Hamish’s Medical Bills

Hi all,

I’m sure everybody in the dog world knows Claire Stipic and her incredible border collies - Hamish, Winnie and Maeve.

Hamish has unfortunately suffered a medical emergency - the following is provided from Claire:

Early Sunday morning, Hamish just wasn't right - refused his breakfast, lethargic, pale gums, and a few other things. This combination of signs made me hunt down a vet consult for 9.30am to see what was going on. When we arrived at the vet I opened the car to find him rigid having a seizure, in shock and his gums were totally white. I was able to carry him to the door then a vet nurse grabbed him and took him out the back to try and stabilise him. It took the vet team at least 40 minutes to get him stabilised, and at that point we were still having the conversation that it was touch and go and there was a very high chance he would die.

Once he was stable they did some diagnostic testing. Not super great outcomes. He was having a huge internal bleed. The options were limited. I debated and struggled with getting to a decision for longer than was ideal. All I was thinking was what is best for him - that's so hard when you have to make a decision about someone you love so much and maybe you won't like the decision.

Anyway, we got to the answer of do surgery. He was under for around 90 minutes and had his spleen removed, it was the source of the bleed. That has headed off to pathology to give us some factual answers- it is likely they won't be answers I like, but then we will know what we are dealing with.

He had to be transported to the nearby AEC for overnight monitoring. He really didn't look great. My bright happy boy was slow, lethargic, depressed and struggling. But he was stable.

1am I got a phone call that he was borderline to crashing and needed a blood transfusion. That's a hard decision to get your head around with a day full of stress and worry and now no sleep.

He had the blood transfusion and that has gone well so far. He isn't out of the woods regarding complications on that front til the end of the week. But again he is stable.

He has managed to stay stable all day (spent all of today in hospital). He has been allowed to come home tonight - we are all happier about this. I don't think I will get a great deal of sleep tonight as I am worried he might crash again. We are back to his treating vet in the morning for another check of his blood levels etc.

If everyone can just cross their fingers for him that he can just stay stable for this week then we should be in a better position. It will just be a waiting game for the next little bit.

Having to spend time in Emergency plus the sudden surgery means that Hamish’s vet bills have suddenly skyrocketed. The bills have already reached over $10k and will probably keep increasing from here. It is touch and go for Hamish at the moment and we are all hoping this best boy will pull through and recover.

Claire has the biggest heart, is so generous, and is always helping others without a second thought. Please consider helping out no matter how small to Hamish’s recovery. Any amount or contribution would be so immensely appreciated.

Thank you so much.