Help Brave Boy Brewer

Hi!

My name is Brewer. I am a happy 5-month-old Black Lab who loves to chew sticks, drink lots of water and play with my friends. I live with my Mom and Dad in Kingston, Ontario, who got me from North Bay in early March. I am told I am small for my age but very mighty! However, I have had some tough days since coming home with my parents a few months ago, where I am just not myself.

After many visits to the emergency clinic at night and multiple tests at my vet (including blood work and CT Scan), the doctors told my parents I have an “Intrahepatic Liver Shunt.” This is a genetic defect, meaning I have an abnormal portal vein in my liver. This vein diverts my blood away from my liver so that it cannot filter any toxins/waste byproducts from my food. Instead, the toxins continue in my circulatory system and go to my brain, making me very sick and causing my scary neurological symptoms (temporary deafness, temporary blindness, off-balance, drooling, pacing, leg tremors, and lethargy). It is also why I’m so tiny and love my water!

Since my diagnosis, my parents have switched to new foods and medications that make me feel better! However, it is not a “forever fix.” To fix me for good, I need a surgery that will cost approximately $10,000 at the Guelph Ontario Veterinary Hospital, then approximately $2,000 for my after-care. That is not including the $6,000 already incurred.

If I do get the surgery my parents have been told I can have a totally normal and healthy life! I should be a normal dog again 3-4 months after surgery (on regular food again, no meds, growing normally). They have also been told that there is a 90% success rate. My parents are young, working adults whom I love very much but cannot afford the surgery independently. Unfortunately, pet insurance won't cover me since I have a genetic condition. Without it, I may only live 1-2 years. Any donation of any amount would be immensely appreciated by me and my family.

Thank you so much, and love you all!!!

Love,

The Brewman

A Note from Brewer's Parent's Friends:

Getting our puppy, Millie, in January 2021 was one of our better decisions. As we turned the corner into another year of pandemic restrictions and lockdowns, Millie brought our home so much joy and was a much needed distraction.

But being a puppy parent is a tough and (often) thankless job. There’s many sleepless nights, a whole lot of cleaning, and entire packs of ruined socks. But the moments of joy - the cuddles, the door greetings, their personality quirks and the happiness they bring to others - makes the hard work worth it. Dogs so quickly become a member of your family and in no time at all, you can barely imagine a life without them.

We were so excited to hear that Ty and Nicole were becoming dog owners and we knew that they would take incredible care of their new puppy. Millie was also ecstatic - she would finally have help when she decided it was time to dig up Ty and Nicole’s entire yard!

To learn that Brewer wasn’t doing well was heartbreaking. We cannot even begin to imagine the heart ache and stress that Ty and Nicole have experienced over the last few months. Having a puppy is hard work, but having a sick puppy is a challenge that you hope no one has to ever experience. We know this surgery is just a small hurdle in their journey together as a family and are confident that Brewer has a future full of play dates, belly rubs, and stick chewing ahead of him!

Lots of love,

Steve, Carley & Millie