Cancer Awareness

Like most of us, filmmaker Angie Ruiz has a favorite dog breed, the Rottweiler. She was so in love with the versatility of these gentle giants that even made a movie about them, called Black Beauty. Shortly afterward, she got the pet cancer education she never wanted, when her own Rottie was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. The diagnosis led to the making of the “Forever Faithful” dog cancer movie, now available on DVD.

[caption id="attachment_21671" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Whatever your favorite breed, be sure to get a copy of this touching movie.[/caption]

Forever Faithful Dog Cancer Movie is a Must-See

Whether you’ve been down the osteosarcoma road or not, every pet parent should see Forever Faithful. The movie isn’t just a memoir about Ruiz’ own experience with her own dog, but it dives into many aspects of dealing with the disease that touches so many of the animals we love.

From the oncology vets who treat cat and dog cancers, to the rehab therapists getting pets back on their feet, Forever Faithful explores the journey through cancer and amputation, while sharing glimmers of hope with the audience that some day it may be cured.

FOREVER FAITHFUL–TRAILER 1 from Angie Ruiz on Vimeo.

 

“Looking back, I wonder if I could have prevented my dog from getting bone cancer,” says Ruiz in her Forever Faithful website. “I wonder if I made the right choices about his treatments. I wish I could have caught the tumor earlier.”

Anyone who has ever dealt with pet cancer and amputation knows what those doubts and worries feel like. In her second feature film, Ruiz talks to leading experts to help us makes sense of dog cancer and amputation, including Tripawds heroes:

• Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Felix Duerr, a faculty member of Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery department
• The CSU Sports Medicine and Rehab Therapy team including Laura Southworth and Sasha Foster, MSPT, CCRT
• Martin Kaufmann of OrthoPets, the world leader in pet prosthetics

The movie is lovingly narrated by Samson’s human sister, but isn’t just about their journey alone, and it’s not just about the Rottie breed. It’s a touching exploration of how this cancer can affect all our dogs and what’s being done about it.

Order your Forever Faithful DVD, grab a box of tissues and some dog friends who understand the heartache of a pet cancer diagnosis. It’s only on DVD now but according to the movie’s Facebook page, should be on Amazon Prime, Google Play and itunes soon.