Main fundraiser photo

Help my Siberian Husky survive dog bone cancer

Donation protected
A couple of weeks ago, I came home and my 10 year old Siberian Husky/Alaskan Malamute named Alaska was limping on her left leg. I took her to a rescue vet who checked her leg and said that it was a soft tissue injury, a bruise and gave me 5 days of Carprofen, an anti-inflammatory, pain killer. She screamed when she got out of the car at home. I think she put full weight on the bad leg. Started hopping on the right leg, curling her left toes under and using the knuckles to balance the hopping. Next week still limping, meds had no effect. I set up another appointment at the vet but had to cancel because I am a dog transporter for rescues in Houston and a litter of puppies in boarding needed an emergency run to the vet because one pup was sick. To the vet, stayed through the visit and took them back to boarding with meds. The vet sent 5 more days of Carprofen. The next week went to another rescue vet...she did full manipulation of both front legs from the toes to the shoulder and no cry or wince. She manipulated her head and neck..new diagnosis possible disc injury in her neck..more Carprofen while I work to come up with the money for X-rays. Three days later I awoke to find blood all over the floor. Allie had tried her best to hop and almost all of the blood was on paper and puppy pads and not the carpet. I have no idea how many hopping trips from the den to the paper she made that night and I never heard her. I have bruised ribs and cannot lift a 79 pound dog into my car. A neighbor helped me drag Allie on a dog bed about 25 feet to my car. Two lawn men nearby helped lift the bed and Allie into the car and wouldn’t take any money for helping. Another vet visit, more manipulation and same diagnosis disc neck injury. It is felt that the blood was a side effect to the 3 rounds of Carprofen and stress colitis. They recommended taking her to the Texas A&M Vet School Emergency Clinic 1.5 hours away and off we go. The main doctors are high quality, board certified doctors but the cost is cheaper because it is a school and the students train under the doctors with live patients. A few hours later, I was brought into a room with the doctors. They don’t think it is her neck but her shoulder and want to do xrays and blood work to check the possible source to the blood on the floor. More time and into the room again. New diagnosis BONE CANCER. My heart dropped. They showed me the X-rays. There is a blob between a quarter and a half dollar on the main front leg bone about 1.5 inches below the shoulder. The blood work showed nothing but proved the Carprofen/stress diagnosis. They recommended chest X-rays to see if it has spread to her lungs. X-rays don’t show anything..it doesn’t mean it has not spread may be too small to see or her lungs could be clear. Recommended amputation of her left front leg and to take her home because I could have the surgery done cheaper than the $3-4000 that A&M wanted. I took her home, begged another rescue friend to meet me at the house and he carried her inside. Spent the next week chasing vets to try and get Allie her surgery hoping that it didn’t get worse in the mean time. Some vets don’t do the surgery, others wouldn’t touch it, and others wanted as much as A&M to do it. I was able to finally find a rescue vet that would do her surgery and one of the rescues that I transport dogs for locally put her into their group account so that we would qualify for rescue rates at the vet. I feel very comfortable with this vet and that she will do her best for Allie. Due to my home situation, they will keep and board her for an additional 2-3 days to watch for complications and help her adjust to her new tripod status so that she is ready to come home and I can help her if she needs something. The leg will be sent to pathology to confirm the type of cancer and to get a recommendation of future procedures which could entail radiation, chemo, special drugs, or to stop and let her live out her life in peace at home. No idea of future costs and whether I can find the money for the additional procedures. I hope and pray that the bone cancer was caught early enough that removing the leg could make her cancer free. All of the funds would be put towards Allie’s medical bills and boarding after surgery. I am single and 62. I am currently not working so I transport dog and cats for rescues asking for expenses like gas and tolls. My kids are Alaska and Sonny, an 11 year old Siberian Husky. They are both rescue kids themselves being adopted from rescues and local animal shelters. I adopted Alaska when she was 3 and she is now 10. Through all of this she has yelped only a few times while learning on her own right now how to get around on 3.25 legs using her knuckles on one leg. She is always smiling and wagging her tail. Please help me to help her. No amount is too small. God Bless You All!
Donate

Donations 

    Donate

    Organizer

    Patty Overly
    Organizer
    Houston, TX

    Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

    • Easy

      Donate quickly and easily

    • Powerful

      Send help right to the people and causes you care about

    • Trusted

      Your donation is protected by the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee