nigel. The dog had a
tumor that originally had been diagnosed as
benign but it had started growing quickly, bleeding
and breaking open.
" The doctor determined that the tumor was malignant
and needed to be removed, " Lisa said. " In addition, "
she said, " Brutus had nine teeth that were infected and
also should be removed. And she recommended that this
be done at the same time because the infection in his
mouth could lead to other issues. "
While the ageing dog has had some leg problems, he
had been in good condition, Lisa said. " But Dr. Alcala
thought it was best not to put him through additional
tests to determine if the cancer had spread. "
Lisa and Joe could not afford the recommended surgery.
So they asked the doctor about ways to cut the cost,
including perhaps only doing part of the recommended
treatment. Dr. Alcala suggested seeking an Angel Fund
grant. The Smiths applied and were granted $500, a sum
matched by the hospital.
" Thanks to Angel Fund, Brutus was able to receive all
of the treatment he badly needed, " Lisa said. " We love
our dogs but we did not have the cash available to cover
a surgery like this.
" We are so grateful to the Angel Fund! We really don't
know what we would have done without it. Our pets
are part of our family. Being in a position where we
could not afford the care for any one of them is heartbreaking.
We are trying to adjust our own means so we
will never be in that situation again. "
Today, she said, Brutus is a new dog. " The surgery was
a lot for him. He spent a few days sedated. But when the
staples came out and he could ditch the donut, he was as
happy as ever.
" He doesn't have the energy he used to have because
of his age but he has times during the day when he plays
and is enjoying life - followed by a nice nap. "
The Smiths acquired Brutus when he was about eight
weeks old.
" My daughter went to the mall with my husband
one day and saw him in the pet store and fell in love
with him, " Lisa said. " The next day I went back to purchase
him. At the time we had an elderly yellow lab
named Cowboy, who was alone most of the day while
the kids were in school or daycare and Joe and I were at
work. We thought, and were right, that a puppy might
be a nice companion and playmate for him.
" We think Brutus extended his life by a few
years. Cowboy passed when he was 13 years old. Brutus
is now our old guy and his a " little brother " is Cash. Cash
is now six and looks up to Brutus. " P
PULSE
" Our pets are part of our family. Being in a position where we
could not afford the care for any one of them is heartbreaking.
We are trying to adjust our own means so we will never be in
that situation again. "
SEPTEMBER 2021
29
Pulse - September 2021

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