Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Our Story
Hi, I’m Chandra, the head baker at Hungry Dog Kitchen! Pictured with me are my two amazing dogs, Benedict and Duke. I’ve been an animal lover since the day I was born and an advocate for animals ever since I understood the importance of standing up for them. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of being “mom” to many wonderful cats and dogs, always choosing to rescue.
Most recently, my passion has led me to advocate for special needs pets, including my own two rear leg amputee dogs, Benedict and Duke. These two are affectionately known as “tripods,” and despite facing other medical challenges, they’ve taught me more about resilience and love than I could ever express.
In mid-2024, Duke faced some serious health challenges that required round-the-clock care. Being homebound with him, I started experimenting with homemade treats in an effort to find healthier snacks for my boys. That’s when Hungry Dog Kitchen was born! Duke was always by my side as my baking buddy, eagerly taste-testing every recipe. Moving forward without him has been incredibly difficult, but now, as my Guardian Angel, I’m finally launching this business in his honor.
Duke's Passing
In April 2024, Duke became lame in his remaining back leg which required diagnosis by his veterinary rehabilitation doctor. He needed TPLO surgery to repair the torn CCL to give him any quality of life. Our favorite orthopedic specialist completed the surgery in June and Duke began his very tough12-week recovery consisting of crate rest, underwater treadmill sessions, and land exercises. At the 8-week mark of his recovery, I was cuddling with him and felt large lumps under his chin. After much testing and seeing an oncology specialist, it was determined that Duke had a rare form of lymphoma, but the good news was that it was considered indolent. He started chemotherapy to put the cancer in remission all while he continued to rehab his leg.
Unfortunately, Duke experienced complications during his cancer treatment, which the doctors initially attributed to chemotherapy. As a result, his treatment plan was changed. Despite the change, his condition continued to worsen. Two days after our last oncology appointment, he began struggling to breathe and lost interest in food. If you knew Duke, you knew that not eating was a huge red flag—this boy loved his food and treats! Concerned, I consulted with both his primary veterinarian and his rehabilitation vet, who both advised me to take him to the Emergency Vet for further diagnostics.
At the emergency hospital, the ER veterinarian performed an ultrasound, which revealed that his cancer had progressed from lymphoma to leukemia. His liver and spleen were enlarged to three times their normal size and pressing against his lungs and stomach. After additional consultations, we were told that there was nothing more they could do to help him, and humane euthanasia was recommended.
I was in shock. After surgery and 12 weeks of hard work in orthopedic rehab and 1.5 months of cancer treatments, the cancer had only worsened. I later learned that the oncology vet had misdiagnosed his lymphoma and had dismissed my concerns about his discomfort during our check-ups and many phone calls I placed about it. Because of this, we had been treating him with the wrong chemotherapy, with his last dose just two days before his passing.
On October 4, 2024, I made the heart-wrenching decision to end his suffering. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Duke adored me, trusted me, and loved me, and I felt the same way about him. He was my soul dog. In the Rainbow Bridge room at the ER, I sat on the floor with him, telling him how amazing he was and how sorry I was I couldn’t save him. He wagged his tail and gave me his paw to hold. I fed him chicken, Milk-Bones, and Hershey's Kisses (forbidden chocolate) until the vet administered the injection. As he took his last breath, I held his sweet face in my hands, inhaling his final exhale, knowing my life would never be the same. And it hasn’t been. Not only did Duke die on October 4th, but so did a huge part of me.
