On April 3rd 2025 we adopted Raya from MADACC. I had been following her since she got in the shelter and was just waiting for our home to be ready for her. She had signs of serious neglect, abuse, dog fighting and was very underweight. Raya had so many scars but the most worrisome was a scar around her snout from it being tied or wired shut for an extended period of time. Despite all these factors, she is a high energy, happy go lucky and extremely active part of our family. We have even traveled to NJ in the car and back with no issues!

On April 22nd, 2026, I noticed our beloved dog Raya couldn’t close her mouth all the way. At first, I thought she was just being silly, but the next morning, it became clear something was seriously wrong. Raya tried to eat, but her food fell right out of her mouth. She couldn’t chew or close her mouth, so I rushed her to Mayfair Emergency Vet. They put her under anesthesia and did x-rays, but everything came back clear—no fractures, nothing lodged, and no dislocation. That meant it was something more serious. The Dr. told us it could be a few things but none were great options...

Since April 23rd, Raya has been on medication, but she’s not improving. She can’t swallow unassisted, so I have to close her mouth, tilt her head back, and massage her throat to help her eat. I give her water through a syringe because she can’t lap it up, and her tongue won’t curl the way it should. Our next step is to see a specialist in neurological disorders, but I recently lost my job after using my time off to care for Raya. My employer didn’t consider her situation an emergency, so now I’m home with her 24/7. Raya can’t be left alone—she sometimes chokes or swallows her tongue, and she even stopped breathing for a minute during a recent episode. She needs constant supervision, syringe feeding, and soft food.

Her first vet bill was already overwhelming, and the tests, treatments, and medications she needs will be a significant financial challenge. Any funding will help cover Raya’s specialist visits, medications, therapy, additional testing, and any overnight stays she might need. Any support can help—this poor girl has already been through so much before we got her, and we just want her to be happy and healthy again so we can travel the world together.