Necco Needs a Hip Replacement!
Donation protected
In March I adopted a rescue dog from Alabama. I named her Necco, after the old-time Boston candy company and because my mom loves Necco wafers.
Necco's first dog dad was killed in a car accident and the guy's family abandoned her with her two sisters. They were left to fend for themselves in the yard until folks in the community rescued them.
Shortly after she arrived from the South, I realized that there was something unusual to her gait. She had a limp with her right rear leg. The Alabama rescue agency said she had no known health issues, so I mentioned it to my vet and we figured maybe she had sprained something during the long trip north.
After a few weeks her limp didn't get any better so I brought her back to the vet and she referred me for a surgical consultation. We discovered Necco has significant hip dysplasia in her right hip. That means her leg bone moves around too much in her hip socket and, at only 13 months old, she has developed arthritis in the joint due to the laxity.
The surgeon said that Necco is in almost constant pain from arthritis. And, she is in extreme pain any time the hip joint slightly dislocates... that's when she screams. He immediately prescribed two painkillers and physical therapy.
I got a second surgical opinion to confirm the diagnosis and our treatment options. The "gold standard" treatment is a total hip replacement operation. A hip replacement will give Necco a pain-free life with no restrictions on her activities.
Thankfully, with medication and therapy, her pain has been fairly manageable and she's able to run and play most days. Without surgery, her arthritis pain will continue to increase for the rest of her life. Sooner or later she'll need surgery. I'd like to do it now before she goes through the predictable, inevitable suffering.
Necco has a sweet, gentle, and friendly personality which makes her a perfect candidate to be a therapy dog. (She's awesome with kids!) We're already taking classes at MSPCA-Angell to work toward her Therapy Dog Certification. She has a great career ahead of her bringing comfort and joy to people who are going through rough times.
I've talked myself out of posting this GoFundMe about a hundred times because of shame and embarrassment. But, the truth is, I was not prepared for $10,000 in medical bills in the first 9 months after bringing Necco home. It's been quite a shock - especially because pet insurance declined coverage since this is was a pre-existing condition.
Don't worry - I'm going to get the surgery no matter what. But, I would be truly grateful to anyone who might be able to pitch in to help ease the debt from this unexpected medical care!
Medical Cost Breakdown
Completed
✅ Pre-surgery exam, blood/urine tests, sedation, x-rays, $731 (actual charges, 11/25)
✅ Surgery and hospital stay, $6860 (actual charges, 12/6)
✅ Post-Surgery exam and follow-up x-rays, $417 (actual charges, 2/13)
Pending
• Physical Therapy Estimate, $600
**Grand total: $8,608** (updated 2/13)
Necco's first dog dad was killed in a car accident and the guy's family abandoned her with her two sisters. They were left to fend for themselves in the yard until folks in the community rescued them.
Shortly after she arrived from the South, I realized that there was something unusual to her gait. She had a limp with her right rear leg. The Alabama rescue agency said she had no known health issues, so I mentioned it to my vet and we figured maybe she had sprained something during the long trip north.
After a few weeks her limp didn't get any better so I brought her back to the vet and she referred me for a surgical consultation. We discovered Necco has significant hip dysplasia in her right hip. That means her leg bone moves around too much in her hip socket and, at only 13 months old, she has developed arthritis in the joint due to the laxity.
The surgeon said that Necco is in almost constant pain from arthritis. And, she is in extreme pain any time the hip joint slightly dislocates... that's when she screams. He immediately prescribed two painkillers and physical therapy.
I got a second surgical opinion to confirm the diagnosis and our treatment options. The "gold standard" treatment is a total hip replacement operation. A hip replacement will give Necco a pain-free life with no restrictions on her activities.
Thankfully, with medication and therapy, her pain has been fairly manageable and she's able to run and play most days. Without surgery, her arthritis pain will continue to increase for the rest of her life. Sooner or later she'll need surgery. I'd like to do it now before she goes through the predictable, inevitable suffering.
Necco has a sweet, gentle, and friendly personality which makes her a perfect candidate to be a therapy dog. (She's awesome with kids!) We're already taking classes at MSPCA-Angell to work toward her Therapy Dog Certification. She has a great career ahead of her bringing comfort and joy to people who are going through rough times.
I've talked myself out of posting this GoFundMe about a hundred times because of shame and embarrassment. But, the truth is, I was not prepared for $10,000 in medical bills in the first 9 months after bringing Necco home. It's been quite a shock - especially because pet insurance declined coverage since this is was a pre-existing condition.
Don't worry - I'm going to get the surgery no matter what. But, I would be truly grateful to anyone who might be able to pitch in to help ease the debt from this unexpected medical care!
Medical Cost Breakdown
Completed
✅ Pre-surgery exam, blood/urine tests, sedation, x-rays, $731 (actual charges, 11/25)
✅ Surgery and hospital stay, $6860 (actual charges, 12/6)
✅ Post-Surgery exam and follow-up x-rays, $417 (actual charges, 2/13)
Pending
• Physical Therapy Estimate, $600
**Grand total: $8,608** (updated 2/13)
Organizer
Brian Griffin
Organizer
Boston, MA