A 3-legged American pit bull with a heart of gold and sweet disposition captured the hearts of Alicia and Andrew Alderson when they adopted her in 2017.

"It was absolutely love at first sight—she ran into our arms."

But their journey took an unexpected turn when last year they discovered a 3-centimeter growth on Annabel Lee's rear left leg—a mast cell tumor.

Traditional surgical options were ruled out due to the eight-year-old's unique circumstance of already having only three legs. Luckily, a drug approved by the FDA three years ago has been transforming mast cell tumor treatment, and was a perfect fit for the Florida family.

Dr. Emily Moser, at Town and Country Veterinarians and Pet Resort in Gainesville, said Annabel Lee was an ideal candidate for Stelfonta.

"It's really cool for cases like hers when surgery is not an option," Moser explains.

Stelfonta was specifically designed to target mast cell tumors in dogs. It induces necrosis within the tumor while promoting rapid healing of the affected site—all with minimal scarring and a response from 87 percent of pups having complete tumor resolution.

In general, the cost of such an injection is likely similar to the cost of surgery to cut out a tumor, but it's less invasive—and anesthesia, which is risky for some older dogs, is not required.

The Aldersons expressed deep gratitude for the cancer treatment that saved their ‘little cuddle bug'.

Because the couple cannot have children, their pets are beloved family members, and this option ‘gave their little girl back'.

Today, Annabel Lee is cancer-free and back to her normal, playful self, with likely years of life in her future.

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