Boone, a 9-year-old male greater Swiss mountain dog, was previously diagnosed with stage 3 malignant oral melanoma based on the size of the tumor and spread of the tumor to his lymph nodes. His owner, Danae Unti, decided to bring him to the cancer specialists at the UC Davis veterinary hospital for further evaluation after their local veterinary oncologist suggested they seek further care at the university.
Kabang, a shepherd mix dog, was brought to UC Davis from the Philippines in October 2012 for surgery to repair massive facial wounds caused when her snout was torn from her face after being hit by a motorcycle.
Max, 7-year-old Saint Bernard, started having issues getting up and walking. It was clearly more than just a dog getting older, so his owners Joe and Kris Schratz took him to their primary veterinarian who administered therapy treatments in hopes of improving his condition. When Max’s limbs started getting progressively weaker, the veterinarian recommended taking him to the UC Davis veterinary hospital.
K-9 Officer Blitz, a 5-year-old German shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix with the Sanger Police Department, was performing routine training exercises with his handler and partner Corporal Brandon Coles when tragedy struck. While retrieving an item from under a car, Blitz caught his eye socket on the tailpipe, causing extensive damage. As Blitz bled profusely from around his right eye, Coles rushed him to a local veterinary clinic.
Swiss Star’s Chasing Moonbeams aka Luna, a 1-year-old female Bernese mountain dog, recently jumped out of the window of a moving car. After Luna immediately showed lameness in her pelvic limb, her co-owner Mary Beam had her examined by their primary veterinarian. X-rays showed a break in the head of Luna’s right femur, so she was referred to a local veterinary surgeon. After discovering that Luna was a champion show dog, the surgeon suggested Ms. Beam take her to see renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Denis Marcellin-Little at the UC Davis veterinary hospital.
Labrador retriever Gus was diagnosed with an acanthomatous ameloblastoma, a locally invasive tumor that does not tend to spread to other parts of the body.
Webb, an 8-year-old male golden retriever, has an important job, and many of America’s heroes rely on him every day. He was originally trained to be a service animal for a veteran with a disability, but it turned out that he wasn’t suited for individualized care. However, the Veterans Administration still saw potential in him, so now Webb serves as a therapy dog at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System – Menlo Park Division. He is charged with the mission of cheerleader, encourager, and all-around goodwill ambassador at the rehabilitation center.
Bentley, an approximately 6-year-old male Maltese mix, was brought to the UC Davis veterinary hospital by the Underdog Animal Rescue after they saved him from a potentially non-adoptive situation (and facing euthanasia) at a county shelter. While at the shelter, Bentley was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes by the county’s veterinarian. His foster mom reported he was able to see shadows and get around the house reasonably well, but would occasionally bump into things if the furniture was moved or things were out of place. She also believed him to be deaf, as he has never responded to his name or any type of noise. To improve Bentley’s quality of life and to give him the best chance for adoption, she decided to bring him to the ophthalmology specialists at UC Davis.
Sawyer, a 10-year-old male Labrador retriever, had his front left leg removed after cancer (hemangiosarcoma) was discovered in his left scapula. Since hopping around on three legs takes a bit more energy than before, he naps a little more now, but other than that, he’s still his sweet goofy self.
Niya, 15-year-old female Keeshond, was battling urinary tract infections and incontinence, and her medication was decreasing her appetite, so her primary veterinarian in Maryland thought that help from a specialist was warranted. Around that time, Niya’s owners, Debora and Chris Luther, were planning a trip to California to see family. The Luthers were very familiar with the UC Davis veterinary hospital—Debora graduated from UC Davis in 1977, and Chris grew up in Davis with his mother Linda having worked at the university for many years—so they decided to bring Niya with them to California and have her examined by specialists at UC Davis.
