Gracie had been next to Clair's side for eighteen months. When Clair moved out of home she got Gracie as a pup and companion. They went everywhere together and did all the dog activities you could think of, from obedience, scent work, sledding to camping and cafe visits just to name a few.

Unfortunately, in June this year Gracie was not well. Clair took Gracie to her usual vet who gave her some medication for a gastro bug and sent her home.

A few days later Gracie was still not well. As it was a weekend Clair did not want to wait so she took Gracie to an emergency vet. The emergency vet listened to Clair and looked over Gracie, again she was given some more medication and was told Gracie may have Pancreatitis.

After a few more days Gracie was still not well. Clair took her back to the emergency vet. The vet took blood and ruled out Pancreatitis. This time they thought it was Meningitis despite symptoms being that of stomach issues. They offered to do a spinal tap to diagnose. Not wanting to do such an invasive test, Clair listened to the vet's advice and took more medication and Gracie home, something she would do with or without a spinal tap.

Fast forward a few more days and Gracie was declining rapidly. Clair presented once again to the veterinarian she had been working with. This time she was admitted for observation, fluids, and pain killers for the day. This is when Clair asked to have a referral to a specialist.

Two days later, and a month after first presenting at a vet clinic, Gracie and Clair went to their appointment at the specialist. There they did an x-ray and ultrasound. It was discovered Gracie had ingested a foreign body. That night Gracie went in for surgery and it was successful. Gracie was discharged the next day with medication.

Three days later Gracie was not recovering from her surgery, she was in fact getting worse. Clair took her back to the specialist and Gracie was admitted overnight.

The next morning Clair received a phone call. Gracie was in sepsis and the steroids the previous vet had prescribed over the last month were preventing her from healing. Gracie was going to need another surgery. Her chances were 50/50 on recovery and there was a possibility of a third surgery being needed. Clair needed to decide to have surgery or euthanise Gracie.

Clair was in debt. She had used all her savings and borrowed money over the last month to get to this point. She had spent close to $12,000 trying to save Gracie. Clair had no choice; she was going to have to euthanise.

A vet at the specialist clinic felt sorry for Clair and offered to cover Gracie's lifesaving surgery and ongoing medical bills if Clair would surrender her. Clair did this knowing it would save Gracie's life, but she would lose her companion.

We ask for you to help by contributing to covering Clair's debt for veterinary bills. A debt she would not have in such excessive amounts if the emergency vet had done an x-ray on any of the multiple times she presented, something they offer in-house. Gracie would not have had to suffer for so long and lose her owner from a pup and the only home and lifestyle she knew. Clair would not be broken-hearted over having to make the decision to give Gracie up with nothing to show but a $12,000 debt if it were not for the emergency vet who did not do a simple, standard x-ray.

We hope that by helping Clair she will be able to pay her debt and, when the time is right for her, find a new companion. We know that Gracie can never be replaced but wish some solitude in the possibility of loving another pup.