Casey is moving much better now that the 23-kb tumour has been removed from his shoulder, but is still tiring quickly as he adjusts to his new found mobility.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

Casey, the dog surrendered to the Kamloops SPCA branch with a massive tumour on his left shoulder, is five days out of surgery and looking better every day according to his foster parents.

A large portion of his torso was shaved in preparation for the surgery and about 40 staples were used to close the incision - Casey is finding both of these things irritating and constantly tries to itch. He listens well though, Marg Barker says, noting he will stop scratching or licking when he is told to. The loose skin hanging from the area also seems to be tightening up and she expects it will be barely noticable once he has fully healed.

Barker and husband Joe are taking care of Casey while he heals from his surgery and will remain his foster home until he is recovered and adopted.

“It's going to be hard to let him go,” she says, “I hope where ever he goes he's got a big fenced yard and people who love to give attention and love.”

Marg does an average of three loads of laundry every day to clean the pads Casey sleeps on and a drainage tube leaks when he gets up, especially if he has been laying down for a while. Keeping the floor and the incision site clean take almost constant monitoring and it is apparent Casey appreciates the care his foster parents are giving him. He looks to them often for a cuddle and is always open to any attention they are willing to give him.

The tumour on his shoulder was so large it displaced his front leg and caused his shoulders to get out of alignment. The basketball-sized mass had grown around his joint and muscles and as a result required two hours of surgery to be removed.

Staff at the shelter were fascinated by the mass - which was brought to the shelter for everyone to see before being sent to Thompson Rivers University to be studied. Though there was concern the mass might be cancerous because of the size it came back as a simple fatty mass.

Branch manager Charleen Holloway says people stepped up with more than enough to cover the cost of his surgery within a couple of days. This generosity will help cover the costs for other medical care needed for the animals currently at the shelter – including Finnegan, the cat that had surgery on his leg the same day as Casey has his surgery.

This year has been a particularly tough one on the shelter already. With many health issues present in the influx of cats last month and the two most recent surgeries the branch is relying even more than usual on donations during the City Challenge, which ends this week. Holloway says they hope to reach $40,000 in donations for the month of May.

To contact a reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call (250) 819-3723.

A basketball-sized lump was causing pain and discomfort for Casey and was removed last week.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)