Help Darwin Piggyback Again
You might recognize Darwin as the little dog on the Piggyback Treats Company logo, hitching a ride on his best friend Candy's back. Darwin is a 10-year-old Chihuahua/rat terrier/Heinz 57 rescue mutt who absolutely LOVES flying through the air to perform a multitude of tricks for equal parts cookies and attention! Darwin was recently diagnosed with intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), a condition where the discs between the vertebrae of the spinal column either bulge or burst, causing the discs to press on the nerves running through the spinal cord. The vet was hopeful that Darwin's condition could be treated with pain management and that this life-long disease would occasionally flare up but ultimately be manageable. Unfortunately, after several weeks of pain management, Darwin's condition is getting worse. He has now developed neurological issues that are causing reduced proprioception in his hind left leg. He needs to be carried up and down the stairs, can't get on the couch or bed (his favorite sleeping spots) by himself, and frequently gets disoriented when he's walking around. A doggo who usually does ANYTHING for food (even his own boring kibble!) barely has interest in eating the most enticing of foods. He's clearly depressed, due to the medication he's taking to try and dull the pain, but also because of the continued pain itself, in combination with his inability to jump and run around like he usually does.
We aren't yet certain of exactly what Darwin's IVDD looks like, as he will need more advanced imaging than the radiographs he has already had. He has an appointment with a neurologist on August 10th (the soonest appointment available) which will help give us a better idea of his condition and what he'll need to get better. This will most likely include an MRI and potentially immediate surgery following the imaging, depending on what the doctor sees. It has taken 6 visits to 4 veterinarians and 1 emergency vet to get to his current diagnosis, which has racked up quite an extensive bill already. The path forward for him is only going to be more costly, with a specialist visit, likely surgery, and lengthy rehabilitation. Darwin will receive whatever it takes to get him the help he needs to get back to his normal, happy, and frolicking self, but we're reaching out to his friends and fans in hopes of making the next few months a little less stressful on his family.
Any donation you choose to make will go 100% toward Darwin's medical bills. When he's feeling up to it he'll even send you a personalized thank you message for your generous thoughts and well wishes! It breaks our hearts to see our frisky little man in so much pain, and we look forward to the day when he can piggyback (or at least walk side by side) with his best friend again.
