Hi everyone,

I’m asking for help for my sweet dog, Dino.

Many of you know Dino personally. Many of you have met him, loved him, and even worked alongside him. For years, Dino was my service animal, helping monitor and respond to my blood sugar. He has quite literally helped keep me safe. He has been steady, intuitive, and by my side through so much of my life.

Now he needs help.

Originally, I said this fundraiser because Dino needed emergency dental procedure but things have changed.

He now requires heart medication every 12hrs and needs to get to a cardiologist as soon as possible.

Here’s the timeline:

February 18: Dino had to be rushed to the ER after his face became extremely swollen from a painful tooth abscess. What we thought might be a straightforward dental issue quickly turned into something much bigger.

After the emergency visit, we were referred for a dental consult in Boulder.

March 4: The veterinarian recommended a full mouth extraction, quoting upwards of $6,000.

During his pre-procedure exam, they also detected a heart murmur. Because of this, Dino must see a cardiologist before he can safely undergo anesthesia for his dental procedure scheduled for April 13.

March 6: The cardiologist quoted $900 for an echocardiogram to determine whether his heart is strong enough for surgery.

March 8: I had to rush Dino to the ER after he experience what the vets are now calling an episode of syncope. It was the scariest thing to watch. After we got him to the ER they did a ultrasound, EKG and x-rays.

We found out that his murmur is a grade 3, which is elevated.

His heart is enlarged to about 80% of his chest cavity and he’s having a hard time pumping blood throughout his body. He needs medication right away.

The medication at the emergency vet was gonna be $400 for 15 days worth of supply. They graciously gave me a prescription so I could seek cheaper options.

So what’s next?

At this time, I’m focusing on making sure Dino‘s heart is healthy and making sure he’s comfortable daily. I won’t know much more until I speak with the cardiologist.

The second emergency vet trip cost another $1200 so currently I’m $2000 in debt with an anticipated cardiologist bill of another $900+.

As well as, $400+ a month for medications.

Any donations at this point will go towards heart medication and further treatments as I will put the dental on hold.

I am applying for financing options, and asking other vets first second opinions, but I live paycheck to paycheck, and the thought of adding another significant monthly payment is financially overwhelming. I want to give Dino the care he needs without delaying treatment or putting his safety at risk, but I simply cannot manage this unexpected emergency on my own.

If you’ve ever met Dino, you know how gentle and special he is. He deserves to live comfortably and pain-free.

Any amount helps more than you know. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this page would mean so much to us.