Therapy dogs are always there for us. When real people just won’t do, we can always snuggle a puppy, and it’s magical. Magical as it may be, though, therapy dogs are just dogs, and sometimes, dogs get sick. 

On Wednesday, December 6th, one therapy dog was officially cancer-free, and his handlers let him partake in a very special tradition:

@_jen_hamilton_

♬ Boundless Worship – Josué Novais Piano Worship

I don’t want to talk about whether or not Jen Hamilton‘s video made me cry, okay? Don’t even ask!

Related: Dog Mom Shares Hack for Refreshing Dog Treat That Could Help Prevent Cancer

Quinn, the gorgeous golden retriever in this video, became a therapy dog during the pandemic and was used to bring some comfort to healthcare workers. He did a fantastic job, but unfortunately, he began a battle with cancer shortly after – and as of yesterday, he’s just beaten it!

To be a therapy dog, a pup has to have an excellent temperament and be in generally good physical condition. Therapy dogs have to be okay with people hugging on them, kissing them, potentially grabbing/squeezing, and more. If they’re reactive or in any pain, it could cause them to react poorly and potentially injure patients. 

Therapy dogs can serve in all types of situations: following traumatic events, visiting cancer patients, comforting college kids during finals season, etc. Unlike a medical alert dog, who needs to be trained in one specific area, therapy dogs typically receive one blanket training and are able to comfort from there. 

Bigger Dogs are More Likely to Get Cancer

Any dog can get cancer, just like any human can get cancer, but cancer is much more common in bigger dogs than smaller ones. For example, around 60% of all golden retrievers deal with cancer at some point in their lifetime. The most common type of cancer for bigger dogs to get is osteosarcoma: bone cancer. 

It’s typically found in the legs or upper arms; the longer bones where there’s more room for it to spread. Though evidence isn’t totally concrete for why big dogs get cancer more often than smaller ones, most experts think it could be related to something called IGF-1. IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor) is responsible for the growth and aging of a dog. Bigger dogs have more IGF-1 in their bodies, meaning they grow and age faster. 

The presence of IGF-1 cannot be eliminated completely, because then the dog is at risk for bone density issues, but having too much is also bad. When a dog ages, its IGF-1 levels naturally decrease, although they never die off completely, and continued growth can lead to the growth of cancerous tumors. 

Cancer in Dogs Isn’t Always Fatal

Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs: about 47% of dogs die from it, but there are ways to beat it. Dogs like Quinn can undergo chemotherapy (via injection) and/or radiation to treat their tumors. Just like in humans, if it’s caught early and managed, dogs can live for years cancer-free. 

Treatments for cancer in dogs are most effective with younger dogs and certain cancers. Whether or not you want to put your dog through cancer treatment is completely up to you and should be a decision you make solely based off of the advice of your vet. The most important thing you can do throughout a journey like this is to stay positive and make sure your dog gets to live life to the fullest.

In many cases, dogs go into remission, and they get to “ring the bell” just like a cancer-free human would. The bell doesn’t really hold any historical significance: it’s just something cancer patients do to announce that they’re cancer-free. It’s a victory bell, and Quinn got to ring it for himself.

Congratulations on kicking cancer’s tail, Quinn! I can’t wait to see more of his journey. 

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