Countys K9 officer recovering after cancer diagnosis

Spike, the beloved Belgian Malinois K9 officer for Moody County, is on the mend after being diagnosed with a cancerous tumor.
His partner, Sergeant Tom Klein, told the Moody County Enterprise that despite the challenging news, Spikes prognosis is currently looking positive, and hes already bouncing back with his usual energy.
The tumor, which was located in Spikes fatty tissue rather than his organs, was diagnosed as a high-grade sarcoma. Like a thistle, the tumor had fingers that grew out, said Klein, making it difficult to remove entirely. However, veterinary surgeons successfully removed about 96% of the tumor. While the remaining tissue could lead to a recurrence, for now, Spike is recovering well, and his outlook is hopeful.
Hes still hyper, still energetic hes not slowing down at all, said Klein.
Hes a huge deal to us. Hes been deployed for over 50 incidents involving drug searches and car stops, and hes protected us in dangerous situations. When we found out he had cancer, it hit everyone hard. But Spike is a sweetheart, and hes loved by everyone. No one asks about me they always ask about Spike.
Spikes recovery has been progressing smoothly. The stitches from his surgery were removed last week, and hes expected to return to work in a few weeks. For now, hes cleared to continue drug detection duties but will need to hold off on bite work or engaging in physical confrontations for another month.
At the moment, its estimated that Spike, who is approaching 8 years old, will have around 2.5 more years of service before retirement. Although his life expectancy may not be as long as hoped, he is expected to continue serving and making a difference in the community for as long as his health allows.
Sergeant Klein and Sheriff Troy Wellman, who initially brought Spike into the department after the retirement of the previous K9, Two Socks, are committed to ensuring that Spike has everything he needs during this time.