Surgery Cost & Hospitalization

If you know me, you know how connected I am to my pups. They have been there for me through my entire 20’s and many pivotal moments…the ups, downs, and everything in-between. To portray how much love I have for them, I went as far to get them tattooed on me…I know, crazy dog mom status. Rocky is 9 and is continually looking out for me. I’ve been told he’s a liability, a jerk, stubborn. All while true, he’s also the smartest, silliest, most loyal dog I have ever met. Our connection is unique and unmatched, he will never love anyone the same way he loves me. A love like that is rare to find in your lifetime, and I would do anything to protect him.

Last week he started getting very sick. Couldn’t void, throwing up, shaking in pain. Took him to an emergency visit which concluded in suspicion of prostatitis causing a UTI, so he was started on oral antibiotics, an NSAID and finasteride. A week later he couldn’t pee at all. Another ER visit and several hours later, the decision was made to hospitalize him due to urosepsis in the setting of bladder stones…ultimately causing urinary retention along with an enlarged prostate. He has a catheter draining his bladder and is getting IV fluids and antibiotics, he will be undergoing 2 surgeries later this week to get neutered and a procedure called a cystotomy to open his bladder and clear it out. My dogs rarely get sick but when they do…it’s major. This was an unexpected hit and while normally I’m too stubborn to accept any help, I don’t quite know yet how I’ll financially be able to bounce back from this.

As a ICU/hospice nurse, I’m very realistic with medical outcomes and while I know he is an older pup, I do think he has a great potential to bounce back from this and spend a few more years with us.

…I’ll never take his growls for granted again.