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Onedoug, here's a case in point in which a little girl's love for her dog -- and the dog's love for her -- helped her beat cancer. Now, in a sad twist of fate, the dog has the identical cancer the child had, but the family is doing all they can to save the animal. (This is an excerpt; click link embedded in title to read entire piece.)

Girl and pet dog share same cancer ordeal
By CHARLOTTE GILL, Daily Mail
20:00pm 10th July 2006
When little Emily Kearney was diagnosed with cancer, her parents decided to get her the dog she had always wanted to help her through.
They heard about Casper, an adorable Yorkshire terrier who needed rehoming, and immediately fell in love with him.
When six-year-old Emily came home after five months of intensive chemotherapy for Burkitt's lymphoma, the two became inseparable and Casper gave her the strength to beat the disease.
Now six years on, in an extraordinarily cruel coincidence, Casper has been diagnosed with the same cancer that Emily had.
Mrs Kearney, a classroom support assistant, and her husband, a painter and decorator, both work for the Tyne and Wear Autistic Society.
They heard about Casper through a kennel in Hartlepool. His owner's personal circumstances had changed and he needed a new home.
He arrived two weeks after Emily came home and the pair hit it off from the start.
Casper, now ten, was diagnosed with lymphoma two weeks ago after Mrs Kearney noticed a lump on his neck.
They have been told his prognosis is good.
He goes to Roker Park Veterinary Practice once a week, where a drip is put in his paw and he is given intravenous chemotherapy treatment and has tablets every other day.
"I'm an only child so he's my brother and I'm his sister," Emily said. "He's been heaven sent. It was great when we got him. He made me so happy. He helped me to recover.
"I was heartbroken when he got ill. I make sure I give him lots of attention and cuddles. I feel like it's going to be all right."

Emily and Caspar: