“Lucky” probably isn’t the first word that comes to mind when you look at Bliss. The 2-year-old pooch has an extremely rare skull tumor, and was abandoned at a Texas kill shelter by her family.
Alone, frightened and confused, Bliss had no idea her luck was about to change!
Friends of Emma Medical Rescue, a major medical/critical care home located in Fort Worth, learned of Bliss’ plight and agreed to take her in. Thinking her condition was terminal, they prepared to care for her as a hospice patient.
However, diagnostic tests revealed that despite the growing tumor, Bliss is an otherwise healthy girl with no sign of neurological problems!
Her ecstatic rescuers quickly went from preparing end-of-life care for Bliss to searching for the best treatment plan to give her a bright future. Elizabeth Hart, the rescue’s founder, began conducting research and taking Bliss for multiple consultations.
She reached out to a veterinary cancer surgeon in Ontario, Canada who determined through a series of advanced imaging that Bliss is a candidate for surgical intervention.
The plan is for Hart to accompany Bliss on a nearly 3,000 mile round-trip drive to Ontario where she will undergo an extremely delicate and complex procedure involving the removal of most of her skull as well as multiple affected facial bones.
An Australian manufacturer of human surgical devices is currently consulting with Bliss’ surgeon to create a custom 3D printed implant from porous polyurethane that will be fitted to replace the missing bone. Once healed, Bliss will also undergo chemotherapy and radiation to prevent tumor regrowth.
Needless to say, these procedures do not come cheap. Since her case is unprecedented, the cost of her surgery and extensive after-care cannot even be estimated. Bliss and her rescuers are fortunate to have wonderful supporters donating to her cause, but every little bit helps.
If you would like to contribute to this groundbreaking gal’s care, visit her GoFundMe page.
And be sure to follow along with Bliss’ epic road trip and brave journey to wellness on Facebook!
H/T to PR Newswire
Featured Images via Friends of Emma Medical Rescue
