Shih Tzu May Have Cancer

Background

Mary found Sugar through the Shih Tzu Rescue in Alabama in August 2008. Sugar was blind and so sweet, Mary couldn't help but bring her home. Mary already had several other dogs, so she knew pet insurance would help her care for all of them. A few years prior she signed up with another pet insurance provider, but admitted she knew little about pet insurance.

After several bad experiences, including difficulty with claims for a dog that died of cancer the year before she adopted Sugar, Mary decided it was time for a switch. She visited some review websites and was impressed by the positive remarks made about Embrace. At that point, she switched her dogs over to Embrace, including Sugar.

Mary decided to take Sugar to Purdue University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for an eye exam, but they determined that her blindness was irreversible. While there, the vets gave Sugar a full exam since Mary knew so little about her. An ultrasound uncovered an adrenal mass, but it was uncertain whether it was benign or malignant cancer.

After a CT scan, the vets decided not to remove the mass. They monitor it every 2 months, and if it gets any bigger, they will remove it immediately because it could be cancerous. In fact, it may be the same form of cancer, pheochromocytoma, that Mary's previous dog died of.