Dudley's visit last Monday to the veterinarian at the University of Minnesota did not have a happy outcome. A scan and biopsy revealed an aggressive cancerous tumor in his nose which is destroying bone and causing nose bleeds. The official diagnosis is adenocarcinoma of the nasal cavity. All we can do now is try to make him as comfortable and feel as loved as possible for his remaining time. He's currently taking anti-inflammatory medication to help with the discomfort from the tumor and a Chinese herb called yunnan bai yao to help with the nose bleeds. So far it's working.

Dudley continues to be the very handsome and sometimes feisty guy who came to me as a foster in October. Our walks are a bit slower & he seems increasingly subdued, but the tail is held high and the strut is still there. He's always been "Mr. Confident." Even though Dudley has not been a "Velcro" kind of guy, he is more intent on following me around the house these days and is no longer content to nap in another room. In fact, as I write this, he is sleeping at my feet under my computer desk. Snoring.

If you'd like to donate to Dudley's medical care, our address is:

Retrieve a Golden of Minnesota, P.O. Box 5567, Hopkins, MN, 55343-0492, or go to the Network For Good web site (copy and paste the address below into your browser):

http://partners.guidestar.org/controller/searchResults.gs?action_donateR...