The story of Spartacus “Sparky” Morris
It all started one night in July 2011, I was on the internet and just on a whim I typed ‘Labrador puppies for sale’ and one of the ads had the picture of a six week old chocolate Labrador looking for a home. I had no idea that picture, and that internet search would change my life forever!
I picked him up at twelve weeks, he was a very good boy straight away, and was easy to house train. We did all the usual things, went to the beach, went camping, long walks, and lots of food! He never really had any health problems until he was eleven when he had a bit of arthritis in the hips and elbows. I decided to start him on a medication which can be a monthly injection for arthritis.
One month while getting his injection, I was just curious about a couple of lumps, but didn’t think anything of them, so I asked my vet about them, they got tested and one of them was a mast cell tumour. Cancer! I cried and cried when I found out the diagnosis, I didn’t know what to do, and thought that was going to be the end of Sparky and he was only eleven.
My vet explained there is a hospital called SASH at North Ryde and I should take him there for more tested and advice. At this stage I didn’t know dogs could get treated for cancer, so I went along at the start of 2023 and that’s where I met the most wonderful people who absolutely treated Sparky and I with so much love and compassion starting with Jess T at reception of oncology.
From there Dr Spela went through the results with me, and the cancer was showing signs that it had spread to his lymph node in his neck and spleen and he would need chemotherapy. Just hearing that gave me hope and I knew right there and then Sparky was going to get through this, he’s a very strong dog.
After three months the cancer was coming back in his lymph node and spleen. So back into surgery to remove part of his ear where the original mast cell tumour was and his lymph node. Dr Martin did an amazing job and managed to save his ear! What a legend! After another three months Sparky had his internals tested and everything came back clear! The cancer was gone! It truly was a miracle! Luckily I had insurance so the treatment was expensive but the insurance covered most of it.
Later that year, September to be precise, Sparky didn’t eat his breakfast, which was very odd. He’s a Labrador remember! So off to the vet again. I decided to monitor him for the day and night before doing anything expensive. My insurance for the year had been eaten up by the chemotherapy treatment. He didn’t improve over the next day, so back to the vet for ultrasound and X-rays where they found an obstruction way down in his bowel.
Straight into surgery where the vet found a piece of coal wedged in his bowel. It was from the weekend’s bbq and I bet it smelt delicious with all the chicken dripping all over it. He’d got into the bbq somehow, eaten a piece of coal, and It had damaged his bowel lining and he needed an emergency bowel resection. That’s very serious major surgery, and he was lucky to even survive the surgery at twelve years old.
I took him home that night as my vet doesn’t have anyone there over night and I wouldn’t leave him by himself after everything. I took him back in the morning so they could monitor him throughout the day. My vet, Struggletown Veterinary Hospital in Randwick was very lovely and let me sit with him all day out the back. The vet explained to me that his surgery was very serious and that he could pass anytime over the next week due to complications that could occur internally while the resection heals. The vet looked very glum when telling me and I knew the consensus was Sparky had little chance to make it through. I knew in my heart he would. I knew what I had to do…I asked my vet to call SASH North Ryde and tell them I was bringing Sparky in right away! They organised an ICU bed for him and I knew he would have 24hr care and he would make it though…
Doctor Morgan looked after Sparky for the week and she was amazing. I visited him for three to fours a day so he knew I was thinking of him. SASH gave me one of the rooms so we could hang out together and made sure we had everything we needed. Dr Morgan text me everyday, one in the morning, afternoon, and night giving me an update of how he was going, and that he was doing well. That was the best thing in the world, and really put my mind at ease.
Now, the ultrasound, X-rays, major surgery, and one week in ICU was very expensive and my insurance had run out for the year, three weeks before the renewal date to be precise. I maxed out both my credit cards to pay for everything and was in trouble financially after that. I started a GoFundMe page hoping to raise maybe $500 but to my surprise it ended up much more than that. All my friends and a couple of secret donations (which I think I know who they were) came to my rescue and I ended up raising $8,500. I couldn’t believe it, Sparky and I am forever grateful for everyone’s kindness…Sparky had recovered from the impossible recovery and was back to full strength a couple of months later. Admittedly the money raised was only one third of the total cost but saved me because I was completely rattled after everything that had happened that year and I needed a little bit of time off work to be with Sparky during his recovery…
We’d made it through 2023 by the skin of our teeth…
2024 was still going to be full of close calls. We live in Surry Hills were there are plenty of rats. Little to my knowledge one night Sparky broke through a dividing fence and ate three whole rat baits in the backyard. I only noticed because there was some blue specks in his water bowl. Back to the vet for induced vomiting and one month of Vitamin K tablets five a day. If I hadn’t noticed the blue specks he would have passed a day or so later. But again he survived.
I sat him down and said “you’re running out of luck big boy”.
Anyway the rest of 2024 went smoothly, but we brought on 2025 with the discovery of a new mast cell tumour on his front right paw in between his outer toes. So back to SASH for it to be removed and then all his organs checked again for cancer spread.
As it happens Sparky’s luck wasn’t out just yet. The week before finding the cancer he broke his outer claw nail on the left front paw, which was all gnarly but on the mend when I took him for surgery on his right front paw. It looked like the left paw was to be operated so the nurse shaved his left front paw and found another mass cell tumour hidden under his left outer paw pad buried underneath. Upon checking the notes again realised it was the right paw to be operated on, but the high level mass cell tumour was found by luck and yet again saved is life. The margins were good on the low level tumour on his right paw but not on the secret hidden tumour. So another round of Chemotherapy was decided as I didn’t want him to lose his toe to achieve the margins.
After another three month Chemotherapy treatment, which didn’t seem to bother Sparky, he didn’t show any negative signs throughout any treatment. In fact, he would run into Oncology every time we went. SASH must have a good treats back there! His final treatment was combined with his internals being checked via aspirations again for spread and also a giant wart lump on his other ear this time being removed by the wonderful Dr Martin. The final treatment also coincided with Sparky’s 14th birthday which was on the 3rd June 2024. All the results came back clear and I decided we needed a road trip to celebrate.
I turned my Electrician van into a camper van with a mattress and little kitchen in the back, packed up from where we were living/renting, put all my stuff under my auntie’s house and we went on a five month adventure driving from Sydney to Tasmania. We took the coast road down to Melbourne, the 12 Apostles, Ballarat, and then on to Tasmania via the Spirit of Tasmania. We spent four months driving around Tassie stopping at all the oyster farms, wineries, beach and bush walks we could find, and even some star gazing drinking whisky. We had the best time ever, and we got to hang out 24 hours a day!
We just got back to Sydney and stopped in to SASH to say I and wish everyone a merry Christmas.
We found a great new place to live, and just spent another great Christmas and new years together. Sparky is the greatest boy and I’m so lucky to have him, he’ll be 15 this year and I know things can go downhill quickly with an older dog, but just like me he thinks he’s much younger than he is…
So here’s to 2026, and I know if anything happens the wonderful team at SASH are always there to make sure Sparky sees 2027.
Lots of love to everyone who’s helped Sparky over the years.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Jake and Sparky…
– North Ryde NSW
