Hi, I’m Steph… and this is my baby, Bella. I’ve rewritten this so many times because I don’t even know how to put this into words. I’m sitting here crying, trying to process how my happy, playful girl went from completely normal… to fighting for her life in what felt like overnight. On Monday morning, Bella woke up with a large mass on her stomach. It wasn’t there before or if it was, it was nothing like this. Within hours, it grew bigger and more aggressive, and I knew something was very wrong. I rushed her to the vet that night, and they immediately sent us to the ER because of how fast it was growing. At the ER, they did imaging to check if it had spread to her lungs or organs thankfully, it hasn’t. But her bloodwork came back elevated, showing infection and inflammation. They told us to follow up with our primary vet to try and aspirate the mass and figure out what it was. But when we got there, our vet took one look at Bella and was honestly scared to even touch it. Because of how swollen and bruised the mass had become, he told us there was a real risk it could rupture or cause severe bleeding. He told us to leave immediately and go straight back to the ER. So we did. Back at the ER, they ran more tests, but again, no one felt it was safe to aspirate the mass without surgical support. Everything was moving so fast, but at the same time we kept hitting walls because of how dangerous this was becoming. They told us the next step was to wait and consult with a surgeon. We got in with a surgeon the following day, hoping this would finally be the moment we could move forward… but instead, we were told how high-risk Bella’s case is. The surgeon didn’t feel comfortable operating yet because of the severity of the swelling and bleeding risk, and told us we needed to see an oncologist immediately. We left his office and went straight there. We dropped Bella off with the oncology team, where they began running extensive tests, bloodwork, ultrasounds in multiple areas to make sure she didn’t have blood clots and that they could safely even attempt an aspiration. With the help of ultrasound guidance, they were finally able to take a sample in the safest way possible without causing catastrophic bleeding. That’s when we got the news we were dreading… They believe it’s a mast cell tumor that has already spread into her lymph nodes. One of her lymph nodes has swollen so much that it’s moved from her lower body up toward her stomach/chest. Watching this happen to her so fast has been terrifying. The size of the tumor, the bruising, how quickly it’s progressing… it doesn’t feel real. Right now, Bella is on pain medication and anti-inflammatories just to keep her comfortable while we prepare for what comes next. We are finally at the stage where surgery is being planned, followed by chemotherapy to give her a real chance at survival. The cost is overwhelming:

We’ve already paid $5,000 out of pocket in just the last two days trying to save her. I would do anything for Bella. She’s not just a dog, she’s my comfort, my routine, my family, my heart. The thought of losing her like this, and this fast, is something I can’t even fully process. I hate having to ask for help, but I can’t do this alone. If you’re able to donate, even a small amount, it truly means everything to us. And if you can’t, please share Bella’s story sharing helps more than you know. Thank you for taking the time to read this, for caring, and for helping me fight for more time with my girl. Please keep Bella in your prayers