Late this winter, Bridgette began developing a few lumps along her mammary glands and Jeff became very concerned. Examination on March 8th revealed that Bridgette had some breast lumps that were very suspicious for cancer. Jeff immediately scheduled Bridgette for diagnostic workup and surgery to perform a mastectomy and biopsy to determine the exact nature of Bridgettes breast disease. 

Bridgette came through the very extensive surgery performed on March 15 with flying colors!  She was in for a medical progress exam on March 29 and her wounds healed beautifully. Biopsy results, however, were not so favorable. The pathologist diagnosis for Bridgette's mammary tumor was a Grade 3 mammary carcinoma. Grade 3 indicates a high level of malignancy with a 30-40% chance that the cancer has already spread by metastasis.  

Jeff was hit hard by the guarded prognosis given in Bridgette's case, but his optomism and love for his dog remains strong. After consultation with an oncologist specialist at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, we are hopeful that a cycle of chemotherapy will destroy any potential remaining cancer cells. Jeff wants to give Bridgette the best chance to beat this disease, so she will begin a 12 week chemotherapy treatment course that will involve intravenous medication given once every three weeks for 4 cycles. The Oncology professor from the UW indicated that research in the area of chemotherapy for breast cancer for dogs is ongoing, and most of what they have learned about it comes from treatment protocols for women.

Lets all place hearts in support of Bridgette and her battle with this disease.