Bandit Needs Major Surgeries

Bandit is a 10 year old Shi Tzu Poodle and the best dog we have ever owned. He is friendly, lovable and just the sweetest dog you could ever meet.

Unfortunately, Bandit has been plagued by illness. He has already had one major surgery for kidney stones, and a recent ultrasound revealed that more stones have formed and another major surgery would be needed. This surgery is mandatory because if the stone tries to pass through his urine stream and cause a blockage, he could die. Right now, he is OK and there is no cause for alarm, but at any moment, a blockage could occur and he'd need emergency surgery. We would have done the surgery already, but Bandit also was recently diagnosed with diabetes. Our vet has said we have to wait as long as possible for the surgery until Bandit's sugar is regulated. We give him insulin shots twice per day, and we also had to pay a vet specialist $350 to create a special homemade diet for Bandit to prevent further stone development and to help with his elevated sugar. Every night we cook a home cooked meal for Bandit, consisting of brown rice, sweet potatoes, grilled chicken and some supplements. We can no longer sleep past 6:30 AM because the insulin must be given exactly at 12 hour intervals. To make matters worse, Bandit has developed cataracts as a result of the diabetes and he has gone blind. It is so heartbreaking watching him try to navigate his world no longer able to see anything.

To date, Bandit's medical care, including medication, doctor visits and pending surgeries have caused a hardship for our family. His vet bills and prior surgery to this point have exceeded $9000 already. Every time we go to the vet it costs upwards of $150 and the eye doctor costs in excess of $280 at each visit; his monthly medication and supplies costs over $200. In addition, we'll likely be required to pay another $2000 for his upcoming stone surgery, and in March 2018, he was admitted to the hospital with a severe UTI that made him so ill it caused diabetic ketosis. He became so ill, he would not eat or drink, and the hosptial stay cost an additional $1700.

We are hoping some of our friends will help Bandit get the care he needs to live a long and healthy life. Our need is urgent as surgery for his kidneys could be any minute, depending on if a blockage occurs. 

We appreciate your consideration and thank you for helping us care for our best friend.