BB King’s Battle
July 15, 2020
Twelve-year-old tiger, BB King, is about to start the fight for his life! Recently, BB King was taken to the vet hospital to have a growth on his tongue removed. When our Veterinarian Dr. Kellyn had it tested we found out that it was a very rare form of cancer called Lingual haemangiosarcoma. This cancer is typically only found in dogs and domestic cats and usually on vital organs, not on the tongue.
Dr. Kellyn consulted with Kansas State University exotics faculty members Sara Gardhouse and Dr. Sam Hocker to work out a treatment plan. After extensive X-rays and ultrasounds we are confident that we caught this cancer early and it has not spread to any vital organs. With this information, BB King’s overall health, and his younger age, it was decided that he was an ideal candidate for a chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin. With this treatment, BB King will get a 30ml dose of chemo via IV once every 3 weeks for 4-6 treatments. After treatment, he should go into remission and be able to live a long, healthy life with us at Turpentine Creek.
Throughout the procedure, we will be closely monitoring BB King for any signs of discomfort or other medical issues and constantly be evaluating his status. We have temporarily moved BB King and his brother Mack down to Rescue Ridge for ease of access during treatment. BB King is very willing to participate in transportation; he easily loaded into and out of the transport cage
This 405 lb tiger seems very comfortable at the veterinary hospital and although a little cautious about our sliding squeeze door happily chuffs and greets team members throughout his hospital stay; he is a better patient than most humans who have to spend time at a hospital!
Since opening our onsite veterinary hospital in 2016 we have treated a variety of illnesses in our animals, from bad declaws, to dental issues. Having an onsite hospital has been very convenient to our mission, but BB King’s treatment is ground breaking. Without our onsite hospital and staff veterinarian, it wouldn’t be possible. Your support of our animal care and veterinary program is giving BB King a chance! Please donate to help us continue to care for all the animals and make sure they are healthy. Your support changes lives!
We will be keeping our supporters up-to-date on BB King’s treatment through Facebook, blogs, and emails. We are also going to be offering special Paid Facebook Events for our supporters so that they can be part of BB King’s treatment and care, all funds raised during the paid live events will go towards our animal care.