6 yr old, in foster
Meet STAR – a survivor who shouldn’t have had to be one.
This beautiful 6-year-old corgi has endured more in a few months than most dogs face in a lifetime.
When Star first came into SECR, she was shy, quiet, and uncertain. Soon, with patience and a loving foster, she began to come out of her shell. She smiled. She asked for attention and cuddles. She went on day trips with her foster parents and loved riding in the car. She even found her voice!
Sadly, Star hadn’t been spayed—and like so many unspayed females, had developed mammary tumors, one of the most common cancers in intact female dogs. And this was completely preventable.
During her spay surgery, the vet removed a mammary mass and sent it for pathology. The result? Malignant mammary carcinoma, with cancer cells too close to the margins of what was removed.
Given the aggressive nature and metastatic potential of this type of tumor, we had to act fast. This Monday, Star underwent a radical mastectomy at Triangle Veterinary Referral Hospital. The surgery involved extensive resection of mammary tissue to reduce the risk of spread. Her shaved belly and long line of staples tell the story—one she never should’ve had to live through.
In two weeks, Star will return for staple removal and begin metronomic chemotherapy—a low-dose oral regimen intended to minimize recurrence. She’ll need ongoing oncology monitoring from here on out.
What makes this all the more heartbreaking is how avoidable it was. Early spay is not just about preventing litters. Spaying a dog before their first or second heat cycle reduces the risk of mammary cancer by more than 90%.
Despite this all, Star continues to be sweet, affectionate, and resilient. She’s recovering well in her foster home, where her incision is healing and her pain is well-managed.
Please consider supporting Star’s ongoing care—and the lifesaving work SECR does for corgis like her. Your donations make the difference between suffering and survival.
https://southeastcorgirescue.com/…/donate-support-secr…/
Southeast Corgi Rescue 