I Got the Call I Didn’t Want - and It Changed Everything

I vividly remember the call from the vet’s office with the lab results. I had just gotten home and was standing in the driveway when it came in.

Canine lymphoma.

It can take several calls before the reality of certain information sinks in. I’m not hard of hearing, but I must have asked them to repeat the diagnosis at least four times.

It was like an out-of-body experience. You hear every word. You know what the words mean. But your outside voice doesn’t know what to say, and your inside voice has completely abandoned you.

I called back every ten minutes. Finally, I just said, “Look, I’m not usually this slow, but can you repeat what you said one more time?”

It took at least three calls, a trip to the vet, a printed diagnosis, and a short conversation with the doctor before anything started to feel real.

I know dogs get cancer. I own a breed that’s prone to it, and I’ve had Airedales my entire adult life. And yet I was completely blindsided — partly because I was somewhat braced for it with my oldest, but not for the youngest. Age, it turns out, does not matter.

At age six, my pal Grover was in for a fight. Lymphoma, in my opinion, is the “mother” of canine cancers.

My dog needed an oncologist, and I needed a cocktail.

Why This Call is the Reason Happy Aire Exists

What started as the worst phone call of my dog life eventually became the reason Happy Aire exists. Ten percent of every Happy Aire sale goes directly to canine cancer research at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine because Grover deserved more time, and so does every other dog out there.

Signs of Canine Lymphoma to Know

May is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month. If you have a dog, take two minutes this month to learn the warning signs. Early detection can change everything.

The most common signs of canine lymphoma include:

• Swollen lymph nodes — often the first and most visible sign, felt as firm lumps under the jaw, in front of the shoulders, or behind the knees

• Unexplained weight loss

• Decreased appetite or energy

• Increased thirst and urination

• Difficulty breathing or swollen face/legs in some forms

If you notice swollen lymph nodes in your dog, see your vet promptly. Lymphoma is one of the most treatable canine cancers when caught early.

It changed ours. I just wish we'd had more time.

To learn more about what we're doing in Grover's memory, visit our Giving Back page.

https://www.happyaire.com/giving-back

-Kim Opdyke

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