This months article is a little different but I think it’s an important one since it’s one that affects so many of our agility Goldens.

In August of 2005 our lovable 5-year-old Kenzi was diagnosed with Canine Lymphoma.  Of course we were devastated as she was so young and at the height of her performance career.  As most of you know canine lymphoma has no cure and the thought losing Kenzi was horrifying.  We consulted with several doctors, many of them experts in the area of canine cancers.  The majority of them suggested a long, extensive chemotherapy program that might add at least a few more years to her life.  Our main concern was her comfort and health so we entered into this chemotherapy protocol very cautiously, agreeing from the beginning that if Kenzi showed any signs of great discomfort we’d reconsider our options. 

We consulted with the experts again on what Kenzi would be able to do while on Chemo and the best advice came from one of the leading canine cancer centers in the US , the CSU veterinary center in Ft. Collins , CO .   They said do whatever she would normally do.  Treat her as normal as possible and don’t, absolutely DON’T treat her like she’s sick.  That’s just what we did; we went on with fun as usual.  Just a few weeks into her treatments Kenzi earned her USDAA Agility Dog Championship title at the regional competition in Ft. Worth Texas .  A month later she earned her MACH2 in front of the home crowd in Colorado .  In November she went to USDAA Nationals in Scottsdale and participated in many events including a celebrity exhibition where she was handled by an agility celebrity from England and dock dog jumping where she earned her first qualifying ribbon.   Just before her last treatment, Kenzi traveled with us to Tampa , Florida where she competed in the AKC Nationals.   This little wonder dog streamed right though an 18-week protocol and never blinked an eye.  She was never sick, never acted depressed, and never stopped playing.  Her Doctors call her the Lance Armstrong of dogs.

Just a few weeks into her therapy she went into remission and is still there today.  Of course we’re hoping she will stay in remission for many, many years to come and we pray that she will be one of the 5% that is lucky enough to never have it come back.  But if that doesn’t happen we will always remember the fun she’s having right now.

One thing you find out during an experience like this is who your friends are and I can’t tell you how important that is.  It’s not that we didn’t meet with some resistance, a handful of people were very unsupportive and felt we were doing harm to Kenzi and that she shouldn’t continue competing in agility.  Our true friends stood up for us and celebrated Kenzi’s successes; it was these people who kept us feeling very positive and encouraged.  Watching Kenzi do agility one would know how happy she was and that she belonged in the ring.  She runs with speed and vigor and barks with joy on every run.  To not let her play the game she loves would have been the worst thing we could do.   Two of Kenzi’s biggest fans are her cancer internist Dr. Michelle Ritt and her primary Vet Dr. Kim Horsley, their continued support, care and concern helped me through many a difficult day.   Both doctors are agility competitors so they knew how important keeping her life normal was.   As far as Kenzi is concerned there’s nothing different in her life except for more frequent trips to the Vet’s office for which she gets a giant cookie.  She always greets Dr. Ritt with a big smile, lots of chatter and a search through her pockets for cookies.   She pulled and tugged on her leash dragging me into the Vet’s office for over 18 visits and never showed any signs of discomfort.  She is truly a wonder dog and continues to teach me many lessons about life, friends, and happiness.

Kenzi is also part of a study that is being done on canine cancers and hopefully it will one day lead to ways to improve the outcome and quality of life of dogs with cancer.  It might also lead to an improved understanding of the genetic basis of canine cancer and could lead to recommendations for judicious breeding practices and prevention strategies.  If you would like more information on this study being done by Dr. Jaime Modiano at the AMC Cancer Research Center and University of Colorado Health Sciences center please read the article by Ann Hubbs at http://www.everythinggolden.com/cancer_study.htm , visit the research center website at www.akcchf.org  or feel free to contact me at goldenpaws@qwest.net.  

Kenzi and I have adopted a song by Lee Ann Womack and the words tell it all.  I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance, never settle for the path of least resistance.  Living might mean taking chances and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.  Kenzi and I will continue to dance for as long as she wants to and we invite you all to dance too.

Return to the current Agility article