LSU live tiger mascot diagnosed with rare form of cancer

“Mike the Tiger”, the live mascot for the LSU football team, was diagnosed recently with a rare form of cancer according to the school.

For the past nine seasons, Mike VI has been the inspirational live tiger mascot for the LSU Tigers football team. The school and the fans cheer for the caged creature, while putting him right next to the opposing team’s entrance to Tiger Stadium as a way to get inside the head of those players as they see a live tiger right next to them.

Now, the school is revealing that Mike VI was recently diagnosed with a rare form a cancer that, if not treated, could take the creature’s life within the next two months. From the LSU website:

"LSU’s live tiger mascot, Mike VI, has been diagnosed with a spindle cell sarcoma, a type of cancer. Currently, Mike’s attitude and demeanor are unchanged, and he does not appear to be in pain.This is an extremely rare form of cancer, but this type of cancer is unlikely to spread to other areas of the body."

Officials say that with the right treatment, Mike VI will be able to live for possibly another two years. The mascot will undergo a radioactive therapy that will focus extensively on the area where the initial tumor was found by his vets.

LSU has had a live tiger as their mascot for over a half century now. The shortest serving mascot was Mike II, who was on the sidelines for three seasons before a leg injury forced him to be put to sleep. If healthy enough, Mike VI will be on the sidelines for LSU’s 2016 opener on September 10th against Jacksonville State.

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