A Labrador who battled cancer as a young pup has melted hearts online with his permanently disfigured jaw and constantly sticking out “tusk”.
In 2018, when Remington was around 18 months old, owner Amanda Leonard-Neverov noticed a sore on his gums. She monitored the situation for a few months, thinking maybe it was from chewing something sharp, but X-rays several weeks later revealed there appeared to be some sort of cyst caused by an unruptured tooth.
Remington was referred to a specialist and had the tooth removed, with tissue from the presumed cyst sent for testing. When the results were back, Leonard-Neverov, 35, was devastated to receive a call on December 26, 2018, saying that her sweet puppy had cancer.
Leonard-Neverov, of Phoenix, Arizona, told Newsweek: “Remington’s official diagnosis was papillary squamous cell carcinoma, a type of cancer that affects the mouth. Hearing the word ‘cancer’ is terrifying enough, especially when it’s your 18-month-old puppy.”
VCA Animal Hospitals previously wrote that squamous cell carcinoma is a malignant tumor that is the second most common oral tumor reported in dogs. It can affect cats and dogs, usually found in the mouth, gum line, or tonsils.
The standard procedure to treat this cancer is to surgically remove the tumor, and any affected lymph nodes under the jaw. If the tumor is particularly invasive, surgery might involve removing a portion of the jaw too—a procedure Remington went through.
Leonard-Neverov was “terrified at first” when she thought about her dog having to live the rest of his life with a disfigured jaw. But after realizing that it was in his best interests, she made the decision to go through with the segmented partial mandibulectomy and remove part of his jaw.
“As anyone would, I googled it and feared that he wouldn’t be able to live a normal life. But after being reassured that Remington could still play fetch (his absolute favorite thing), we decided that this procedure was the best choice for him,” she continued.
“Because of the section of Remington’s jaw that was removed, his jaw began to shift and swing to the side over time. It took a few months for it to settle into the adorable way it looks now. Amazingly, his most recent X-rays show that the bone in his jaw has started to grow back, which earned him the name ‘Super Dog’ from the vet.”
Now 7 years old, Remington is thriving, and his facial deformity doesn’t impact his quality of life. Although he struggled in the early days following the surgery, he managed to pick up his favorite ball shortly after and has continued to master the game of fetch.
Indeed, some of his bottom teeth stick out of his jaw because of the misalignment, so his owner has taken to affectionately calling the exposed tooth his “tusk.”
“It can be dangerous to your shins, but it’s become one of my favorite things about him,” she jokingly told Newsweek.
The resilience that Remington has shown since his cancer battle has continued to amaze his owner, and indeed the vet too. He doesn’t care what he looks like, as long as he has his loving family and a ball. In fact, his unusual appearance is what makes him perfect in the eyes of Leonard-Neverov.
She continued: “We’re very fortunate that it doesn’t impact his daily life at all. People love how his tongue hangs out and it makes him even more special. He always gets super excited to meet new friends, especially if they have cookies.
“As long as Remi can eat and play with his tennis ball, he’s the happiest dog around. It’s almost as if he doesn’t even realize what happened, and now he pretty much gets whatever he wants—I’d say he’s even happier than before.”
He still has regular X-rays and dental cleanings at the vet, but so far, there have been no signs of the cancer returning.
The Social Media Reaction
Leonard-Neverov posted about Remington’s journey on TikTok (@pawsandpixiedust) where she revealed the reason for his “extra special” appearance. The post melted hearts online and went viral with more than 211,400 views and over 59,800 likes on TikTok in just a number of days.
Many social media users have shared their love and support for Remington, and his owner hopes that the online attention will educate more people on this type of cancer.
“The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, which is truly incredible,” Leonard-Neverov said. “Knowing that Remi has made someone smile means the world to me, and if sharing his story can help one other dog, it will all be worth it. Pets are like family, and nothing can compare to the love and support they provide.
“It’s important to raise awareness about this rare type of cancer, especially since it can affect such young dogs. While the prognosis is generally positive if the cancer is removed, early detection is key. I sometimes think that if we’d done the x-rays when we noticed the sore, maybe he wouldn’t have needed such a drastic surgery—but then he wouldn’t be as unique as he is now,” she continued.
After going viral on TikTok, Remington has earned plenty of adoration and praise from social media users, leading to over 4,800 comments already.
One TikTok user wrote: “Oh he is still so freaking cute!”
Another TikToker added: “What a sweetheart baby you have. So glad he survived.”
While another comment reads: “Absolutely handsome boy! He looks so sweet.”
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