Shelter Dog Abandoned by Owner Because of Rare Skull Tumor Gets Second Chance Thanks to 3D Printing

Bliss's rare brain tumor is large, but it is not affecting the dog's overall health

Published on May 30, 2018 05:23 PM

The whole world is coming together to help Bliss.

Suffering from a rare skull tumor, she was abandoned by her owners at a kill shelter in Texas. According to the 2-year-old canine’s GoFundMe page, she was pulled from the shelter by Friends of Emma Medical Rescue, a critical care canine rescue home located in Fort Worth.

The hound home was prepared to provide end of life care to Bliss, initially thinking her skull tumor was fatal. But a visit to the vet revealed that while the tumor is large, it is not affecting her neurological health or any other part of the pooch’s well-being.

Since hearing the good news, Friends of Emma Medical Rescue has shifted its efforts from hospice care to planning a long life for the pup.

A rescuer at the non-profit, Elizabeth Hart, contacted a renowned veterinary cancer surgeon in Ontario, Canada, for help after locals vets were unsure of how to proceed. This vet is confident he can perform the long, precise surgery Bliss needs to remove the tumor for good. After the tumor is removed, a 3D-printed porous polyethylene implant made in Australia will be put in to replace the skull and facial bones removed with the tumor.

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The surgeon and implant manufacturing company are currently working together to create the perfect custom implant for Bliss. Once everything is ready, the dog will travel with Hart to Canada to undergo the life-changing operation.

Friends of Emma Medical Rescue expects this surgery to occur in mid-June. Until then, the rescue home has started a GoFundMe to help cover Bliss’s medical expenses and to provide routine updates on the canine for her growing number of fans.