Emergency Vet Bills and End-of-Life Care for Caroline Dog

Hi friends,

My cattle dog Caroline is much beloved by many, and after 12.5 years of perfect health, we are facing some sudden and very scary health complications.

On Saturday Caroline suddenly began vomiting and had unusually low energy so I made the decision to bring her in to the Emergency Vet to be assessed. The doctor determined that she had fluid build-up in her chest cavity and recommended an overnight stay so they could sedate her and perform a Thoracocentisis (chest tap) to drain the fluid, which would also allow them to take X-rays of her chest and abdomen. They removed 220ml of fluid from her chest, and she tolerated the procedure well. But the X-rays showed a mass in her chest area near her heart, which may indicate cancer.

The vet has recommended a full CT Scan so they can get a clear picture of what is going on with her, and take a sample of the tumour to determine what we're dealing with. With further investigation we'll be able to gather as much information as possible, so I can make a fully-informed decision about what type of care is going to be best for her quality of life going forwards.

I am beyond devastated by this sudden emergency, as Caroline has no prior medical history and has barely shown any signs of slowing down even as she enters her golden years. Because she is in such excellent health otherwise, and is still fairly young for a cattle dog, I would like to go ahead with further diagnostics.

Caroline is so deeply loved by the community, she is such an incredibly special dog and has been my constant companion since she was 9 weeks old. I'm reaching out to help raise some money that will help to cover the cost of her vet bills. Her initial overnight stay was quoted as $3000-4000 and the CT scan is an additional $6000-8000. Any help with these expenses will be so incredibly appreciated. I want to give Caroline the longest and happiest life possible, so thank you from the bottom of my heart for any help you can offer.

Much love,

Taryn + Caroline