Puppy Beats Rare Spinal Cancer, Thrives in Wheelchair

Winnie the puppy refused to let a rare spinal tumor steal her happiness, and now she's proof that different doesn't mean defeated.

The 8-month-old American bully started stumbling around like a "drunken sailor" when her owners Jamie Kearney and Keith Thulon first noticed something was wrong. An MRI at Washington State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital revealed the shocking news: a large malignant tumor wrapped around her spinal cord.

The tumor, called a nephroblastoma, grows from misplaced embryonic kidney cells. "It's almost like they grow a little kidney there, but it's not functional," explained neurology resident Dr. Amanda Lamarca.

WSU's veterinary team performed a risky six-hour surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Differentiating cancerous tissue from healthy spinal cord meant leaving some tumor behind, which required 20 rounds of radiation therapy to finish the job.

The treatment left Winnie unable to walk normally, but she adapted faster than anyone expected. "She's the happiest little girl," Jamie said. "At this point, she's been not walking longer than she ever walked, so she doesn't even care."

Winnie now zooms around in a custom wheelchair, and her rehabilitation includes underwater treadmill sessions to build strength in her hind legs. Dr. Lamarca remains cautiously hopeful that Winnie might regain some mobility, noting she's already showing improvement.

Sunny's Take

Here's where fate gets interesting: Jamie works as an occupational therapy assistant at a spinal cord rehabilitation facility. The very skills she uses helping human patients every day now help Winnie thrive at home.

"When we first found out it was a spinal tumor, I was like, 'What are the odds?'" Jamie said. She handles Winnie's daily bladder care and specialized needs with the same expertise she brings to work.

While many dogs with Winnie's diagnosis are euthanized, this puppy's story took a different path. Friends and family organized a GoFundMe to help offset medical costs, rallying around a dog who refuses to let physical limitations dim her spirit.

"She may not be able to use her legs but she is the most outgoing, wild and determined dog," Keith said. "Winnie is part of the family and she really is just like any other dog."

Winnie's wheelchair doesn't slow her down in her Spokane neighborhood, where everyone who meets her falls in love with her unstoppable energy and joy.