Help Treat Newt's Brain (etc)

Hello! This is Newt!

Newt is one of the sweetest dogs and loves almost everyone (unless they're doing a silly walk! no silly walks allowed!) He was found on the street in Miami and no one claimed him. I was able to adopt him, and it has been the best decision of my life. He is my first and only dog, and he is the only reason I wake up every day. He was my service dog until he was brutally attacked two years ago, and because of that he's been enjoying retirement outside of the home...I guess you could say he works from home now. :)

For the last year, Newt has had seemingly unrelated symptoms collect that we (me + his vet) have been treating as soon as we notice them. I just counted my receipts and in 2024, he visited the vet 15 times, and we have been three times already in 2025. Thankfully, the little goofball LOVES going to the vet because everyone is so excited to see him. He has been experiencing a lot of GI issues including chronic pancreatitis attacks, food aversion, vomiting, lethargy, and less immediately related things like excessive itching, significant back and joint pain out of nowhere, a significant amount of regular and reverse sneezing, and a mostly closed eye for two days without any explanation. We starting seeing a GI specialist, and we are in the middle of some tests with them. They agree that it seems he has had regurgitation issues that began before he started to develop pancreatitis. Next steps are a endoscopy and biopsy to rule out cancer and more structural problems like a hernia.

However, in January, Newt started having facial focal, jaw chattering seizures and crying every day, wanting to be held all day. Thankfully, I work from home and have been able to provide him as much comfort as he needs as well as constant monitoring and symptom management. We rushed to a neurologist, and they have been doing an amazing job of narrowing down possible conditions that may or may not include his other symptoms. So far, he has had x-rays, a lot of bloodwork, an MRI, and a spinal tap. :( His vet team feels fairly confident that whatever is wrong is treatable. I am holding on to that but sick with anxiety every day and feel terrible for him as he is normally full of life but clearly does not feel well.

I am extremely fortunate to have pet insurance that covers 80% of almost everything (minus some meds, some minor procedures) after my copays. But, I am currently attending school and my current job barely pays me well enough to afford all of my bills, let alone all of Newt's new bills. I have been extremely fortunate (again) to have student loans to manage the cost upfront, so this is not an urgent ask. But, I will need to replace some of the money I have spent on his care to be able to pay for basic necessities in the coming months.

EDITING THIS NEXT PARAGRAPH. PLEASE READ BELOW IN BOLD

The cost of veterinary care has increased recently, and his procedures add up to approximately $15,000. I have paid about a third of this so far, the rest of it I have set aside after receiving estimates for follow-up care and procedures for the GI issues and seizure management.

You can read in an update posted 2/22/25 for more information, but we are currently postponing the majority of the major interventions and procedures that were scheduled. They are still tentatively on the docket, but I am no longer planning to pay them ASAP. Because of this, what I have currently paid out, and what I will be paying with his medication and follow-up visits in the near future, I am reducing the goal to $1,500.

Some of his previously planned more invasive work is still on the docket, but it is postponed until we get his GI situation and seizures under control. I will update accordingly.

I said before, I am super fortunate that I had a student loan to be able to pay for his care up front, since pet insurance (Pet's Best) only reimburses after bills have been paid. In the end, I will end up paying around $3,000 this year (closer to $1,500 right now when not considering future plans) (not including last year's visits) for the upcoming procedures, medications, and follow-up care. I didn't want to be doom and gloom, but I actually do not have this money. In a few months, I won't be able to pay rent because of this. I'm looking for a second job, but the market isn't friendly right now, and it has to fit in with my current full-time job and full-time class schedule. So, I would DEEPLY appreciate it if you could help me with Newt right now. I feel so uncomfortable asking, but I'm doing it anyway, because at the end of the day, he needs our rent to be paid, too lol

Thank you SO much for reading this. Please keep Newt in your thoughts. <3