Dogs
Dog With Rare Skull Tumor Gets 3D Printed Implant
This sweet girl will soon undergo groundbreaking surgery to remove her tumor!
Rachel Shapiro
06.07.18

Bliss has been through a lot in her two years of life.

The poor dog was diagnosed with an extremely rare skull tumor. Because of this, her former owners decided to surrender her to a high-kill shelter near their home in Texas. Bliss was scared and confused, and she sat shivering in her kennel.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

Thankfully, Friends of Emma, a rescue organization that takes in sick dogs, heard about Bliss’s story. They described rescuing Bliss on their Facebook page:

“This terrified girl came to us from our local kill shelter when she presented with an obvious and extreme bony skull mass. 2’ish year old Bliss is microchipped and was on an “owner hold” at the shelter for the past several days – but sadly, no one came for her – so we’ve stepped in to provide her with the critical care and treatment that she requires.”

Friends of Emma brought Bliss to their rescue center in Fort Worth. Bliss was so happy to be out of the shelter!




Friends of Emma thought that Bliss’s tumor was fatal, and they were planning on simply providing a good home for her for the last days of her life. But then, they did some diagnostic tests, and they learned Bliss wasn’t affected neurologically by the tumor.

Bliss was a happy and healthy dog who could potentially live for years more if her tumor was removed.

Friends of Emma via Facebook
Source:
Friends of Emma via Facebook

Once she learned this, Elizabeth Hart, Friends of Emma’s founder, immediately started researching how to treat Bliss’s tumor. She reached out to veterinarians across North America, and finally, she found the right person to treat Bliss: a veterinary cancer surgeon in Ontario.

The cancer surgeon told Hart that they will remove Bliss’s tumor and part of her skull. Then, they’ll replace this piece of her skull with a 3D printed porous polyethylene implant from Australia. After that, Bliss will begin chemotherapy and radiation to prevent new tumors from growing.

Friends of Emma via Facebook
Source:
Friends of Emma via Facebook

The Canadian surgeon and Australian 3D printing company are now working together to create the perfect implant for Bliss.

Once everything is ready, Hart will take Bliss on the 3,000-mile journey from Texas to Ontario. At the end of this journey, Bliss will hopefully be cancer-free!

To help pay for this surgery and travel expenses, Hart set up YouCaring and GoFundMe pages. Everyone was amazed by Bliss’s touching story, and the campaign quickly reached its goal.

Friends of Emma via Facebook
Source:
Friends of Emma via Facebook

While she waits to travel to Canada, Bliss has made herself at home at Friends of Emma’s rescue center. The sweet pup loves playing in the field of flowers near the rescue center. She has also found her perfect nap spot!

Friends of Emma via GoFundMe
Source:
Friends of Emma via GoFundMe

Bliss has been through so much in two years, but now, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Soon, Bliss will undergo surgery that will save her life. Then, she’ll be able to live the rest of her life in a wonderful forever home!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Article Sources:
To learn more read our Editorial Standards.
Advertisement