Hi friends,

As many of you know, I found my soul dog Papi last year in Mexico. He was just a puppy, likely under 9 months old, living on the streets of the Baja. He kept following me around our AirBnb, and I quickly fell in love. When we took him to a vet in town, we found out he had a tic disease, Ehrlichia, and was severely anemic with a blood platelet count of 0. Luckily, we were able to get him healthy enough to come home and continue his treatments. Since bringing him home to Cumberland, he has become a deeply loved member of our family. Bo has been happier than ever to have a little brother. Everyone who meets Papi at the dog park or in the trails quickly falls in love with him.

Unfortunately, since June, Papi has been dealing with sinus and skin issues that have only continued to worsen. We’ve tried many diagnostics and treatments- as we initially thought he was having allergies. Recently, it’s gotten to the point where his nose is chronically swollen and bleeds. Our vet is now suspicious that he may have a nasal fungal infection that would have been picked up in Mexico. Treatment for this can be very toxic, so they require concrete evidence that this is what he’s dealing with. Left untreated, this type of fungal infection will increasingly worsen and cause neurological issues, eventually leading to seizures and death.

This is where I need help. Papi needs a CT scan and rhinoscopy. We were quoted $4,000-7,000 for this, not including treatment afterwards. I’ve just recently accepted my spot and paid a deposit to finish my masters, and this is a very unexpected cost for me. We’ve already spent so much on his vet bills.

I feel very uncomfortable posting this and asking for help. I know that when we brought him home, we were taking full responsibility for his health and wellbeing. But this unexpected expense is causing major stress. I’m at a point where I don’t know what else to do. I am reaching out to ask for any help that you can offer to help get Papi’s health sorted out so he can live a long and healthy life. He means everything to us. Thank you.

Mackenzie