Shannen Doherty revealed her dog Bowie detected her fatal cancer before diagnosis
Courtesy: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Images; @theshando on Instagram
Shannen Doherty, known for her roles in Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, passed away at 53 on Saturday, July 13, following a prolonged battle with breast cancer.
Doherty had first been diagnosed in 2015, achieving remission in 2017 before the cancer returned in 2019 and spread to her bones by November 2023, as reported by PEOPLE.
In interviews, Doherty credited her German Shepherd, Bowie, with sensing her illness even before her initial diagnosis. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight in 2016, she shared how Bowie would obsessively sniff her right side, prompting her to seek medical attention, stating, "It made sense when I got diagnosed."
Bowie, who boasts her own Instagram account under missbowiedoherty, was frequently featured in Doherty's social media posts, including a recent birthday tribute in March. The account, active since October 2016, showcases Bowie's adventures and even a FaceTime session with another dog in December 2020.