Rescue Chihuahua Adopted After Undergoing 17 Rounds of Chemotherapy and Beating Cancer

Greta Bjornson
·2 min read
1
Eric the dog
Eric the dog

San Diego Humane Society

After close to 20 rounds of chemotherapy, a shelter dog in California is officially cancer-free.

Eric, a three-year-old Chihuahua, underwent 17 rounds of weekly chemotherapy, plus four months of veterinary care before the San Diego Humane Society deemed the rescue pup healthy enough for adoption. Shortly after being declared ready for a forever home, Eric found his family, Fox 5 reports.

Before his adoption, the San Diego Humane Society celebrated Eric's cancer-free diagnosis with a special party. At Eric's celebration, he was honored with his very own cake and posed for photos with the team that helped care for him.

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Eric is healthy and happy now, but the lucky dog wasn't always in the best shape. He first arrived at the shelter in early July, the organization shared in a press release sent out Nov. 13.

When he was first taken in by the San Diego Humane Society, Eric was "covered in ticks and had blood on his feet." After he underwent lab work and full-body X-rays, veterinarians at the Bahde Center for Shelter Medicine determined that Eric had a cancerous tumor.

He was also diagnosed with Ehrlichiosis, a tick-borne disease.

Eric the dog
Eric the dog

San Diego Humane Society

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Just a week into Eric's time with the San Diego Humane Society, he began his first round of chemotherapy. He continued chemo for four months while also undergoing treatment for Ehrlichiosis.

While he was undergoing treatment, Eric lived with a foster family, who brought him to medical appointments and cared for the Chihuahua throughout the process.

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"Four months and 17 rounds of chemotherapy later, everyone who cared for Eric is thrilled to see that this resilient pup is now cancer-free," the San Diego Humane Society shared.

While Eric is no longer up for adoption, the San Diego Humane Society has other cats, rats, rabbits, reptiles, birds — and of course, more dogs — available for adoption. Visit the San Diego Humane Society website to learn more.