Buddy, Therapy Dog, Surgery
Donation protected
We adopted Buddy in December of 2013. He is a 10 year old Beagle, who began his life as a lab animal. He made his way out of the lab but did not have a forever home and turned up at Dog Orphans in Douglas, MA, a no-kill shelter. For years he served his community through his role as a therapy dog. He visited patients in hospitals and residents of nursing homes, sharing affection and bringing smiles to those in need. He has been a gentle, sweet, loving dog, and became the mascot for Dog Orphans, Inc. He has been loved and cherished by many over the years, but never had a permanent place to call home. In the Fall of 2013, he was ready to retire and became eligible for adoption. I instantly knew I would adopt him, having known him from the hospital where I work. We began home visits, and my son and husband also fell in love with his sweetness and his wonderful adaptibility, his mellow, good-natured and cheerful soul.
Sadly, 4 months after adoption, when he was just beginning to relish his naps by the fire, neighborhood walks, and snuggles on the couch, he began to show signs that he was in pain. After taking him to our vet, and trying to find him solutions that did not involve surgery, it became obvious that we would have to take him to Tufts Veterinary Hospital, for IV pain medications and further work up. He would not eat and could barely move. An MRI revealed a herniated disc in his neck, and a mass on his thyroid. The mass turned out to be benign, but the disc needed immediate surgery as it was putting pressure on a spinal nerve and was so painful that Buddy would cry out in pain, and even had trouble just lowering his body to sit or lie down. With surgery, his prognosis was excellent, but the surgery is very expensive. There isn't a dollar amount where love is diminished, and we could only act in Buddy's best interst. We made the decision to have the surgery. Buddy has spent his life giving unconditional love to others, and deserves this care.
Buddy had disc surgery last Wednesday, April 9th. We are now week into his hospital stay. He is being weaned off IV pain meds, but is still in a lot of post-operative pain, and recovery is slow because he also had part of his thyroid removed. He is making progress, and we hope to have him back home by the end of next week.
Unfortunately, we are not in a position to cover his mounting medical bills. We knew adopting an older dog would mean ongoing veterinary care and regular visits, but these surgeries are above and beyond what we anticipated. If there is any way you can help to contribute to some of Buddy's medical expenses, Buddy and his family would be eternally grateful. A gift of any amount is meaningful. We appreciate all of your support, warm thoughts, and prayers for his continued recovery. And thank you again, for any support you can offer.
Sadly, 4 months after adoption, when he was just beginning to relish his naps by the fire, neighborhood walks, and snuggles on the couch, he began to show signs that he was in pain. After taking him to our vet, and trying to find him solutions that did not involve surgery, it became obvious that we would have to take him to Tufts Veterinary Hospital, for IV pain medications and further work up. He would not eat and could barely move. An MRI revealed a herniated disc in his neck, and a mass on his thyroid. The mass turned out to be benign, but the disc needed immediate surgery as it was putting pressure on a spinal nerve and was so painful that Buddy would cry out in pain, and even had trouble just lowering his body to sit or lie down. With surgery, his prognosis was excellent, but the surgery is very expensive. There isn't a dollar amount where love is diminished, and we could only act in Buddy's best interst. We made the decision to have the surgery. Buddy has spent his life giving unconditional love to others, and deserves this care.
Buddy had disc surgery last Wednesday, April 9th. We are now week into his hospital stay. He is being weaned off IV pain meds, but is still in a lot of post-operative pain, and recovery is slow because he also had part of his thyroid removed. He is making progress, and we hope to have him back home by the end of next week.
Unfortunately, we are not in a position to cover his mounting medical bills. We knew adopting an older dog would mean ongoing veterinary care and regular visits, but these surgeries are above and beyond what we anticipated. If there is any way you can help to contribute to some of Buddy's medical expenses, Buddy and his family would be eternally grateful. A gift of any amount is meaningful. We appreciate all of your support, warm thoughts, and prayers for his continued recovery. And thank you again, for any support you can offer.
Organizer
Rebecca Steil-Lambert
Organizer
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