Hello everyone,

My name is Jenny and I have the privilege of taking care of this Best Boi. I adopted Kai in 2014 while pregnant with my second child.

Kai endured horrific abuse before being rescued - he was burned so badly that his fur still doesn't grow in places. The pattern of the scars looks as though someone told him to sit, and he did, and they poured something down him while he looked up expectantly.

A couple years ago, we noticed a lump in Kai's neck. A trip to the vet assured us that various growths are common as dogs age, and we decided to keep a watchful eye on it. In July of 2023, this mass measured 5.4 inches in diameter. In January of 2024, it was measured at 8.4 inches. This growth seems to be large enough now that it is partially impeding his airway. His breaths in are becoming strained, and he is wheezing after exertion when he never did before.

A biopsy was conducted and identified the mass as a lipoma - a benign fatty tumor. Because the tumor is free-moving, the surgeon is confident he can remove it entirely. Our only other option is steroids, and they would only slow the growth, not reverse it...and he is already struggling to breathe.

Apart from this, Kai is in excellent health. His lymph nodes are not swollen, his labs look good; I even paid for genetic testing a few years ago and found that he is not at an increased risk of hip dysplasia.

Kai has been a light in our lives for years. My youngest child has not known life without him. He is gushed over by veterinary staff at every visit, and he has been seen in four different states. Everyone who encounters him notes his loving nature, and many comment that it's so fortunate his abuse didn't dampen his spirits or make him aggressive.

He is expected to heal well after surgery, and we might get a couple more years with him. It feels wrong to lose him when a simple, but costly, procedure could save him. Any help you feel inclined to give would be forever appreciated. Thank you for reading.