Hi friends. I'm putting this fundraiser together to help out my good friend Nicole with her sweet dog Ellie, who we love very much. Even Charlotte tolerates her. Ellie has been having quite a bit of health issues come up the last 10+ months and her latest treatment plan has taken a serious turn requiring amputation. In January of this year, Ellie was playing at the park and slipped on ice, rolled her ankle, and landed on her metacarpal bone. What seemed to be a small injury turns out to need over a year of medical treatments, physical therapy, and now surgery. After her initial injury, she had X-rays done which confirmed a fracture in her left metacarpal bone as well as a chip of floating bone in her soft tissue but was not a candidate for surgery at the time.

She was prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and was on strict exercise restrictions for 6-8 weeks. (This is tough for her, as she is a Border Collie who wants to run around all the time!)

She was finally healing when in April she reinjured her foot, this time worse than before. The inflammation was so severe it forced the foot to need to drain along with antibiotics for the infection. After antibiotics, another round of anti-inflammatory medications, red light therapy, and another 6 weeks of restricted exercise, she was finally doing better again and cleared for exercise.

At the end of June a normal day at the park caused another injury. Similar to in April, she required the same protocol but this time the vet also referred her to a physical therapy rehab center which she started on 7/31/25.

After 2 months of physical therapy her foot was still draining and the vet escalated her case and is now a candidate for surgery. She required 4 retakes of her X-rays to determine if the injury has worsened. The latest diagnosis is still uncertain with opinions ranging from a bone cyst, worsened fracture, bone fragment, and inconsistent bone/ soft tissue. Her surgeon has escalated her case to require a toe amputation, biopsy, and a leg splint given the uncertainty and pros/cons of amputating versus trying to repair the toe and metacarpal.

I understand this is part of owning a dog, especially a Border Collie, but anything helps and will be greatly appreciated. Nicole is not one to ask for help but she wants the best care for her best friend and I know many who want the same for her Ellie girl. All donations will go directly to her amputation, physical therapy care and medical expenses.

Her current list of bills that donations would go to include:

1. Initial X-rays/ exam; follow up X-rays (6 total)

2. Surgery consult

3. Red light therapy sessions

4. Anti inflammatory and antibiotics

5. Physical therapy

6. Toe amputation surgery

7. Biopsy

8. Leg splint, dressing changes, pain management

If you can help at all, even just a few dollars, it would be so helpful!