DID COCAINE CAUSE POLICE DOG'S DEATH?

A police sniffer dog who helped put scores of offenders behind bars has
died amid fears his former role gave him a cocaine-induced cancer.

Springer spaniel Max, who suffered from crippling arthritis, died of rare
nasal cancer professionals have speculated could have been caused by his
career as a drug sniffer dog.

The nine-year-old wheeled into the headlines in November when he was given
a new lease of life on a set of chariot-style wheels.

It was thought his running days were over when he started to suffer with a
hip complaint and after seven years' service he was forced to retire from
the Avon and Somerset police.

But the custom-made set of wheels changed everything for the spaniel who
was soon chasing balls and running through the park like any other dog.

It seemed Max had taken everything thrown at him and won, but shortly
after his new-found-fame he was diagnosed with nasal cancer. His owners
were forced to have him put to sleep last Sunday - just three months
before his 10th birthday.

Inspector Anne Higgins, from Tiverton police station, looked after Max and
was heartbroken when she had to have him put down.

She said: "It is ironic the wonderful organ that made him successful in
his work has been his demise. It may or may not have been connected to
what he used to do.

"Up until a couple of weeks ago he seemed fine and was doing really well
but it was an aggressive tumour."

The situation came to a head on January 17 when she noticed Max, who was
also suffering with the inherited condition hip dysplasia and arthritis,
was lame in one of his front legs.

"We left him in the van for a couple of hours and came back and he was
looking like he was lame in his front left leg," Insp Higgins said.

"It was an infection that got into his leg. Obviously he needed his front
legs more than anything to get around."

Faced with a heartbreaking decision Insp Higgins had to have Max put down
because his quality of life was suffering.

"It was very hard but we had to do it," she said.

"I took him into the station, which he usually loved and it was his
favourite place, but he did not show any reaction to being there and we
knew then he was not right.

"He was a fighter until the end and always very dignified. He has had a
good life and a successful one as a police dog - just think of all the bad
people he managed to put away."

Vets said Max had an undifferentiated sarcoma, which is a type of cancer
that commonly affects the nose.

Kate Fairclough, who has been Max's vet since 2006, said: "Sniffing drugs
could well have been a factor - I certainly cannot rule it out.

"Nose cancer in dogs is not all that common, only about one to two per
cent of all cancers in dogs affect the nose.

"It is difficult to know what caused it as there are so many different
factors involved, but environmental factors can play a part."

She said the cancer was on the left hand side of his face just under his
left eye and it had affected the bones in his face quite considerably.

"He had done so well since 2006 when it was thought he would have to be
put down so he had an extra three years of life.

"It is always hard to do and he was a lovely dog."