Help Sparky get better

Sparky was born on August 3, 2008. He loves going on his daily walks and sunbathing in the backyard. He has traveled on every family trip across the West Coast where he enjoys     swimming in lakes and rivers, and playing in the snow. He loves people and so many people love him. He attends family parties, church gatherings, picnics, and sometimes even  volleyball practices.

Thirteen years later, on Saturday, February 20, 2021, Sparky took two mighty steps to his water bowl and fell over.

Long story short, a vet specialist in neurology informed our family of the possible causes, but not a full explanation to what may be causing Sparky’s condition.

We’re not ready to give up on Sparky just yet, but neither are we prepared to take a closer look into his condition with an MRI. Therefore, we humbly ask for any monetary help, in   which 100% of the donations will go towards scheduling an MRI for Sparky and any possible medication or surgeries he might need. Who knows what the MRI will show, but the potential results will give us more knowledge moving forward on how to care for him next. Until then, Sparky is being given 24/7 family care (with physical therapy, hand-feeding, being held up up to potty, being wheeled in a carrier to sleep in mom and dad’s bedroom, etc).

We are hopeful, and grateful for your time and donations. And thank you also to the close family and friends who have visited the past few days; Sparky still gets excited, whines and wags his tail although he can’t get up to greet you.

❤️❤️❤️

Read on for a detailed story on what happened the exact day we witnessed Sparky fall over.

February 20, 2021

My family and I noticed how drastically inactive he was, and how he didn’t have any strength to get himself up (or stay up for more than a few seconds before falling over). 

We called his primary vet at Banfield Eastlake but due to COVID, walk-ins were not accepted. So we called our local emergency veterinary care centers. After explaining Sparky’s condition, they mentioned they would accept him in for an examination but that it was likely he would have to see a neurologist, which were unavailable on the weekends.

A few hours later, our primary vet at Banfield Eastlake called again, saying Sparky could come in for a drop-off, for the day. However, after no more than a 10 minute evaluation, the doctors brought him out and told us they were very worried over how weak Sparky was, and referred us to the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Sorrento Valley. Thankfully they also called ahead for us, and the vets at VSH were quick to take Sparky in. For reference, the expected wait time for the Emergency Room was 3-4 hours, whereas we were accepted right after checking in because of Sparky’s critical condition. He was in so much pain that the nurse had to stabilize him on a gurney to take him inside. 

Mom and I waited in the car from 9:30AM to 1:30PM with occasional updates from the vets. And all the vets we spoke to that day were correct - Sparky had to see a neurologist. They suspected two things could be causing his pain and weakness: a loose disc in his spine or a tumor. They took x-rays of Sparky, which were clear. But to get a closer look, an MRI and possible surgery were given to us as an option. In the moment, we instantly realized that the costs were not something our family prepared for, so we decided then on medical management to keep Sparky as comfortable as possible for now.

Dogs are prone to a number of conditions with age: arthritis, hip dysplasia, degenerative conditions, muscular weakness and spinal conditions. Sparky’s breed (puggle - pug and beagle) is also commonly known for aging with neurological health problems.

Given Sparky’s age, we are still hopeful that he will be able to walk again and can power through to keep on living his happy life.

We are humbled to have such a sweet and loving, good boy in our family. We likewise thank you for your time and consideration.

Sparky also says thank you in advance with big, warm cuddles and appreciation.