Bud: Beating the Odds

 

Bud is a dog who has overcome odds and he isn't done yet. In 2019, he was hit by a car and left injured at the side of a road. A Good Samaritan found him and brought him to a rescue organization, Peace, Love & Animals in Tanner, Alabama, where he was treated for collapsed lungs and a partially paralyzed face. When no owner came for him, they named him Bud, made a video, and put him up for adoption.

"In the video, I could hear his raspy breathing from the collapsed lungs. Yet, he was cheerful and happy. That was it for me!" said John Nijoka, Bud's owner, who, with clinicians at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, is dedicated to helping Bud overcome his latest challenge: cancer.

John was still a student at LSU when he decided he would adopt Bud in April 2019. John's mother and grandmother drove to pick up the dog and bring him back to Baton Rouge. Bud recovered and had many fine adventures with John.

In June 2024, Bud began to have trouble walking. When it worsened, John knew it was something serious. An MRI revealed a tumor on his spine. He was diagnosed with Grade 2 multilobular osteochondroscarcoma.

"It was devastating. Originally, I didn't want to put him through surgery. I thought I would just make him comfortable," John said. 

Over the weekend, John decided to consult with neurologist Dr. Colleen Embersics at LSU Vet Med. After speaking with her about options, he felt comfortable moving forward with surgery.

"I knew if any animal could make it through, it was him. Not much keeps him down. I decided, 'Let's do it.'" said John, a Baton Rouge CPA.

In June 2024, Dr. Colleen Embersics, assistant professor of Neurology and Neuroscience, removed the majority of the tumor, which relieved pressure on his spinal cord. Recovery would be a long road, one that Bud is still walking, yes walking—but not at first. 

"There were times we worried if he'd ever get up again," John said.

When Bud was hospitalized in the ICU for more than two weeks, three generations of Bud's family—John, his parents, and grandmother—held vigil, visited Bud, and surrounded him with love every day. It would take more than a month before Bud could walk with assistance and two months to support his own weight completely. 

"Bud's treatments were completely new to me. Before all of this, I had no idea how advanced veterinary medicine is. The care everybody at LSU gives Bud is helping us go on together," John said. 

By the end of August 2024, Bud could walk completely on his own. John recalls the very moment it happened. He had carried his 80 lb. dog outside, went back into the kitchen to get his food, and heard steps behind him.

"I was shocked. There was Bud. He'd walked back into the house! I hadn't heard that sound of his footsteps across the kitchen floor for months. He was usually right next to me," he said.

Since early July, Bud has been seen the LSU Vet Med Integrative Medicine service, daily at first, and then three times a week for rehabilitation exercises and acupuncture treatments. "We all hoped he'd walk again. It's hard to know with neck and spine surgery. Finally, he can take steps on his own," said Dr. Kielyn Scott, assistant clinical professor of Integrative Medicine and Rehabilitation. 

Bud has established a reputation as a social butterfly around the corridors of the Stephenson Pet Clinic, where he is motivated to practice taking steps on his own and visits with staff, students, and the ICU vet techs who worked with him for weeks and cuddled with him during the night. 

"We are laying a gradual foundation, and it is still a steady climb. John has had to deal with many practical considerations like how many steps it takes to move his big dog outside. It takes a lot of dedication—it's a slow and steady process. He's done a great job keeping him safe and helping him heal," Dr. Scott said.

LSU Vet Med's integrative approach to veterinary treatment incorporates both traditional Chinese and western medicines for companion animals, exotics, and farm animals. 

"Bud is steadily improving. He's determined to keep going. If I had to do it all over again, I would," John said.

About LSU Vet Med: Bettering lives through education, public service, and discovery

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is one of only 33 veterinary schools in the U.S. and the only one in Louisiana. LSU Vet Med is dedicated to improving and protecting the lives of animals and people through superior education, transformational research, and compassionate care. We teach. We heal. We discover. We protect.