Goomba's Surgery

Shelter Rescue

In 2006, while walking the kennels at the Chula Vista Animal Shelter, this white faced and weirdly brown colored dog caught my eye.  As I crouched down to call him toward the metal bar door, he had already made his way there and started pressing the entire side of his body against the metal bars.  I began petting the top of his head.  Slowly, he moved and positioned himself so that the hand that was initially petting and scratching his head was now scratching the top portion of his butt.

It was at that point I realized this butt scratch loving dog was the goofball for me.  I ran up to the front office and put my name down for adoption.

Life outside bars
(Goomba about 6 months after the shelter)

The day I picked up Goomba, he was a little woosy from getting his manhood taken away (I pleaded the shelter to let him keep his jewels, but no dice - by law they had to).
The shelter told me he was about a year to a year and half.  Judging by his long nails I assumed he was kept as an outside dog, or maybe in a similar room or kennel-like atmosphere.  After day one, it was obvious he was not house trained.  And after months of training and finding poop on my bed pillow or pee on my blankets, he finally came around.

The Golden Years


Goomba continued doing normal things - like go to the beach, be forced to wear humiliating costumes, and fart,especially when things seemed too quiet for comfort.  He even got a little brother in 2009, but unfortunately had to go through losing that little brother three and a half years later.

Injury and perseverance

In 2014, at about nine years of age, Goomba injured his knee when his foot got tangled up with a blanket while jumping off the couch.  A trip to the vet and several tests later, the vet decided he had no injuries.  Since then Goomba always walked with a slight limp.  His walking and dog park regimen gradually got shorter and shorter, until he could only take short walks outside the house.

Then, on 4th of July weekend 2015, as Goomba was limping around the house, he suddenly stopped and yelped in pain.  A trip to a different vet revealed a torn CCL (this would be the equivalent to a torn ACL in humans).  Medication and return vet visits lead to the recommendation for TPLO surgery.  Unable to cover the entire cost, I must reach out to anyone willing to lend a hand.  I try to keep to myself and not ask for hand outs, but if this will help get Goomba what he needs to be able to run and skip and pounce like he used to, it's a no brainer.  Anything will help and hopefully soon Goomba can get back to running and playing.