Today’s post will be short — an update on Alberta.

Alberta had her surgery last week. Her right eye was removed. She also had all kinds of medical tests and — Great News! The tumor was benign, and she is completely healthy (no cancer)!

I still encourage you all to register your dogs with the Morris Animal Foundation for future canine cancer (and other) studies!

Alberta is recovering with friends near the Guiding Eyes for the Blind campus in Yorktown Heights, New York. Her host dogs (and humans) are being very gentle and sweet to her as she adjusts. They’re also working on a way to fashion an eyepatch — or, more likely, an entire wardrobe of eyepatches —for her to wear.

When she’s fully recovered, and her cousins are settled in their new home in Lolo, Montana, Alberta will join them. She loves Montana, will have a busy and interesting life, and, best of all, will still be part of our family.

Ever the celebrity, Alberta is one of very few career dogs to merit a retirement party and front-page news story. It’s a follow up to the feature story that introduced her to local readers three years ago.