Cider, our beloved Collie mix, was 8 ½ years old on March 6, 2009, when the biopsy results came back on the egg-sized growth that had developed on her left front leg.  Soft Tissue Sarcoma.  Although the first two vets we talked to recommended amputation, or even chemotherapy, we chose instead to do a de-bulking surgery to just remove as much of the tumor as possible.  So, on March 19, Cider had aggressive surgery to remove the tumor.  Based on the size and location of the tumor, we knew that the healing process would not be easy, but felt it was a much better option than amputation.

When Cider came home from the hospital the next day, we were told to let the air at her wound and not to bandage it up. We purchased an e-collar (elizabethan collar) to stop her from licking her leg. And, she would be on very restricted movement -- no climbing, jumping or even much walking at this point. Only out for a bathroom break (on the leash) and right back inside. We knew that a full recovery would take a while, but we thought the worst was over at this point . . . little did we know!

A few days after the surgery things started to go downhill . . . and fast. The goal of her surgery was to remove as much tumor and cancer as possible, to get “clean” margins.  Unfortunately, large surgical margins mean there is not much skin left to close up the site. . . especially on tiny Collie legs. Cider's skin was OK for the first few days after surgery but then began to split. Seepage from a wound is not a good thing. Skin splitting beside the stitches is really not good. You can't add more stitches now. The skin is simply stretched to the limit and then some.  We were warned that this could happen.  We just didn’t realize how bad it would get.  We were bandaging her wounds at this point but every time we took the bandage off it looked worse.  We started to become very worried, and eventually came to the realization that the torn skin would have to heal as an “open wound” – no more stitches.

During this time, it came to our attention that granular honey is very beneficial when applied to wounds that are slow to heal and is often used with humans for burns, ulcers and bedsores.  We were told that any local unpasteurized honey would do . . . but after doing some reading online it seemed worth the extra $20.00 to buy Manuka Honey from New Zealand.   What's twenty dollars, especially after oncology vet bills?!  With strong antibacterial, protective and healing properties, honey is a great natural healing agent.  What makes Manuko honey extra special is its high UMF rating, which gives it exceptionally strong antibacterial properties.  The Honey Research Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, New Zealand, explains more about what is so special about Manuka Honey here.

And so, we started the long process of letting Cider’s open wound heal.  Bandaging her leg each day became a finely orchestrated routine, with four layers of bandage, plus the honey, to keep it protected and prevent any additional damage to the area. It took a little more than a month until the new skin finally covered the wound, albeit very delicate skin. 

All told, Cider’s full recovery, took about two months.  But, On May 22, 2009, we were given the All Clear by the vet.  Cider is finally back to normal and living cancer-free.  She is now on a grain-free diet, Taste of the Wild, since learning that cancer cells feed on carbohydrates, and has made the switch easily, loving her new food.  We would like to thank Dr. Julius Liptak and Dr. Charles Bruce of the Alta Vista Animal Hospital in Ottawa, Ontario for saving Cider's leg, and her life.  We hope to spend many more happy years with our beautiful girl!

For details about Cider’s treatments using Manuka Honey, including lots of pictures of what her leg looked like before surgery and throughout the healing process, visit her blog, “Beating Canine Cancer: Cider’s Story".

~Cider's Mom