Support Tessa's Recovery from Rare Tetanus

This is Tessa. She is a 7 month old Bernese Mountain Dog/English Bulldog Mix. An unusual breed indeed!

She joined our family in March and has a canine brother, Bailey a year old yellow Lab.

Her personality is so loving and fiesty with a definite stubborn streak. As unusual as her breed is, so is her current fight with an unusual rare disease in dogs.

On July 17th we noticed that she was sick and not acting herself, so we took her to her vet at Oley Valley Animal Clinic. After several x-rays, the vets agreed that she was not acting herself since her ears were erect and she could not eat without a struggle.

The vets suspected Tetanus but that is very rare in dogs.

Oley Valley sent us immediately to Blue Pearl Pet Hospital to be seen. We went right over and admitted Tessa for the night.

The next morning, I received a call informing me that Tessa has Tetanus presumably from an infected sore.

She was referred to PennVet Ryan Veterinary Hospital in Philadelphia

to receive antitoxin and antibiotics to stop the bacteria.

Miss Tessa's team of awesome doctors and surgeons have placed a tracheonomy to breathe and feeding tube. They provide sedatives, muscle relaxers, and seizure medication daily to support her care while she begins to recover.

Tetanus is something that you get a shot for every 10 years to prevent lockjaw. That was my understanding at least. Nothing prepared me for this.

Tessa is now currently in ICU at PennVet in Philadelphia. Barring any complications, she can and will make a complete recovery with time. Her 4 legs are rigid, has lockjaw, and back and neck are stiff. The muscle relaxers help and sedatives and pain medication keep her comfortable. Through the feeding tube she is also able to tolerate her full days nutritional intake.

All this takes lots of time, and the bill is adding up fast.

I am humbly asking for you to consider a donation to provide the care Tessa needs to bring her home to her buddy, Bailey, who misses her so much. He sleeps by her crate and walks around with her favorite squeaky ball all day lost without her.

Thank you so much and God Bless you.

Team Tessa!!!