LSU's Mike the Tiger has cancer
Sad news for one of our SEC brethren: Mike the Tiger, LSU's live mascot, has cancer. Mike IV's caretakers first noticed swelling on the right side of the 500 lbs. Bengal-Siberian tiger's face a few weeks back, prompting his vet to sedate him and bring him in for testing. Scans revealed a tumor near his nose, which a biopsy indicated is spindle cell sarcoma, a rare malignant form of cancer, that, luckily, is unlikely to spread to other areas of the body.
The tumor is inoperable, so Mike will receive radiation treatments at the Mary Bird Perkins - Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center in Baton Rouge. The life expectancy for this form of cancer varies from one month to two years, but with treatment, the staff of vets on the case hope to extend his life and allow him to live comfortably for at least two years. Thankfully, Mike does not appear to be in any pain right now.
In my opinion, Mike the Tiger is the coolest live mascot in the SEC, and visiting his habitat has become a ritual for teams visiting Baton Rouge. Here's the basketball team saying hello to him in January:
Get well soon, Mike. [The Advocate]It's becoming an annual visit while in Baton Rouge. The guys went to see Mike The ðŸ¯. pic.twitter.com/AG5nrfWauY
– Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) January 5, 2016
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