Kermie: The Dog That Defied Cancer to Reunite With Her Owner

A month after her owner was stationed away, Kermie, a loving family dog, was taken to the vet due to unusually foul breath. The diagnosis was grim – Kermie had cancer. With a prognosis of merely two to three months left to live, it appeared that she wouldn’t see her owner again. But Kermie had a different plan; she held on, fighting her illness until her owner returned from his nine-month deployment.

In March last year, Eric Ralston, a principal sanitary corpsman in the US Navy, was deployed. A month into his deployment, his wife took their dog, Kermie – an 11-year-old Lab-Beagle-Chow Chow mix – to the vet after noticing her unusually foul breath.

The examination revealed Kermie was suffering from oral carcinoma. The doctors believed she had only two to three months left. “We were devastated, to say the least,” said Jennifer Ralston. “Kermie was our first child, and we didn’t think Eric would get to see her again.” But Kermie was determined to hold on until she could see Eric once more.

Against all odds, Kermie held on for three months. With the end of Eric’s deployment approaching, the family nurtured a glimmer of hope that Kermie might just hold on long enough to reunite with him.

However, just 12 days before Eric’s expected return, his deployment was extended. With the holidays approaching, the Ralstons feared that Kermie might not make it to Christmas when Eric was due home. Defying the odds once again, Kermie held on. Days before Christmas, Eric returned home to a heartwarming reunion. Kermie, adorned with a red bow, ran straight into Eric’s arms.

Eric’s return seemed to infuse new life into Kermie. “His return was some kind of magic pill for her,” said Jennifer. “She began eating and drinking again, without struggle.” Kermie even celebrated her 12th

birthday in January. Unfortunately, by February, her health took a turn for the worse. “When good days turned into good hours, we knew it was time,” said Jennifer. On February 22nd, Kermie lost her battle with cancer, with Eric and her loving family by her side.