Houston was recently diagnosed with lymphoma (an aggressive form of cancer) that has progressed rapidly since we first picked up on the initial signs.  Fortunately, we caught it very early on and after just two weeks of treatment from the amazing team at the Toronto Veterinary Emergency Hospital, the disease has gone into full remission.  Unfortunately, the treatment calls for weekly rounds of chemo therapy over a 25 week period.  Without the full course of treatments, the disease will begin to progress again and we will lose him in a matter of weeks.  Houston has done more for me than I could ever put into words, in a lot of ways he’s been like a support animal.  He’s my rock; he's helped me through the loss of dear friends and loved ones and he’s taught me to always try to see the good in others, as that’s how he sees the world. Houston is a gentle soul who loves everyone he meets unconditionally. Even through sickness he continues to help me every day with my own mental health struggles by being a loving companion who is always reminding me that everything will be okay one way or another. 

I realize most people are experiencing their own struggles right now in light of the ongoing pandemic, but given everything Houston has done for me I owe it to him to at least try to gather the funds to pay for his treatment, especially given how well he is responding and how promising his prognosis is. If you are able to contribute in anyway, whether it be by donating or simply taking the time to share this it would mean the world to Houston, myself and my family.

We have been completely blind sided by this, and I was very close to losing my best friend.  Remember to hold onto your loved ones, show them every day how much you appreciate them and how much their presence means to you.