Help Zoey Kick This Tumor's Butt
Donation protected
If you know me at all, you know that my dog means the entire world to me. I got my sweet girl Zoey when I was 19 years old. My mom's dog, Charlie, had a litter of labradoodles and Zoey was 1 of the 8 puppies. I used to help her play with, feed, and bathe them. I really wasn't supposed to get a dog (I lived in a sorority house at the time), but I absolutely fell in love with her. I looked in to her 4 week old puppy eyes and she had me. I used to pray that no one else would come to buy her because I felt in my heart that she was meant to be mine. After some serious convincing to my mom, she agreed to let me keep her. Zoey was my first huge responsibility. Fast forward 6 years, and Zoey has truly been the biggest constant in my life. She has been with me through the highest of highs and lowest of lows. She has comforted me, made me laugh, stayed up with me while I studied, sat in the bathroom floor with me while I bawled, and curled up with me when I've felt alone. She has been my travel buddy, my foot warmer when I go to sleep, my greeter after a hard day at work, and my best friend for 6 years.
This past Friday, May 10th, shortly after I got home from work, Zoey had a seizure. I held her in my arms and tried to comfort her the best that I could. I rushed her to our primary care vet, Best Friends Animal Hospital, where they ran several tests. Her blood work was normal and her vitals were strong. We agreed to run some panels on tick borne illnesses and toxoplasmosis, but had no answers for the cause when we went home. She began acting very lethargic and disoriented, though she didn't have another seizure, and we were growing extremely concerned. We took her to the emergency vet on Sunday, May 12th (our primary vet is closed on Sundays). We ran her blood work again (normal), a tick borne illness test (negative), and took x rays of her chest cavity and stomach (no issues there). We left no answers, again, but were instructed to take her back to our normal vet the next morning. On Monday, May 13th, I took her back to Best Friends Animal Hospital so they could monitor her. I received a call about an hour after I left that she had another seizure. We knew immediately something was very, very wrong. The wonderful vets at Best Friends referred us to the Oklahoma Veterinary Specialists clinic in Tulsa (about a 2 hour drive). My mom and I loaded up a very distraught Zoey in the car and began a very scary drive. Best Friends set Zoey up with an IV before we left, so that if she had another seizure on the drive, we would be prepared (it was up to me to inject the medications in to her IV that would stop the seizure). I sat in the back seat with my sweet pup and held her close the entire ride, unsure if these would be my last moments with her. We arrived at OVS and the doctor knew pretty quickly that there was a neurological issue. Her heart rate was very low and her blood pressure high, which indicated she had fluid in her brain. She was treated at OVS and my mother and I came home (it is a 24 hour emergency clinic, so they could provide round the clock care). She was then put under for a CT scan on Tuesday, May 14th. The results were then sent to a radiologist.
This morning, May 15th, I received a phone call with the worst possible outcome. Zoey has a brain tumor called Meningioma in the forefront of her brain. It is preventing one of the ventricles in her brain from pumping out fluid. This is the most common type of tumor in a dog, and is most easily treated when it is in the front of the brain. Without treatment she has less than a month to live. I am asking for this money so that I can travel to Columbia, MO to the Mizzou vet school on Monday, May 20th. There Zoey will be put under to have a MRI. This will determine how severe her tumor is and if we are able to operate on it. I have spent about $4,000 already on her vet visits and her care at OVS. The MRI is an additional $1,300-15,000. If the prognosis is good, surgery to remove the tumor is $6,000-8,000.
If possible, please help me save my Zoey! Even a dollar helps. If you are not able to send money, please send your prayers. She is only 6 years old and has so much life ahead of her. Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to read this, donate, and pray. Zoey and I appreciate every single one of you. We also want to thank all of her amazing vets that have worked on her and with her this week. She is still alive because of you (Dr. Hockett, Dr. Williams, Dr. Collins, Dr. Pratt, Dr. Shearhart, Dr. Johnson.. just to name a few). This has been one of the most difficult times of my life, but I am so appreciative of everyone who has helped and reached out.
This past Friday, May 10th, shortly after I got home from work, Zoey had a seizure. I held her in my arms and tried to comfort her the best that I could. I rushed her to our primary care vet, Best Friends Animal Hospital, where they ran several tests. Her blood work was normal and her vitals were strong. We agreed to run some panels on tick borne illnesses and toxoplasmosis, but had no answers for the cause when we went home. She began acting very lethargic and disoriented, though she didn't have another seizure, and we were growing extremely concerned. We took her to the emergency vet on Sunday, May 12th (our primary vet is closed on Sundays). We ran her blood work again (normal), a tick borne illness test (negative), and took x rays of her chest cavity and stomach (no issues there). We left no answers, again, but were instructed to take her back to our normal vet the next morning. On Monday, May 13th, I took her back to Best Friends Animal Hospital so they could monitor her. I received a call about an hour after I left that she had another seizure. We knew immediately something was very, very wrong. The wonderful vets at Best Friends referred us to the Oklahoma Veterinary Specialists clinic in Tulsa (about a 2 hour drive). My mom and I loaded up a very distraught Zoey in the car and began a very scary drive. Best Friends set Zoey up with an IV before we left, so that if she had another seizure on the drive, we would be prepared (it was up to me to inject the medications in to her IV that would stop the seizure). I sat in the back seat with my sweet pup and held her close the entire ride, unsure if these would be my last moments with her. We arrived at OVS and the doctor knew pretty quickly that there was a neurological issue. Her heart rate was very low and her blood pressure high, which indicated she had fluid in her brain. She was treated at OVS and my mother and I came home (it is a 24 hour emergency clinic, so they could provide round the clock care). She was then put under for a CT scan on Tuesday, May 14th. The results were then sent to a radiologist.
This morning, May 15th, I received a phone call with the worst possible outcome. Zoey has a brain tumor called Meningioma in the forefront of her brain. It is preventing one of the ventricles in her brain from pumping out fluid. This is the most common type of tumor in a dog, and is most easily treated when it is in the front of the brain. Without treatment she has less than a month to live. I am asking for this money so that I can travel to Columbia, MO to the Mizzou vet school on Monday, May 20th. There Zoey will be put under to have a MRI. This will determine how severe her tumor is and if we are able to operate on it. I have spent about $4,000 already on her vet visits and her care at OVS. The MRI is an additional $1,300-15,000. If the prognosis is good, surgery to remove the tumor is $6,000-8,000.
If possible, please help me save my Zoey! Even a dollar helps. If you are not able to send money, please send your prayers. She is only 6 years old and has so much life ahead of her. Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to read this, donate, and pray. Zoey and I appreciate every single one of you. We also want to thank all of her amazing vets that have worked on her and with her this week. She is still alive because of you (Dr. Hockett, Dr. Williams, Dr. Collins, Dr. Pratt, Dr. Shearhart, Dr. Johnson.. just to name a few). This has been one of the most difficult times of my life, but I am so appreciative of everyone who has helped and reached out.
Organizer
Taryn Thompson
Organizer
Fayetteville, AR
