Leia enjoying the country

Leia enjoying the country, 10.5 years old.
Leia was diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma in September 2023. She had grown a very aggressive tumor on her chest and we knew that we had to get it checked out. Her veterinarian wanted to remove the mass in hopes of getting clean margins but the surgery turned out to be long and complicated. The cancer had spread deep into Leia’s muscles and the vet was not confident that she cleared all of the cancer cells. We made the very difficult decision to not pursue further treatment. We wanted Leia to live her life, not suffer from chemotherapy and medications. Within 6 months, a new tumor grew in the same area on her chest. It was much more aggressive than the first. Her vet warned that because the surgery was so extensive the first time, Leia might not survive another. Our plan of care was to let the tumor grow until it affected her quality of life. She didn’t seem to be in pain and it didn’t seem to bother her at all, it just weighed her down when she walked. Towards the end, her vet believed that the cancer was spreading to her other organs. We said goodbye to Leia on August 9, 2024. She was 10.5 years old. Leia was the sweetest, most loving girl. In her memory, we raise awareness for canine cancer in hopes that other dogs stand a fighting chance.