Veteran Canine Survives War: Dies of Dog Cancer

Written by Senior Editor Peter Gehr

Veteran Canine Survives War: Dies of Dog Cancer

Veteran Canine Survives War: Dies of Dog Cancer

It’s a poignant story when a veteran canine survives war: dies of dog cancer. Believe it or not, the leading cause of death in older dogs is cancer. Although much study continues to be conducted on this disease, it is known that certain breeds are more susceptible than others. Diet also plays a role in the health and well-being of your pet, and a poor diet can lead to weakening an animal’s immune system.

In the case of this particular military dog, Lucky spent a great deal of time in service performing tasks to aid the troops in war torn countries, and I feel compelled to share the following article as my tribute to the life of Lucky.

Veteran Canine Survives War: Dies of Dog Cancer

Mike Prager of the Spokesman Review writes:

Soldiers of the 92nd Security Forces Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base paid their respects today to one of their own.

Lucky, a military working dog, survived five tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.

He succumbed to cancer last September at age 10, surviving two previous diagnoses of the disease.

Several dozen service members gathered for a morning memorial service in the base community center.

An orange box with Lucky’s ashes sat next to his portrait atop a travel kennel.

Maj. Garon Shelton, squadron commander, said Lucky saved countless service personnel, sniffing out explosives and securing their missions.

Lucky had a reputation as the hardest-hitting among the seven to eight dogs stationed at Fairchild. “He could take anyone down to the ground,” Shelton said during the service.

He became a media star following his survival from two previous bouts of cancer, and received a Hometown Heroes award from the American Red Cross in 2010.

He was in Kyrgyzstan completing his fifth Asian tour when his latest handler, Staff Sgt. Chris Fall, discovered a new tumor on his rear left leg last Aug. 20, five days before their return to Fairchild.

The tumor grew quickly. Lucky was moved to a veterinary center at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, where he died Sept. 30, Fall said.

“It was pretty tough,” Fall said of Lucky’s death, acknowledging the close relationship between military working dogs and soldiers.

“He’s in doggie heaven,” Fall said. “He’s probably running around all day eating doggie bones.” Click here to visit the original source of this post

When a veteran canine survives war: dies of dog cancer, it touches our hearts and we wish to show gratitude to both the soldiers involved and, of course, to Lucky the military hero. Although measures can be taken to minimize the risk of cancer in your dog, it’s wise to research the breeds that are particularly prone to this disease before deciding on which puppy to purchase for your family. There are also medicinal and holistic approaches available for consideration if faced with dog cancer in your aging pet.