Jake Howell

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — Jake the dog has been through a lot in his first few years on earth.”He would bark and fall down,” foster parent Kimberly Howell said. “He was emaciated. He had skin disease.”That was before Howell and her family took him in as a foster dog. They have since given him the treatment and care he needs to get back to being a normal dog, but he needs more.

Veterinarians discovered a rare cancerous mass growing in his chest cavity during X-rays.

“Jake doesn’t know it’s there but the reason why we have to remove it is it can grow,” Howell said. “Already it’s pushing his heart and lungs and pushing on his esophagus and it can leak.”

To help with the costs of the surgery required for Jake, the Magic Bullet Fund has stepped in to help. The national organization helps dogs throughout the country who need operations to fight cancer.

The founder of the Magic Bullet Fund, Laurie Kaplan, said she started it when she realized there are dogs that could be treated but owners who can’t always afford the procedure.

“Just trying to imagine what that would feel like,” Kaplan said. “Having a dog that could have treatment and has a shot at one, two, three more years of life but you can’t afford to give him that treatment would be really heartbreaking.”

To donate to Jake, go to http://www.themagicbulletfund.org/donate-fora-dog/

Local dog gets help from national organization