Gatsby's Vet Bills

Gatsby is Katie's life! On Christmas Eve we went to Walmart to finish some last minute Christmas shopping and Katie kept reminding me that we needed a gift for the dogs. We went to the pet aisle and she saw a meaty ham bone for $3 and put in the cart. I followed suit and bought two for my dogs. We didn't think anything of it. I knew money had been really tight for her lately so even though she told me not to I paid for the bone. We went home, put the bones in the dogs stockings and she couldn't wait for Gatsby to have his. Christmas afternoon Gatsby got his bone and later that evening Katie took it away because he began to break off pieces. We went to bed not expecting what was to happen next. Katie came down stairs the next morning to let Gatsby out and said, "Gatsby seems off something isn't right." She kept monitoring him through out the day, and around 8:00 that night he would just lay around and not move much. Shortly after she noticed his lethargic behavior he began trembling and vomiting. His vomit was full of fragments of bone and yellow bile. As the over protective, worried dog mom she is, she immediately googled the dog bone and was horrified to find the exact product she had give Gatsby was KILLING dogs. Upset and terrified, she held Gatsby in her arms as she read about the dangers and stories of the bone. I knew we had to go to the vet. I called the emergency vet and asked them what to do. They told us to come in immediately. Before we left Gatsby had struggled to pass stool with blood in it and Katie anxiety grew. When we arrived at the clinic the vet took Gatsby back to examine him and came back to tell us the long list of possible complications from severe esophageal lacerations to compaction resulting in surgical removal with a small survival chance. The entire time Katie kept saying."I feel like I am going to vomit." By the end of the Night Gatsby was able to come home but suffered rectal bleeding and severe stomach irritation. He is not completely better but on the mend. Katie has had a very rough year with medical bills trying to treat her neurological disorder and other various expenses. She has worked two jobs to make ends meet while attending school as a biology major and now has another set back. I am hoping to help her recoup some of the cost associated with taking care of her fur baby! He has done such a great job caring for her (as she struggles with her medical and financial problems) and we want him to be 100%! Any little bit would help!