Dexter's Knee Surgery
Donation protected
Dexter is our adorable little Rhodesian Ridgeback mix that we first fell in love with while visiting the San Deigo Humane Society. It was love at first sight, there was something special about this dog and we would soon figure out why! He was such a smart, loving, and caring little guy. So when he first started to limp at the beginning of 2013 we began to worry, we took him to the doctor a few times got x-rays done but nothing was definitive. That is until we took him to a specialist, we figured after him limping for a good 6 months it was time to pull out the big guns and see someone who only dealt with this type of issue. We took Dexter in to the Oregon Veterinary Referral office and within the first 5 minutes of the doctor seeing Dexter she could tell that he had ruptured his cruciate ligament. To fix this issue Dexter would have to endure Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO), this surgery does not repair the ligament but it changes how his knee works. TPLO is a surgery performed on dogs to stabilize the stifle joint after ruptures of the cranial cruciate ligament. This in analogous to the ACL in humans and can be very painful. Basically when he walks his tibia and femur were sliding back and forth which does not sound like a very exciting experience.
We decided to go ahead with the surgery even after we found out that it would cost us $3400 to $3900. This was something that we had to do, we could not let our baby suffer any longer. So on June 17th we dropped Dexter off at the hospital where he would get the surgery and stay overnight. We (Emily and I) were a complete wreck! I could not stand the thought of leaving my baby overnight somewhere after withstanding such a major surgery, plus Dexter ALWAYS knows when something is happening. The surgery was successful and we went to pick him up the next day, sitting in the exam room waiting for them to bring him in was so unnerving. The technician told us that everyone fell in love with him, which I knew would happen, what is not to love about him? She also told us that for the next 8 weeks we could not take him on walks, take him swimming, or allow him to play with his sisters. We were determined to do what ever we needed to help him recover. The last 6 months of seeing him limp was hard enough. So the next 8 weeks will be really tough because how do you tell your dog that they cannot play, go on walks or basically do anything but go outside to go potty?
We are asking you to help us lighten some of the load that we have to endure during this time. We have many other bills that we are already paying and adding this one really stretches us thin. However, not going through with the surgery was not an option we had to get it done we did not want to see him in pain any longer. Dexter has become like a child to us, he has been through so much with us, he is always there for us no matter what. He really has shown us what love is, because no matter how many times we get angry or upset with him he loves us unconditionally. We know that is can be awkward to ask people for help but we have no other options at this time. Plus we know that many people who will see this have met Dexter and know that even he has left a lasting impression on you. He really is a special dog that stands out above many dogs that we have come to know in our lives. So that is why we are humbly asking for your help to pay for Dexter's surgery. We also realize that some of you may not be able to help and that is fine, or some may only be able to donate $5 or $10 and again that is fine. Anything that any of you who read this can contribute would be helpful and we would appreciate it more than we could ever really show.
We decided to go ahead with the surgery even after we found out that it would cost us $3400 to $3900. This was something that we had to do, we could not let our baby suffer any longer. So on June 17th we dropped Dexter off at the hospital where he would get the surgery and stay overnight. We (Emily and I) were a complete wreck! I could not stand the thought of leaving my baby overnight somewhere after withstanding such a major surgery, plus Dexter ALWAYS knows when something is happening. The surgery was successful and we went to pick him up the next day, sitting in the exam room waiting for them to bring him in was so unnerving. The technician told us that everyone fell in love with him, which I knew would happen, what is not to love about him? She also told us that for the next 8 weeks we could not take him on walks, take him swimming, or allow him to play with his sisters. We were determined to do what ever we needed to help him recover. The last 6 months of seeing him limp was hard enough. So the next 8 weeks will be really tough because how do you tell your dog that they cannot play, go on walks or basically do anything but go outside to go potty?
We are asking you to help us lighten some of the load that we have to endure during this time. We have many other bills that we are already paying and adding this one really stretches us thin. However, not going through with the surgery was not an option we had to get it done we did not want to see him in pain any longer. Dexter has become like a child to us, he has been through so much with us, he is always there for us no matter what. He really has shown us what love is, because no matter how many times we get angry or upset with him he loves us unconditionally. We know that is can be awkward to ask people for help but we have no other options at this time. Plus we know that many people who will see this have met Dexter and know that even he has left a lasting impression on you. He really is a special dog that stands out above many dogs that we have come to know in our lives. So that is why we are humbly asking for your help to pay for Dexter's surgery. We also realize that some of you may not be able to help and that is fine, or some may only be able to donate $5 or $10 and again that is fine. Anything that any of you who read this can contribute would be helpful and we would appreciate it more than we could ever really show.
Organizer
Bryan Hader
Organizer
Veneta, OR