I adopted Dixie in 2013 from the Santa Cruz SPCA. They told me she was surrendered from her previous owner to the Madera shelter and transferred to this area due to people possibly overlooking her due to age - she was around 6. She was about 33lbs when I met her and couldn't even make it for a short walk down the street without some serious struggle. A woman there told me she "passed" on adopting her because she needed so much work on her weight. I remember thinking thank goodness because that's my dog. At 24.8lbs now my girl has been unstoppable for the last 5 years. Dixie has been my best friend since the moment I met her. When I put her in the car to drive home from the SPCA that first day she jumped up and put her paw on the window to roll it down and stick her head out. I felt like she instantly knew she had found where she was supposed to be. Together we've gone through so many things these past 5 years that I could never have endured without her by my side. Roughly 2 months ago my girl started showing signs of weakness in her left hind leg. Knowing her breed's predisposition to spinal problems, it was everything I had feared. Recently this weakness has traveled over to her right side and we have visited the specialists. After an attempt at strict rest and pain control that did not solve the problem, we scheduled an MRI last week. Her MRI showed that she has a herniated disc in her back that is causing pain and weakness on her left side. Her prognosis, however, with surgery is good, and she may be able to go back to walking normally and living her normal life. Despite her pain and inability to walk properly, she still remains the fearless, loyal, happy, sassy dog she has always been since I met her. It breaks my heart every second I have to watch her struggle and the thought of her feeling pain for any longer is not an option. I have spent over $2,000 at this point and I am willing to do whatever it takes and unwilling to give up on her. I am only asking for any help that anyone is willing to provide, both of us appreciate it so much