Originally appeared on E! Online .

Robert Irwin is sharing a difficult life update.

Amid his time on " Dancing With the Stars ," the Australian wildlife photographer announced that his pug, Stella, is going through a health battle.

“This is a tough one,” Irwin wrote in an Oct. 12 Instagram post , alongside black and white photos of his dog. “I wanted to give an unfortunate update on my sweet little pup, Stella. A mass was discovered that ended up being cancerous. We still don’t know the full extent of the cancer. I have faith she’ll be in the clear.”

Irwin emphasized that Stella, who he shares with mom Terri Irwin and sister Bindi Irwin , is “such an important part” of their family.

“It’s been stressful to say the least being away from home and away from her while she

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