Help me fund my dog’s surgery
This is a post from Portugal’s guardian
*To the people in Lebanon experiencing problems donating, we have set up an offline OMT/BoB payment method. Please contact Portugal's guardian on social media: @portugalthedog, or @karimcfc for Instagram and Twitter to donate offline*
Portugal is a super adorable 7-year-old bichon-terrier that needs your help. He loves getting attention and pets, and he is notorious when it comes to stealing our food and our kitten's food! He has two best friends, a beautiful Labrador/German Shepherd hybrid called Moon (our previous puppy), and our kitten called Midi. He is the laziest, friendliest and calmest (he doesn't even bark!) dog that you can meet. He knows that he is cute, and he uses it to his advantage to get more pets. He might be a bit of a diva, but he is also as sweet and as compassionate as it gets. He would always be the first one to notice if you're feeling down and would come and comfort you.
Brief Summary
Portugal was recently diagnosed with a ruptured ligament, and he requires surgery as soon as possible as we were informed that he will develop arthritis much faster than expected if it is not done soon enough. He can barely use his leg, and he has to keep resting it as it pains him when he has to use it. Portugal requires an FLO surgery + arthroscopy, as this is the cheapest and most efficient way to delay arthritis. We were also informed that there is a 30% chance that his other leg might require a ruptured ligament surgery in the future.
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Detailed Summary
A couple of days ago, I took my dog Portugal on a normal 15 - 20 minutes walk. He went back home, slept for a couple of hours, and woke up limping. I initially thought it was a sore muscle problem, so I waited to see if it will persist. The limping did not stop the next day, so I took him to the vet. They checked him, gave him an x-ray scan, but it turned out inconclusive for them and they needed to consult a specialist. They told me that it could either be a weight problem or a ruptured ligament, so we had to wait and see how his situation would develop. They gave me anti-inflammatory medicine, vitamins called Artrin, and told me to come back to check on his progress
Portugal's situation did not improve, and the pain clearly worsened, as he started developing a slight bit of aggression, which is something very characteristic of him. We took him again to the vet, and luckily, the specialist was there. He ran some tests on him, and he informed me that he most likely suffers from a ligament problem, and he further confirmed it upon examining the x-ray. He basically informed me that Portugal requires an FLO surgery + arthroscopy as soon as possible, or he will end up developing arthritis much faster than expected. I was informed that this is something that happens naturally to dogs with age, but the specialist was surprised as Portugal is only 7 years old and that this happens more commonly to older dogs, and more commonly present in female dogs. I have also been informed that there would be a 30% chance that his other leg might suffer from a ruptured ligament problem in the future.
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My story with Portugal
My name is Karim, and I have had Portugal for over 3 years now. I never had a pet in my life due to my parents, and I could not have asked for a better first pet than my pooch. The past 3 years with Portugal have been a beautiful experience, and I managed to develop a bond with someone I thought I could never attain back then. He means the world to me, and I am proud to say that he's my best friend. He is the primary reason I am still alive today, as poochie is a very special boy who touched the hearts of the majority of the people that he met.
I graduated from university last year, and I was lucky enough to land a job last May. I thought things would become better financially for me, but due to the deteriorating economic situation of the country, I was only paid 30% of my salary, and after the revolution in Lebanon began, we were informed that they cannot afford to pay us anything anymore. I am two months behind my rent, already owe my vet a lot of money, and cannot ask my parents for support; as they are in much deeper financial trouble than me. My only source of income currently is by doing freelance translation, but work has become scarcer, so it has been even harder to maintain.
I really don't like to ask for financial support, but with my current situation, the timing couldn't be any worse. It pains me to see my boy suffer, and not being able to do anything about it. It will take me a long time to be able to afford the surgery, and time is not in my favor as Portugal needs to do his surgery as soon as possible so that arthritis will not develop and spread faster. If all goes well and the surgery is done soon, the specialist informed us that it could delay arthritis by 2 - 4 years, which would be a far, far better scenario than what we're facing.
Any form of help would be extremely appreciated, as it has been a very difficult time for all of us and this would make all the difference in helping manage the situation. We need your help and support so that Portugal can return to his happy, healthy self.
Portugal and I would be more than grateful for any support, and if you are ever in Lebanon, I am sure he would be more than happy to meet you and be his loving self. You are helping one the sweetest creatures to ever grace this earth.
Thank you very much in advance and let's hope this could help make the situation more manageable
