On behalf of my Aunt Suzanne and Uncle Rod: Lexi is our beloved 5-year-old mini dachshund, and she’s always been a joyful part of our family. Before all of this, everyone knew Lexi as a happy, spunky dog who loved running around the backyard with her two best friends, Tucker (a mini toy poodle) and Luna (a Boston terrier). She would go on long walks with me, and everyone who knows Lexi can tell you how sweet and loving she is.

Just after Christmas, everything changed when Lexi began showing signs of pain in her back. She would cry whenever someone tried to pick her up, and it was clear something was wrong. My husband and I took her to the vet, where we learned it was her vertebrae causing the pain. We brought her home and followed the vet’s instructions, giving her pain and anti-anxiety medication and monitoring her closely.

Two days later, Lexi’s condition worsened. She started to show weakness in her back paw, and soon she was dragging her back paws, unable to support herself. We rushed her to the emergency animal hospital, where she was diagnosed with IVDD (intervertebral disc disease). The doctors recommended crate therapy for 4-6 weeks, hoping to limit her movement and help her heal. But after just three days, Lexi’s movement continued to decline, and she began knuckling her back paws. When we brought her back to the hospital, we were told she needed emergency spinal surgery right away to prevent further damage.

Lexi’s surgery was a huge and unexpected expense for our family, and she will need ongoing follow-up care and rehabilitation to recover. I’m asking for your support to help Lexi get back to her happy, healthy self. Any contribution makes a difference and means the world to us. Thank you for caring about Lexi and for helping us give her the best chance at recovery.