Our beloved gym dog, trail leader, and local canine celebrity Winnie has been in intensive vet care for over a week with two serious intestinal and stomach obstructions. This happy, confident, intelligent dog had gone from hiking and eating to extreme lethargy and zero appetite in 32 hrs with no hints as to why.

Winnie had her first surgery on May 20th after being quite ill. This surgery removed miscellaneous items and debris from her intestines and stomach, including a 35cm material cord that had wrapped around her intestines like an accordion. We believe Winnie ate these things while left with a sitter due to some anxiety.

Winnie returned home two days post-op with incredible pain and an inability to eat. I syringe-fed her water and baby food for 16 hours before returning to the emergency vet. She was diagnosed with a probable infection at her incision site. Winnie returned home on antibiotics but still refused food and water. Over the next 18 hours, Winnie's infection worsened, as did her pain and dehydration. We checked Winnie into a new emergency veterinary hospital in Ventura where we believe wholeheartedly in the professionalism and knowledge of their staff.

Winnie's infection had spread throughout her surgical site and needed to be reopened and cleaned. While in surgery, they learned she has cellulitis (skin that is dying due to an abscess underneath). This area cannot be operated on currently without causing her further infection. She is receiving intravenous antibiotics and pain medications now but is in considerable discomfort. Her doctor is working to get her blood proteins elevated, her inflammation down, and to find the right course of pain medication. At this point, it looks like Winnie will need a third surgery to remove the dying skin and to drain the abscess, but it is a wait-and-see process.

Winnie has stayed in the care of this hospital while receiving intravenous antibiotics and medications. Her Veterinary Doctor and Nurses will monitor her incision drainage and do what they can to increase her blood proteins. Our hope is that she will return home this next week once able to be taken off of intravenous treatments as well as eat and drink independently. Her road to recovery will be several weeks and she will require round the clock love and care. Over the next few weeks of evaluation we will know if Winnie will require a third surgery.

It has been a tough 9 days with much uncertainty, but Winnie’s community has rallied behind her and shown us how beloved she is by many! At the urging of Winnie’s friends, we started this GoFundMe to help offset some of the ongoing vet costs. Every little bit helps and we’re so grateful for the love and care you feel for wonderful Winnie.

Once she’s stable enough, we’ll bring our girl home from the vet and continue her recovery with sister Wanda Lu by her side. Wanda has been devastated without her big sister and is eager to have her back.

Winnie’s care called for urgent life-saving measures and have rapidly added up in the tens of thousands of dollars. Any help her friends and loved ones can provide will bring her one step closer to being back at the gym and dominating the trails! If you’re unable to provide monetarily, sharing this link will help, too! Thank you so much for your support and consideration!