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Noah's Arks Rescue caring for abandoned Baltimore dog with giant tumor

Posted at 11:14 PM, Nov 18, 2013
and last updated 2014-06-12 16:33:30-04

Animal care specialists say what happened to Bubbles was – is – “inhumane” and “tragic.”

Tablet and desk top users can see a photo of Bubbles in the slideshow. Warning: The photo may be a little intense for younger readers.

The 2-year-old Neapolitan Mastif mix was picked up by a Good Samaritan driving to work in Baltimore. The dog named Bubbles was taken to Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, although her abnormality—a giant tumor on her face—called for more emergency medical and surgical care.

A representative from Noah’s Arks Rescue—an animal care facility specializing in extreme cases of abuse—picked Bubble’s up from Baltimore this morning.

Surgeons determined that the humongous growth coming from her cheekbone is filled with blood and very painful. Doctors believe that the tumor could have spread to her lungs, but more testing is necessary.

“Once we get the type of cancer we are dealing with, we can then determine the best course of action,” according to a statement on the Noah’s Arks’ website. “Whatever it is, we will deal with it. We will either have a tumor that we can shrink with radiation and can then do surgery or we are dealing with a tumor that we cannot shrink and the tumor will have to be removed as it is now. Any surgery is going to be very complicated. The mass is very vascular and there will be excessive blood loss.”

Noah's Arks medical personnel are unsure how long the tumor has been growing.

"The fact someone abandoned her in this condition is INHUMANE and TRAGIC," the statement from Noah's Arks reads. "I am so glad we have her. Sweet Bubbles uses the tumor like it is a pillow she props her head on to sleep. The tumor is massive and hurts. It is very swollen, irritated and red. The slit that you see in the picture is not from it rupturing but is the slit of her left eye."

"We are just at the beginning stages of taking care of Bubbles," the statement continued. "Once we know what we are dealing with, we will then determine the best Hospital and Surgical Oncologist for this sweet dog."

Biopsy results should be returned in either four or five days. It's likely that Bubbles will remain at Noah's Arks because they are one of a few facilities that have access to the type of radiation that she'll need to survive, the release states.

The statement concludes:

"All you need to know right now is that we will do everything possible to save her and give her the best quality of Life. She is a happy girl that loves everyone. We need to get some food into her since she came in very underweight. We are taking baby steps with our sweet girl to make sure her quality of Life is always the best it can be. She is the most courageous girl that has gone about living her Life and loving everyone. We love her and so admire her courage. No animal deserves this. She should have been given proper medical care when this started to grow. She has made the best of a terrible situation. Whatever she needs, she will now get. Her Life isn't over, it just got better."

Readers can click here to make a donation to Bubbles' medical bills.

Bubbles wouldn't be the first Baltimore dog saved by Noah's Arks. In March, the rescue shelter took in Freckles -- an abused pit bull that was found in Middle River.

This is what Freckles looked like after her stint in Noah's Arks. Freckles was ready for adoption by July.