Coco needs spinal surgery

This is Coco, my beloved 5 year old French bulldog. She was bought with 4 other frenchies during lockdown for breeding. By the age of 2 they’d all had 2 litters and were no longer wanted, being neglected and left in an awful state. I rehomed Coco privately and got her back to full health again. She has now just turned 5 and is the most amazing little pet for me and my daughter. Today, out of nowhere, she was unable to use her front legs and was shaking. Her back legs were also weak and she was so uncoordinated she fell straight on her face and rolled onto her back. We rushed her to the vet’s immediately who said she needed an MRI and it was likely she’d got a slipped disc in her spinal cord near her neck. The closest emergency vet’s hospital couldn’t fit her in, so I drove 100 miles nearly to the next one. The vet neurologist has assessed everything and the next 24 hours are crucial, but hopefully surgery can go ahead tomorrow morning.

The cost for all of the treatment, including a heart scan, as they also detected a grade 2 heart murmur, is £8150. I have pet insurance that covers up to £5000 per year and thankfully this is the first time we’ve needed to use it, which is why I’m raising £3150, to top up the difference.

I’ve been told this is a common issue with French bulldogs and it happens with no trauma, injury or warning often. It always comes on extremely fast and suddenly and time is important in getting treatment. If you have anything to spare to help my little Coco back into better health it would mean the world to me, as currently I’m not sure how I’m going to get through all this.