Duke, a gentle and shy 7-year-old golden retriever, born on February 21, 2016, Duke spent the first six years of his life outdoors in the care of a breeder. Rescued from a distressing situation, Duke found his way to Golden Retriever Rescue Resource, where we've been diligently caring for him ever since.

Upon his arrival in the summer of 2023, Duke was in a sorry state. His first vet visit revealed infected ears, tartar-covered teeth, a matted coat, and nails so long they had curled to the side. Weighing in at a mere 82 pounds, he was also diagnosed as heartworm positive.

Duke's journey to health has been long, but with your help, we thought we were finally there. Thanks to the dedication of our team and the support of kind individuals, Duke underwent all the essential and expensive medical treatments for heartworm, including neutering and dental work to help his teeth, completed in early January 2024 to get him ready to be adopted. Unfortunately when Duke had his dental, there was a growth in his mouth which was found to be Papillary Squamous Cell Carcinoma, cancer.

Duke had an ultrasound of his abdomen on February 26th and a CT scan to see what part of the jaw bone is involved with cancer. He went back in for surgery late February 2024 and had part of his part of his mandible and three teeth removed. Shortly after we received the great news that the doctors had removed all of Duke's tumor with clear margins. His follow up will be that for the next year he'll need to see the doctor every three months to have his lymph nodes checked and chest films reviewed.
Duke's surgery was expensive, at just under $7,500. Then on May 11th 2024, he had surgery to repair life threatening bloat, which cost our rescue an additional 6,629.90 to save Duke's life.
Duke is living out his life in his foster home. He had his three month check up in July with his oncologist and is doing well. He'll go back to the doctor in October.

Even though he's had so many disappointments over his life, he has blossomed into a playful, well-behaved companion. He enjoys the company of other dogs, walks well on a leash, and has mastered the art of being housebroken.

As you can see we have a big medical bill for this pup that just continues to grow at the expense of our small rescue. If you can lend a helping hand, your donation will make a significant impact on the medical needs for dogs like Duke. As a token of our gratitude, we'll proudly list your name as his sponsor on his page here. Donate via the PayPal (debit or credit card) below or through Venmo: @GoldenRetrieverRescueResource.

Please click the "next golden" button below to see the next golden retriever for adoption.