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Echo and radiation tech Sandy at Red Bank Veterinary
Echo's Story by Echo's Foster Mom
Echo came to me in February as a foster with special needs. In retrospect his initial problems were very easy to solve; the company of a couple of other greyhounds and a change of diet took care of his issues quickly and easily, and after a check-up at the vet to make sure things were "ok" Echo was ready for adoption...but not quite yet. A bump that developed, the size of a pea, on his head and above his eye, had us concerned. Within a few days it had grown to the size of a marble, we consulted with the vet and a decision was made to have it removed since, benign or not, it was very close to his eye. When we returned to have his stitches removed the results of the biopsy were not good; Echo had a soft tissue sarcoma, moderately aggressive and moderately advanced. While the decision to have it removed quickly was a good one, more would need to be done....
Echo went to see oncologist Dr. Hainey at Red Bank Veterinary hospital who explained that Echo's cancer was not likely to reoccur in another spot, but he would need radiation and chemotherapy as treatment. Things had gone from bad to worse for this poor little guy but, despite the cost and the time that it would take to give Echo a chance to survive this cancer, the decision was made to go forward with treatment.
Echo completed his 19 treatments of radiation, and like any keen 2-yr old greyhound he really looked forward to his visits to Red Bank so he could stalk the other patients. The staff really enjoyed his enthusiasm and his playful personality. Thankfully. He continues on with his chemotherapy with occasional check-ups.
Those of us who have had greyhounds know there is a special time in the dogs life when changes occur, when the greyhound realizes that things are different, that life is not just about running anymore, when they learn what it is to be a pet instead of a "track dog". Echo went through these changes during his cancer treatment, trusting and loving the people around him despite the discomfort he must have felt.
I have often thought about what would have happened to Echo if he wasn't fortunate enough to find his way to our group. Because of the support that GFNJ gets from its members a "should we" situation never became a "can we" situation. That is truly a blessing. Cancer has taken many of our greyhounds from us and like any foster mom I was floored when confronted by it in such a young dog but his chances for a long and healthy life - cancer free- are excellent. The tremendous amount of support and generosity you have given to this group has given Echo - and thousands of other greyhounds who have come through our doors- a chance to become more than "track dogs", it has given them a chance to find loving homes, despite the odds.
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