A LABRADOR has undergone 'life-saving' surgery to remove a tumour the size of a football.

The six-year-old dog, Lucy, is now making a 'great recovery' at the Blue Cross rehoming centre in Burford, near Witney. 

Staff at the centre were shocked when they saw the size of the 'mammary turmour' when the dog was brought in by friends of her previous owner who had recently died. 

The cancerous mass, which weighed more than two bags of sugar, took vets two hours to remove and luckily had not spread. 

Laura Crofts, small animals manager at the rehoming centre, said: “We’re over the moon to see a happy ending for Lucy.

“She was brought into us for rehoming after her owner died and it seemed she had just got used to the massive lump hanging down from her abdomen. It must have been so uncomfortable for her and we’re not sure how long she had been putting up with it.

“She’s making a great recovery and is doing really well in her foster home, she’s such a chilled dog and takes it all in her stride.

“She still splays out her back legs because she’s got so used to walking with the mass. Hopefully she will realise she no longer has to do that now.

Witney Gazette:

“Cases like this really show the importance of getting your dog or cat neutered as this greatly reduces the chance of mammary tumours like this occurring.

“Studies show more than a quarter of female unsprayed dogs will develop a mammary tumour during their lifetime and some of these can prove to be fatal.

“Luckily Lucy is on her way to her happy ending and we hope in time she will be ready to go up for rehoming and the team here at Burford can find her a loving new family to go to.”

To donate to cover the £1,000 cost of the surgery, see https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bluecrosslucysappeal