Opal is our 2-year-old American Staffy x Heeler, and truly the light of our lives. We’ve had her since she was just 6 weeks old after my parents rescued her, and she’s grown into the most unique, loving girl. We’re doing everything we can to give her the best chance to keep fighting.

On April 27th, Opal suddenly became very unwell, vomiting and not herself. We rushed her to emergency, where vets discovered a bowel obstruction caused by a corn cob she had ingested weeks earlier, likely from a scrap bucket that had been left out. This caused a severe infection that leaked into her bloodstream, filling her stomach and bowels with fluid. She was dangerously dehydrated, struggling to breathe, and her white blood cell count was already low.

By the next day her condition worsened. Her temperature spiked, her white blood cells dropped further, and vets feared she could go septic. She was placed on multiple antibiotics, pain relief, oxygen support, and intensive care. She later developed pneumonia after inhaling stomach bile from the previous days, and we were told she likely wouldn’t survive the night. We were even asked to consider saying goodbye.

But Opal kept fighting.

By Friday, more complications appeared. She developed jaundice, and scans revealed an abscess in her right lung. Vets explained she will need surgery to remove part of her right lung, but she’s currently too unstable and dependent on oxygen to survive anesthesia. They also wanted to test the fluid in her lungs, but it wasn’t safe to proceed. Despite everything, she found the strength to eat a single biscuit and some meat, giving us hope we desperately needed.

On Saturday, she underwent a high-risk CT scan and had fluid drained from her stomach and lungs. They also discovered a gas pocket in the same lung as the abscess. A feeding tube was placed as she hadn’t eaten properly since Monday, and her protein levels had become dangerously low, leaving her malnourished. Even then, exhausted and weak, she still wagged her tail when we visited her.

By Sunday, there were small signs of progress. Her protein levels improved, her bilirubin levels dropped, and the vets could finally see that she was responding. However, she remains in critical condition, still reliant on oxygen, and now experiencing swelling in her legs due to her previous low protein.

We’ve been told multiple times she might not make it, but she continues to prove everyone wrong. She is so strong, and she’s not giving up.

We have pet insurance, but her treatment has already exceeded the $20,000 annual limit. Her total care is expected to reach around $40,000, leaving us with roughly $25,000 to cover ourselves.

Any support means the world to us. We just want to bring our girl home, healthy and safe