Help Nelson get chemo therapy

Hey everyone, I would like to start off by saying thank you for taking the time to read this. About a week ago we noticed some changes in our dog, Nelson, who is a 5 year old Argentinian Mastiff (pit bull mix). He had lost a significant amount of weight in a very short amount of time, we noticed large lumps underneath his neck that had seemingly appeared overnight. That morning, Nelson could barely get up to go outside, he was extremely tired and had completely lost his appetite. He would not respond to our calls, he was extremely dehydrated, and could not control his urination. This was all quite abnormal as Nelson is usually extremely active; he gets excited when we say “outside”, when he hears someone coming in he automatically comes to greet them, and usually can never get enough attention. He was no longer doing these things, which made it clear to us that something was very wrong. We of course brought him to the vet as soon as we noticed these changes and they took a blood sample and gave us antibiotics in hopes of increasing his appetite and trying to clear up his swollen glands. The veterinarian, however, was very clear that they were almost certain it was cancer, Lymphoma to be exact. The next day, the doctor called us with the test results which showed that they were right. This type of cancer is very common in dogs like Nelson. It progresses very quickly, can appear over night, and be fatal just as fast. We can tell that he is in a lot of pain, but have decided to try treatment rather than putting him down. This means that Nelson will need extensive chemo therapy. Without treatment, the survival rate for dogs with Lymphoma is about a month or two, with treatment Nelson could live to about 14 months.

It’s been 3 days since Nelson has started taking his antibiotics and his appetite has gone up and the swelling has gone down so he is doing much better, however these antibiotics are only temporary and will no longer be affective after a certain amount of time. I know most people are probably thinking “well what’s the point if he’s going to die in a year anyways, why put him through pain for a whole year?”. Chemo therapy will essentially put Nelson into remission meaning that he will no longer feel any symptoms and he’ll be able to be his normal self. He won’t be in pain and he’ll be happy and if we can give him one more year of happiness and fun then we’re going to at least try. The treatment will cost a minimum of about 5000$ but this does not include the many tests he will have to undergo before he starts chemo therapy to determine his treatment plan. The next step would be for Nelson to get an cytology test which will cost 400$, then we will speak to an oncologist to discuss his treatment.

I am reaching out for your help, Nelson is not only the most kind and loving dog but he is also a big part of the Montreal community. He is adored by many people and has made an impact on everyone he’s met. He is such a happy dog and it hurts to see him this way especially at such a young age. Nelson is only 5 years old, he should have plenty more years of fun at the dog parks, barking and long walks. Although we are unable to give him a full lifetime, we can at least give him a whole year of pure love and happiness. Please help us alleviate some of the financial strain and worry. Anything helps, we appreciate any support. Thank you, we are eternally grateful.