Evie's journey to recovery
Donation protected
I'm Evie, I'm a 6 year old picture perfect pitbull.
Well, I was until the other day... Let me tell you my story.
My moms joke that they run the Ybarra-Bell Home for Janky Pets - but really, we're a big family of fur-kids with special needs. While my moms plan ahead for things that can come up with us, this recent illness really knocked our little furr-family for a loop - and we need your help so that we can continue to take good care of each other.
Vee found me their very first day working at Oakland Animal Services. I had a mystery illness and was, what they like to call, a "pancake" dog. Basically, I was afraid to walk from my cage to any other place (and lets be honest...the leash really scared me!!). While in their care, humans carried me everywhere. Boy, was I spoiled! But that all changed when the volunteers decided to let me spend my days in their office so I can desensitize myself to people and help me be less fearful of them. It truly was the first step in finding my forever family.
Everyday spent there from that day forward, Vee (that's my mom now), carried me from my cage to the volunteer office. I got to hang out with them and all their volunteer friends . They spent so much time trying to figure out what made me so sick. Luckily, not to long after, it was discovered that I had babesia - a blood illness that presented like anemia - which was why I was always tired! It was then that mom knew I needed to be in a less stressful environment in order to receive the treatment & rest necessary to heal faster. So, Vee took me home to "foster me."
While I was getting healthy, my mom found another amazing human to join our family, Hazel (aka Amber). Hazel is fun, caring, and helped clean me up when the medication I was on made me sick. Did I mention she's a Vet Nurse? What luck! I like to remind them I'm their first "together" kid, even though I moved in before Hazel's official adoption. Once I was in remission, Hazel, Vee, my older sister Roxy and I would go to the beach for midday dog-romps!
Over our 5 years together, I've helped my moms move from California to Wisconsin; visited Kentucky and Maryland; gone rock climbing with them and helped them grieve for the loss of Roxy. I also got to be part of the welcoming committee when we brought home my newest sister, Monte. She was being treated for heartworm, but it turns out she has epilepsy, too. We're quite the pair!
So why this GoFundMe? Let me tell you what happened...
This past Sunday, I woke up and couldn't walk "normally" but I was still able to slowly get around. By Monday, I lost the ability to maintain balance in my rear limbs, and by Tuesday I was the emergency room. I was seen by some really nice veterinarians who told us I would need an MRI and (possible) surgery. Wednesday afternoon, I had the MRI and wouldn't you know it... I needed surgery. My MRI revealed I had herniated discs with cord compression with some hemorrhaging between my L2 & L5 vertebrae. The vets then took me into surgery and, as this story goes live, I'm still recuperating in the ICU under their care. Below, you can see a video of me the day before surgery (along with other photos before this happened).
I know my moms are worried about me. Vee laid on the floor talking with me for hours, I kept trying to reassure them I would be okay, we just needed to let the doctors help. That said, the care and recovery I need is more than the Ybarra-Bell Home for Janky Pets can take on - so we need your help to get me well while we still take care of my siblings. We share all this in hopes that you can help me get back to the dog running on the beach (video at end of this page). Whether its a contribution or your sharing my story, every little bit counts.
Thank you for reading my tail - I mean, tale. And we'll be sure to update this page as I recover!
Evie during her Tues ER visit (link if video is not displaying properly)
(BELOW) My moms, Hazel (black shirt) and Vee (green shirt), tell me I'm a "breed ambassador." I just tell them I'm a good dog. And good dogs love on their moms when they are sad. The photo with my humans (below) was taken after my older sister, Roxy the beagle, left us. Moms needed a lot of love that day. I made sure they got it. I really love to snuggle with my family (including my cats, Grape & Dyson), get pets, eat your ice cream, and go to the dog park.
This is me running on the beach with some doggy friends - this is what I can't wait to do again!
Evie on the beach (turn volume down, it was windy that day)
Well, I was until the other day... Let me tell you my story.
My moms joke that they run the Ybarra-Bell Home for Janky Pets - but really, we're a big family of fur-kids with special needs. While my moms plan ahead for things that can come up with us, this recent illness really knocked our little furr-family for a loop - and we need your help so that we can continue to take good care of each other.
Vee found me their very first day working at Oakland Animal Services. I had a mystery illness and was, what they like to call, a "pancake" dog. Basically, I was afraid to walk from my cage to any other place (and lets be honest...the leash really scared me!!). While in their care, humans carried me everywhere. Boy, was I spoiled! But that all changed when the volunteers decided to let me spend my days in their office so I can desensitize myself to people and help me be less fearful of them. It truly was the first step in finding my forever family.
Everyday spent there from that day forward, Vee (that's my mom now), carried me from my cage to the volunteer office. I got to hang out with them and all their volunteer friends . They spent so much time trying to figure out what made me so sick. Luckily, not to long after, it was discovered that I had babesia - a blood illness that presented like anemia - which was why I was always tired! It was then that mom knew I needed to be in a less stressful environment in order to receive the treatment & rest necessary to heal faster. So, Vee took me home to "foster me."
While I was getting healthy, my mom found another amazing human to join our family, Hazel (aka Amber). Hazel is fun, caring, and helped clean me up when the medication I was on made me sick. Did I mention she's a Vet Nurse? What luck! I like to remind them I'm their first "together" kid, even though I moved in before Hazel's official adoption. Once I was in remission, Hazel, Vee, my older sister Roxy and I would go to the beach for midday dog-romps!
Over our 5 years together, I've helped my moms move from California to Wisconsin; visited Kentucky and Maryland; gone rock climbing with them and helped them grieve for the loss of Roxy. I also got to be part of the welcoming committee when we brought home my newest sister, Monte. She was being treated for heartworm, but it turns out she has epilepsy, too. We're quite the pair!
So why this GoFundMe? Let me tell you what happened...
This past Sunday, I woke up and couldn't walk "normally" but I was still able to slowly get around. By Monday, I lost the ability to maintain balance in my rear limbs, and by Tuesday I was the emergency room. I was seen by some really nice veterinarians who told us I would need an MRI and (possible) surgery. Wednesday afternoon, I had the MRI and wouldn't you know it... I needed surgery. My MRI revealed I had herniated discs with cord compression with some hemorrhaging between my L2 & L5 vertebrae. The vets then took me into surgery and, as this story goes live, I'm still recuperating in the ICU under their care. Below, you can see a video of me the day before surgery (along with other photos before this happened).
I know my moms are worried about me. Vee laid on the floor talking with me for hours, I kept trying to reassure them I would be okay, we just needed to let the doctors help. That said, the care and recovery I need is more than the Ybarra-Bell Home for Janky Pets can take on - so we need your help to get me well while we still take care of my siblings. We share all this in hopes that you can help me get back to the dog running on the beach (video at end of this page). Whether its a contribution or your sharing my story, every little bit counts.
Thank you for reading my tail - I mean, tale. And we'll be sure to update this page as I recover!
Evie during her Tues ER visit (link if video is not displaying properly)
(BELOW) My moms, Hazel (black shirt) and Vee (green shirt), tell me I'm a "breed ambassador." I just tell them I'm a good dog. And good dogs love on their moms when they are sad. The photo with my humans (below) was taken after my older sister, Roxy the beagle, left us. Moms needed a lot of love that day. I made sure they got it. I really love to snuggle with my family (including my cats, Grape & Dyson), get pets, eat your ice cream, and go to the dog park.
This is me running on the beach with some doggy friends - this is what I can't wait to do again!
Evie on the beach (turn volume down, it was windy that day)
Organizer
Vee Bell
Organizer
Milwaukee, WI
