Sparky Fights Back: A Little Dog's Big Battle Against Cancer

by John Clifton and Josee Clerens

Book Overview

"At the dawn of the 21st century, with a definitive cure for cancer still so elusive, Clerens and Clifton have written a remarkable book, one that documents the journey of one small dog's triumph over... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0976084600
• ISBN13: 9780976084600
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Foley Square Books
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Sparky is my hero!

I really enjoyed this book. I read it the week after my own dog was diagnosed with the same cancer, and its been very helpful in preparing me for the stages of chemo. What brave and lovely people Sparky has for parents!!

Sparky Fights Back

I thought the book was excellent and provided great insight into the emotional ups and downs when caring for and treating a pet who has been diagnosed with cancer. It also provided invalueable assistance regarding treatment and options for treatments.

Inspirational story that made me feel hopeful

Update: 11/3/2008 I just reread this review and I thought I'd come back and say that my cat finished her entire (almost two years) of chemo treatments, radiation, force-feedings, prednisone, anitibiotics, etc. and she's still alive and kicking (and still sneezing snot all over everything.) I would recommend to anyone with a pet that has cancer that you buy a baby scale to weigh them on frequently at home, as weight changes are one of the easiest ways to tell that something is going wrong (or right!) Also, an in-ear thermometer is a great alternative to...erm...the good old-fashioned kind of thermometer if your vet wants to you to keep track of your pet's temperature. ************************ I have a cat with cancer, not a dog, but there isn't much info out there about cats and cancer (and taking my cat to the oncologist, we have yet to share the waiting room with any other cats...just dogs) so I have been reading books like this and "Preventing and Treating Cancer in Dogs", to supplement the reading I can find that actually refers to cats. Sparky's story is very inspirational. The only other person I know who had cats with cancer...well...the cats died about four months after diagnoses, which didn't leave me feeling very hopeful. Reading this book was like having a friendly aquaintance tell you their positive story, which makes a nice change from what I usually get when people find out my cat has cancer...they get really quiet and act like she's basically dead already. This book is well written and is an easy and enjoyable read that caused me to tear up a few times. It reminded me that it's worth fighting for my cat rather than just giving up, and it also pointed out to me that, although many people I know think spending many thousands of dollars trying to save a pet is crazy...there are plenty of other crazy people like me out there that would do the exact same thing. The book was not really useful in terms of knowing what I was going to have to do with my cat...I thought it might be a sort of guide showing me the steps her treatment would follow, but it's probably a very bad idea to use this book that way because there are so many kinds of cancers and there are new research and protocols being developed all the time. My cat's treatment plan includes chemo and radiation and all that, but in a different order and it all seems very different. She also won't usually eat or drink on her own (she has a tumor in her nasal cavity, above her soft pallete and she can't smell anything or breath through her nose most of the time) and has to be force fed a few times a day and has had to have subcutaneous fluids a few times. She also sneezes out blood and mucus sometimes...really gross and scary. I'm glad Sparky never went through anything like that, but I wish more people would share their story like Sparky's owners did...maybe some cat owners, or at least some dog owners that had some different experiences. I'm sure there will be books like that even

A book of hope...

This wonderful book is a joyous read! My own dogs, now gone almost twenty-five years, were constantly in my thoughts (and, not a few tears) as I read about the authors' love for their Sparky and the courageous and intelligent approach they used to help him regain his health after a diagnosis of cancer. Every reader of this inspiring book will surely recognize the absolute honesty of the authors' story. Dog lovers will immediately feel validation of the love they feel for their own "best friends" and people who have faced profound medical challenges will be strengthened in their resolve to actively participate in their own care, seek out skilled professionals and seek to beat the odds. Most of all, those people fond of love stories will find love on every page of "Sparky Fights Back" -- the love of a trusting animal, the love shown by medical professionals who seek to treat and cure animals, the love of a community of friends and neighbors who shared in and gave support to the idea that the life of one small dog could be saved. I finished the book with renewed hope from Sparky's example, that we too can face our own challenges with new vigor, take great joy in small things and find our own way to undiminished dignity no matter the difficulty of the battle to be fought.

Sparky Fights Back is a WINNER

This poignant tale of a spunky Australian terrier's heroic battle with cancer is both touching and riveting. And, it is a "page-turner" in the best sense of the phrase. The authors guide us through the struggle, joy, frustration, and ultimate success of Sparky's life, disease and cure. We come away with not only a large "Hurrah!" for Sparky - a lovable, yet individually willful canine with not a little quirkiness - but with a profound regard for his courageous master and mistress in their unwavering determination to explore every avenue that might provide a cure for their beloved pet. While the owners' devotion to Sparky is palpable, the well-structured writing style is informative and researched, yet happily peppered with anecdotal humor as the dynamic between pet, master, and veterinarian are cleverly woven throughout. Dog lovers will laugh and cry over the telling of this book. But, to Clerens and Clifton's credit, the text never languishes into raw sentimentality. The meld of the scientific and emotional are united in an intelligent focus. In a supremely readable style, the authors present a compelling rendering of the joys and sorrows that come from loving a dog. At the book's conclusion, the reader will have bonded with both dog and masters. Here is a hearty recommendation for a book in which all dog lovers will take pleasure, and those whose pets face a similar crisis as Sparky's, will savor.