Delaware County Police Dog Battling Cancer

By Craig Day, News On 6

DELAWARE COUNTY -- You may be familiar with Chico, a police dog in Delaware County.

The community rallied around Chico, to get him much needed dental work. That's after he damaged his teeth while trying to get to his handler's side when Deputy Steve Brownell was shot in the line of duty.

10/9/2008 Related Story: Deputy Dog Needs New Grill 

Now Chico faces a much more serious life and death health problem.

"He's went through a lot in the past two or three years now," Deputy Brownell said. "He was, there for a couple of days, just laying around not wanting to do anything."

Chico still looks healthy, but he's a very sick dog. Deputy Brownell found lumps on Chico's neck.

"We found out he had lymphoma cancer," he said.

Chico will undergo 25 chemotherapy treatments. The good news is, the cancer was detected early and his chances of survival are good. But it still worries Brownell.

"It's just like losing another officer, I mean, one of my street officers, he's just right there with them," he said.

If the chemo works, Chico could be in remission long enough to live out his normal life expectancy, which is a few more years.

"He was there trying to help me out. I'm going to do everything I can to help my dog," Deputy Brownell said.

With the estimated $3,500 cost for treatment, Brownell hopes the same community that helped to cover his dental costs, will rally around Chico once again.

"He's part of the office, he's part of our family, he's here for everybody," he said.

Chico will undergo chemotherapy treatments in Jay, with every third treatment at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.