Indiana's Cataract Surgery

My name is Adele and this is Indiana, the family's wonderfully happy and active seven year old fox terrier cross...sadly this week she became blind from cataracts. She needs an operation this month (November) to have them removed and I am asking for donations to help pay for the treatment.

Indiana (named after the adventurous archaeologist) needs surgery on her eyes to see again and eye drops for pre and post op, the surgery will cost $5000 for both eyes. That is a good price but very expensive for my parents who are both pensioners (my father has Parkinsons Disease and my mother is his carer) and Im not exactly swimming in cash like Scrooge McDuck! Although I did pay for the ultrasound ($750) which informed us that Indiana was viable for the cataract removal surgery, if 200 people gave $20 each, it would raise $4000 and that would be amazing!

She is booked in for the operation in the second week of November. As you can see from the photo on the right, both her eyes are now clouded over; she is completely blind.

Indiana's backstory, how she got those darn cataracts: Indiana is only seven years old and has had a pretty terrible past two years recovering from meningitis, which was caused by a reaction to a worm/tick vaccination. One morning my mother woke to find Indiana on death's door, her immune system had over reacted and was killing her right there and then. She had to go on medication and steroids to calm it down for a year while the vaccination left her system. This did calm her immune system down, but then caused her body to gain weight and deform her spine. My parents had to slowly take her off the steroids over the year, so her body would slowly return to normal. Sadly towards the end of this year she developed diabetes, a common side effect to the steroids. My mum and dad (while he has parkinsons) had to start giving Indiana insulin injections twice a day for the past few months. Everything was looking up, Indiana was looking and acting like her old self pre-vaccination. She was pretty much better in October, running around, barking and playing with her toys...getting back to regular exercise. But dogs with diabetes can go blind, and this happened in the first week of November.

I would like to see Indiana have her sight back and running around the house like she was two years ago. To be a happy companion to my father and also not have the cost of the operation be a big hit on my parents. If you can help and donate, anything would be grateful, my parents and I would be so appreciative...as would Indiana!

The surgery will be performed by Veterinary Specialist Services on the Gold Coast, Australia.

Updates: I will provide proof of surgery documents, links and photos of Indiana's progress so you know how you have helped this little girl out.

A Thank You Gift: As an illustrator, the best way I can thank those that help give is by sending out a signed print of my work. For those who donate $50 or more, I will mail out a signed print of an illustration inspired by Indiana. For $35 you can have the illustration emailed to you and print it at home pr make it your digital wallpaper. These will be sent out once they are drawn up and the fundraiser is over.

Thank you for your time and donations. Anything is appreciated. Choose your own amount or hit the pre-set amounts like $20, $35 or $50.