WHIDBEY ISLAND STATION, Wash. — Sugar, a rambunctious black lab, is a sweet dog.
Part of his morning routine is to jump into bed and wake his family up with a sloppy kiss.
Normally, that's not an issue, but a couple of weeks ago, his affection turned to affliction.
"The last couple of weeks were incredibly devastating, stressful," says Sugar's owner Mia Saenz.
Sugar's dad, Tony, is recovering from skin cancer. He puts a form of chemotherapy called fluorouracil on his head for treatment.
When Sugar jumped in the bed one morning, he caught Tony off guard.
"I screamed at him to stop and he jumped down," says Tony. "That began our journey with his exposure."
Sugar had licked the drug off Tony's head and, within hours, was shaking and vomiting.
Mia called a pet poison control hotline, which told them to get the dog to the vet immediately.
The dog had serious internal burns and had to ingest a sort of intestinal Band-Aid to coat his ulcers in order to survive.
"It's just a horrible thought that he could be harmed from doing something that he loves," says Tony. "It's part of his character and part of the way he expresses his love."
Sugar expresses his love in many ways.
Mia is battling cancer, as well. Not long ago, she passed out at the wheel while driving.
"Sugar recognized that and came up and licked me until I came to," Mia recalls. "When I did, I was in the other lane on Highway 525 and cars were stopped with lights flashing. I was able to move over. He saved my life."
Mia also says Sugar seems to instinctively know which side to snuggle against after she has had surgery in order to avoid causing her pain.
"He is just a wonderful part of the family," says Mia.
With 5.5 million Americans diagnosed with skin cancer every year, the family plans to lobby pharmaceutical companies to put aversive scents on poisonous topicals like fluorouracil to keep curious dogs away.
At one point, Sugar was undergoing daily blood tests, which cost $350 each. Those tests are now down to once per week, but the family has racked up $7,000 in vet bills.
"My friend had to put in on her credit card, and I have to pay her back," says Mia.
They've now established an online fundraiser to help with those bills.
Meantime, Sugar, whose full name is Sugar Ray Leonard, is a lover, but true to his name, he's also a fighter. He's battling through his illness and is expected to make a full recovery.
His owners realize love hurts, but with Sugar, life is sweet.
"He's a beautiful boy," says Mia, giving Sugar a big hug. "I'm so grateful."