Abby is a silly, sweet, and sassy, resilient rescue ESA ( and my adopted fur daughter). She had a traumatic time before we met; almost being killed by her kennel mate in an overcrowded shelter, being returned by several different adopters, and physical harm that would give her scar tissue buildup in her knees and arthritis in her hips before she was even two. Now, this resilient girl has a severely dislocated hip and is need of surgery.

Her Story

I adopted Abby after seeing her listed on Craigslist; malnourished, terrified, and covered in scars from a near-fatal attack at the shelter.

The day she came home with me.

Having endured unimaginable trauma and pain in her first year and a half of life, Abby's perseverance became my own motivation to overcome my depression and have new a reason to get out of bed in the morning. I like to think we helped each other overcome our struggles with mental health. Her fighting spirit, sweet disposition, and silly demeanor, despite everything life had thrown at her, inspire me every single day.

Abby's lifelong struggle with joint pain, from the trauma she's endured, began manifesting dramatically a few years ago when she tore both of her CCLs (cruciate ligaments), a year apart, requiring two separate surgeries. Unfortunately, the second surgery was not successful, leaving her with chronic instability. To manage the resulting pain, her medication regimen has gradually increased until she recently reached the maximum safe pain regimen her vet is comfortable giving her including Gabapentin, Galliprant, Librela, and Amantadine while she also receives treatment for her anxiety and hypothyroidism (a condition that contributed to her weight, which her vet and I are managing with medication and diet changes). The Need Abby's hip joint has suffered a Cranial Dorsal Luxation (a severe dislocation), meaning the top of her femur is grinding painfully on top of the hip socket.

X-Ray taken December 1 at Ohio State University Veterinary Clinic

Because her current, maxed-out medication cocktail is still not enough to control this relentless pain, the specialists at OSU Veterinary College have determined that this luxation cannot be fixed by any other means than definitive surgery.

After Visit Summary from OSU

Our options are either an FHO (where they cut off the head of the femur and allow scar tissue to become a floating joint) or the preferred, yet costly, Total Hip Replacement (THR). The FHO isn't reccomend for dogs over 70lbs. Even when Abby loses more weight, she'll never be that light.

I have made countless sacrifices to care for her, however, with my limited income from the nonprofit I work for, I am desperately seeking a way to provide my sweet, beautiful girl with the comfortable life she deserves.

Where Your Money Will Go

Any money we receive will go toward Abby's care and getting her the surgery she needs.

Please help me give Abby more happy years without pain. Your support will make a world of difference for both of us, and I am deeply grateful for any help you can offer.