Dog Communicates Location of Her Own Cancer

German Shepherd, Chal A K9Signer, Discovers Her Own Cancer

Amazing events occurred last week at AnimalSign Center. Chal my 8-year old German Shepherd K9Signer, had been limping. I couldn't tell where her pain was, she didn't seem sensitive on her leg or foot. So I asked her to lay down and signed to her to tell me 'Where's Your Ouch?' I wanted to be able to tell the vet when we were to go in the next week. We had worked on this K9Sign before...when she had an anal gland infection (opportunity for learning). She learned how to tell me where that pain was. So I fully expected her to generalize the skill and tap the region of her leg where pain was hurting her. She didn't! Instead, Chal kept pointing to her right lower nipple area. She would tap it, then look back up at me, and sometimes lick it. It might have irritated her, itching perhaps. I listened to her response and checked it. There was a strangely shaped nipple and a little bump near it. Surely it was cancer just like the left-sided cancer lump I discovered a few years before. At that time I had all the left-sided glands completely removed. (Staff and her doctors Akol and Metelman at Pacific Veterinary Specialists were terrific. Her surgeon Metelman was meticulous. Chal recovered very well with no complications.) I immediately called the vet clinic to make our appt sooner to check this new cyst.

The next day I realized that that Chal had actually used K9Sign to tell me where her pain/cancer was! All the K9Signing together over the years now proved life-saving for her! Working dogs with their intelligence, skill, and sense of smell, help other species--people. Now, Chal had the communication tools to help herself - her own species! Now, it is up to me research and find a way to get her full complete treatment be it surgery, chemotherapy, medications, and whatever she needs for her hind limping (probably a hip/knee problem).

Cancer treatment will need to be fast (to be successful) to reward her for communicating so well. She has so much more to offer dogs and people as the first K9Signer – the canine ambassador promoting respect for canine communication!"

She is an amazing dog: she knows sign language-how to recognize it and sign it herself. I taught her to USE K9Sign since she was one year old. We experimented for years, finally settling on a group of K9Signs, followed by custom K9Signs (ones she creates, I refine, and reinforce).

Many people ask me 'Can dogs tell you where they hurt?' You bet they can, especially with some practice (people practice too). Chal communicated where she hurt, leading to the discovery of her own cancer.

In order to find a way to get this treated quickly I called Carie from the www.PeaceofMinddogRescue.org. They opened a CHAL FUND that accepts tax deductible DONATIONS for Chal's treatment. We are hoping to gain the funds by March 25 so Chal can have surgery as soon as possible---March 28th as goal. Time is important when dealing with cancer, it can spread.
Please help her get the surgery to save her life. She has so much more work to do to help other dogs and people expand their relationship, and learn how to sign themselves.

*To help go to the CHAL FUND at Peace of Mind Dog Rescue. Write in the MEMO field donation for the 'CHAL FUND.' To schedule surgery the fund has to reach at least $5000, followed by more for the chemo, meds, hip/knee treatment, etc.).

Thanks
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*We will be tracking Chal's progress on youtube.com.

*We will post on how we will keep Chal mentally stimulated while she's in rehab....K9Signing and K9Tapping. Watch her and use what works for you while your pets are rehabilitating!

See Chal K9Sign in response to
'Where's Your Ouch?' (along with other K9Signs).

Sean,
The AnimalSigner
www.animalsign.org

DogSigning at Border's in Santa Cruz, Ca

Chal K9Signs BOOK and Sean and Chal present.




GS Chal and I presented a dog and book K9Signing demonstration in downtown Santa Cruz, at Border's bookstore 8-21. Many people listened and made comments as I discussed my book Dogs Can Sign, Too. Chal signed food, chicken, liver, ball, toy, frisby, human and practiced her K9Sign for DOG.

Two other dogs came to the event. One was a lab hearing dog, Seaton, a student of mine. Chal and Seaton liked each other, and they both signed in sync as I asked them what different foods were. Before Seaton showed up, Chal was just of normal energy, but once she saw/sniffed him, she was energized and ready to show off. I took the opportunity to work more with her on the K9Sign DOG. 'Is DOG,' I said, as I pointed to Seaton. Then I molded her left hind to touch her right hind. I asked her 'What's that?' pointing to Seaton, and Chal lifted her hind left leg toward her right. Good job! I let her then sniff him as the reward.

As we wrapped up, several people leaving from the demo told people in the mall about how they must see this signing dog, Chal. So as we were about to leave another group came in to see this signing dog. So, we unpacked and presented another round of signing. One person had a puppy that Chal was very interested in. She mothered the puppy well. At one point when the puppy nibbled her nose, Chal was not happy and educated the pup to not do that. Then, Chal wanted to sniff and play again with the pup, who was a bit more careful. Good lesson.

By the time we were done, about 30 very interested people had seen Chal sign. I hope I convinced them of the value of teaching dogs to communicate to us. We spend much time being sure we can communicate what we want to them, teaching them sport, companion, or work tasks. We should help them be more 'literate' with respect to the canine potential (which still needs to be examined more deeply). (Not literate as we humans are, of course.) It is about time we also focus on helping them communicate more (than they already do) to us--in a way we can understand and that they enjoy.

Our next event will be at Border's in Palo Alto in the fall, then off to Portland, OR for workshops for horses and dogs.

Sean
The AnimalSigner
www.animalsign.org