Ivan is our 10-month-old goldendoodle. We brought him home at 8 weeks old, and from the very first day, he became the heart of our family. His birthday is April 8, making him a true Aries: bold, loving, and full of the biggest, happiest energy.

He loves long walks at the lake watching the ducks. He hugs everyone he meets, and we truly mean everyone.

After several weeks of limping and multiple veterinary appointments, we were initially told Ivan had a capital physeal fracture that would require surgical repair. Since then, we have sought multiple orthopedic opinions.

We have now learned that Ivan no longer qualifies for fracture repair. The surgeon explained that the success rate would only be 15–20% and does not recommend attempting it.

We were left with two options:

• Total hip replacement, estimated at approximately $17,000

• Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO), estimated at approximately $7,000, plus post-operative care and rehabilitation

Given Ivan’s age and size (37 lbs), we believe he has a strong chance of making a full recovery with an FHO. He is scheduled for surgery this Thursday.

An FHO is a procedure where the “ball” portion of the hip joint is removed so bone is no longer grinding on bone. His body will form a functional “false joint” made of muscle and scar tissue, and he will gradually learn to walk again through physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Due to the urgency of this surgery, we have taken out a loan to move forward immediately and secure his procedure as soon as possible. All donations received will go directly toward paying down that loan and covering his post-operative care and rehabilitation.

So far, we have spent close to $5,000 on emergency visits, diagnostics, and specialist consultations just to reach this point. The upcoming surgery and recovery will bring the total significantly higher.

If you are able to donate, no matter the amount, we are deeply grateful. Every dollar will go directly toward Ivan’s surgery and recovery.

We will continue documenting his recovery journey on TikTok at @ivan.theodorefrates for anyone who would like to follow along and cheer him on.

Thank you for loving our boy and helping us give him the chance at a pain-free future. We truly cannot express how much this means to us.