A Scots couple are heartbroken after their four-year-old Great Dane, Lilly, was diagnosed with an aggressive bone cancer following an injury that caused a "baseball-sized" swelling on her leg. Kelsey Kiernan and Lewis Sullivan, from Chryston, North Lanarkshire, took Lilly to the vets after she banged her leg on an object while playing at home.
The family initially thought she had fractured her leg, but an X-ray led to a referral to an oncologist. On September 8, the specialist carried out biopsies and CT scans and amputated Lilly's full front leg and scapula (shoulder blade) on the same day.
Diagnosis and amputation
Kelsey, 29, told Glasgow Live: "The results crushed us because we were expecting, worst case scenario, a fracture and we came out with a cancer that is going to kill our dog. It broke our hearts."
She added: "She is so young and incredibly fit and muscular. We do a variety of high intensity, explosive dog sports together. She was ready to compete for her BH title (companion dog test) in IGP (a competitive international dog sport that evaluates a dog's tracking, obedience, and protection skills). To be diagnosed with something so debilitating has broken me."
Lilly, who weighs 50 kilos, could not walk on the first day after the amputation and would fall onto her face, which was devastating for the couple to see. However, she has been improving since the surgery and started chemotherapy on Thursday, September 24.
Recovery and treatment costs
Kelsey added: "She is genuinely defying all the odds and doing so well given her size and weight. Her balance isn't perfect and she still has to think about everything she does, but she is already upbeat enough that she wants to run, jump, and play with us or my other dogs already."
"The life expectancy for dogs with osteosarcoma without pursuing treatment is very poor, she wouldn't last more than a month or two. However dogs treated with chemotherapy have a median life expectancy of 12-14 months. The best possible outcome is 18 months- two years. Although there are miracle cases where dogs have lived longer. Lilly isn't just your average pet dog though, so we have hope she can beat the odds."
The couple have so far spent over £10,000 on Lilly's treatment, and her insurance has "maxed out", meaning they need vital funds to continue her cancer treatment. Kelsey said: "The costs of all the treatment is eye-watering. My jaw hit the floor when they told me. This is so surreal, we didn't see it coming. Lilly means the same as what someone's child would mean to them."
Fundraising appeal
Kelsey continued: "I have a lot of dogs and she is my soul dog. She is the most significant dog I have ever had in my life. I have grown so much with this dog. She has shaped my career as well, in terms of how much I help other dogs. The amount I've learnt from her, in the four years I've had her, has helped me go on to help so many other dogs."
"She meant the world to me and I can't imagine what it would be like if she wasn't here. Without the chemotherapy, this cancer would take her very quickly from me. There is no permanent cure and it's a matter of giving us more time with our dog. This cancer is very aggressive. The support is so enlightening and I am lost for words for how kind everyone has been."
In total, the cost of treatment is expected to reach £23,000, and a fundraising appeal has been launched to support Lilly's ongoing care.
