Murphy is family: The Grahams weren’t going to let a cancer diagnosis take their beloved dog!

Updated: Dec. 20, 2023 at 4:59 PM AKST
When Murphy — a 9-year-old, 105-pound, Newfoundland-retriever mix — was diagnosed with bladder cancer, his owners Jessica and Jason Graham of Anchorage knew they had to do everything they could for him. So, they flew him from Alaska to Florida specifically for treatment at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine. He arrived in October, underwent a CT scan, and started treatment a week later. Jessica says it wasn’t a question of how their "family member" Murphy was going to get the radiation treatment he desperately needed, but when and where. The options were limited and it’s not done here in Alaska. After 15 days of radiation, being put under anesthesia every day, Murphy is back in Anchorage and now undergoing chemo treatments. And there is good news! A recent sonogram shows that the cancerous mass/tumor that was in his bladder is now gone. They’re now doing chemo as a precaution. Questions/comments? Story idea? Reach out to Dave Allgood: Allgoodnews@ktuu.com