Hello all,

My name is Sam. This big guy right here is Billy. He's more than just my dog. He is my son. Billy came to me and my wife in March of 2023 from the Larimer County Animal Shelter located in Colorado. From the moment my wife and I laid eyes on Billy's photo online, we knew we had to have him.

We had learned from the animal shelter that Billy was used for breeding and had lived an extremely abusive upbringing which ended with him escaping and being picked up on the side of the road.

Billy had a slew of medical issues when we first met him. They included cherry eye, mange, an ear mass from inbreeding, and hip dysplasia to name a few. We didn't care. We felt we could give Billy the best life he never had. So, for $50 and some change, we adopted Billy and took him home for a bath right away.

Billy's cherry eye was fixed by the Larimer County Animal Shelter for free. His mange went away with some cream, which they provided. Billy was placed on joint supplements, which have helped him significantly, and for the first time in Billy's 8 years of being on this earth, he felt love.

From March of 2023 to June of 2024, Billy lived happy and healthy with no issues. In June of 2024, Billy's extra tissue in his ear developed a nasty ear infection. We took Billy to the vet and got him antibiotics, steroids, and some drops for his ear. After some months, in October of 2024, it seemed that Billy's ear infection went away.

In July of 2025, Billy's ear infection came back. This time, it came back with a vengeance. Billy's ear seemed more swollen and agitated than ever. The little bit of extra tissue in Billy's ear turned into a flesh mass blocking his entire ear. We quickly took Billy to the vet again where we were told by a Veterinarian, different from his original vet, that she would refuse antibiotics for Billy. Due to not being able to afford any of the other Vet Hospitals in our area, we were at a loss. After months of trying countless Amazon products and Vet recommended products, we finally found a Vet Hospital with affordable prices.

In December of 2025, Billy's new vet brought up major concerns regarding the mass inside of his ear. She had mentioned something called a TECA, which stands for Total Ear Canal Abolition. Yes, it's basically exactly what it sounds like. We thought we could just get the initial infection treated and Billy would be okay. As I write this in January of 2026, Billy's vet has done all she could do for treating his ear infection and we now have to get Billy a TECA in order for him to live a comfortable life, not in pain.

Just like many of you, my wife and I struggle to make ends meet most days but we get by. TECA is a $10,000 surgery. This is a sum that me and my wife can't even fathom. Any small donation helps get Billy one step closer to living the life he deserved from the beginning. He is our big, stinky, baby boy and we love him.

We thank you in advance. God bless you.