Hello my name is Sharon and I'm Hankster the Houndster's humom. Hankster is my sweet, wonderful, super special cream-colored diabetic labrador mix~ and his 13th birthday is this Sunday, August 9th!! SuPeR HapPy BirFdaY to my Sweet Wonderful Hankster!! ♡

Recently Hankster was having some symptoms that were similar to pancreatitis, like throwing up after his meals and just seemed a little uncomfortable.. but he also has some arthritis and we've had hot/smokey weather so I thought those were factors in his not feeling well.. and with the usual small diet changes, losing a little weight, he seemed to be improving for a couple weeks. But not completely, and when he puked again, I brought him in to his vet the next day, July 15th.

It turns out it was the smaller amount of food I was giving him, not the contents that caused him to improve. They took an X-ray and ultrasound and found a large, scary tumor/mass on the left side of his liver!! She told me it was the worst news, there was nothing that could be done because it was so big and was not 'one large mass' which can be removed easier.. but it was worse and obviously spreading/reaching out already... She told me to just keep comfortable and just be prepared to lose him at any moment. Could be days, maybe weeks, not months. my heart broke...

I've been just completely devastated, but trying to be so strong for Hankster and give him the best time possible. It has been really hard for me, I am a very emotional person, and he really is like my world.. I'm sure many of you understand. So it has just been the most extreme emotional rollercoaster for me. We were already planning a trip out of town, so we went to my grandma's which he loves, and I've been so overprotective and just eggshells around him and with everything, I like guide his every step with like my hand on him, I've been so terrified to just lose him at any moment. He's already my world, and I spend every day with him and do as much as I can with him, and we were already doing that this summer, because of just where we both are in our lives. So to get this news has been even more just heartbreaking.

After a day or two I just emailed and begged my vet for a referral to a noncologist and she gave us one. It was 2 weeks away, I didn't want to get my hopes up and didn't know if we'd even make it to that day, but we did and we got more detailed imaging and the oncologist was seriously like oh I see like 98% success rate with tumors of the size and dogs his age that I refer to surgery. I don't want to quote her percentage but I'm pretty sure that's what she said.. she talked about how gnarly the mass looks, it is not just one large mass it has cavities apparently (which sounds terrifying) but she also showed me the right side of his liver in the images that was still healthy. She said that gave her a lot of hope, and the fact that the rest of his liver numbers are all good and normal, except for the ones that told them that this tumor is there, messing with stuff and being big and uncomfortable.. I guess they usually just grow so big that they become so uncomfortable and like kind of squish other organs n stuff and that's usually when you have to make the decision to let them go...

So no matter what, I am at this just horrible, horrifying place in this journey.. where I have to choose to either 1. In the next few plus weeks I just wait and watch my sweet Hankster slowly get worse until I have to bring him in one day.. or 2. In the next few plus weeks he/we will be going through this huge surgery and recovery, but then having him slowly get better instead of worse, and potentially having years with him. Happier, healthier, more comfortable years....

Well the Blue Pearl Animal Hospital he was referred to called yesterday and Hankster has his first appointment Wednesday August 12th!! ~just 3 days after his Birthday next week!! They have me an estimate of $10,000 for everything, that includes the consult, CT image, pre-op blood work, surgery and immediate aftercare/recovery stay.

The hospital is located a few hours south of here, so we will have to travel and stay in a hotel nearby for a few nights also. I added $500 for a three or four night stay at a pet friendly hotel to keep Hankster safe and comfortable during everything.

I'm sorry the cost is so high!! I know it's soo much!! It's more than I was originally quoted and a lot of the reason why I was just hesitant to even try to ask for help.. but it's coming up fast, it's our only chance and it's our Hankster!! I know lots more people and animals love him than just me!! Oh thank you all for loving him and always believing in us! I work really hard to take care of him, even though it comes natural and I love him so much, I do work hard and struggle sometimes. I don't work a regular job, so that I can spend my time with him, because there's nothing I love more and nothing I need more. (HankDad mostly supports us, and me n Hankster have a small art/craft business to help makes ends meet)

Unfortunately that means we're kind of poor financially, especially when an emergency like this comes up. Most of the time I am totally happy and content not having much money for anything, as long as Hankster's needs are covered .. and he can get a treat.. But now I really need help raising this much money.

Also there is a chance that after the CT scan they might find that the mass is too big and scary, and that it's just not a good idea to even try the surgery. But on the other hand, if he can have the surgery it would literally be that same day or the next day, so that's where the raising of the funds just gets kind of complicated. Also if I don't raise all of the funds, he won't be able to have it done at all..

So if one of those things happens, I will be refunding most of the money raised, minus consult/CT cost.. I'm not sure yet how that works, but I believe I can just leave the funds in the bank account until like the day of, so if it needs to be returned, those transactions can hopefully just be reversed and everyone can get their donation back.

Sorry for any typos and being so long~~

Thank yoou for taking time to read so much, thank you for caring, thank you for helping, thank you for sharing, thank you for donating, thank you for being our friends, thank you for just being you, thank you for everything, no matter if you can donate or not, thank you for caring! ♡

Thank yoou!! We love you!!

Love ♡ Adorable Hankster and his family!! (⁠ᵔ⁠ᴥ⁠ᵔ⁠)