The story

Ringo turns seven on August 10, and we are fighting with everything we have to give him many more birthdays. He's a dachshund with purpose, and that purpose is to protect those he loves. And he loves big and deeply. He is the most wonderful weenie dog and is such an amazing, loving part of our lives. If you've followed him, you already know that face, although it's a little more gray now than before.

In April, our whole world tilted. What started as fear that he ate a toy turned into, over a few scary days in the emergency hospital, a diagnosis we never saw coming: metastatic prostatic cancer. It's rare in dacshunds, especially one so young, and the tumor is inoperable.

Ringo is seven. He should have years of barking out windows and sunbeams and stealing spots on the couch ahead of him. Instead we found ourselves sitting across from an oncologist, trying to understand words no dog parent ever wants to hear.

We decided to fight for him, and Ringo has been braver than we had any right to ask. Over the summer he went through an aggressive 20-session course of radiation at VCA Northwest in Portland, five days a week for a month. Because the treatment was three hours from home (and not available in Seattle), we moved into a Portland Airbnb for the entire time so he could get to the hospital every single morning. He's had two surgeries to place and remove a treatment port, and he's part-way through chemotherapy, with three more sessions still to go. Through all of it, he has kept his tail wagging, his barking demanding, and even when he's tired, he still wants to destroy a squeaky.

Why we're asking

It's very humbling for us to ask for help like this. We have pet insurance, and it has been a lifeline, covering roughly 80% of Ringo's medical bills so far. But 20% of a fight this big is still a mountain, and some big costs aren't covered at all, like the month of lodging in Portland so Ringo could get to treatment every day.

I have never asked for help like this before. But I'm being honest with you: Brandon and I have both been out of work for quite a while, and it's a horrible job market. We've already borrowed from a dear friend and family member to keep Ringo's treatment going. That's money we fully intend to pay back. Between the coinsurance, the lodging, and the chemo still ahead, plus everyday costs of living in Seattle, the dollars have simply outrun what we can carry on our own.

What your help covers

Every dollar goes directly to Ringo's cancer care, specifically:

One important note: the largest bill of all, Ringo's month of radiation, was submitted to insurance on July 20, and we're still waiting to hear how much they'll cover. We're hopeful they'll pay their usual 80%, but that decision is still pending. If it doesn't go our way, our share jumps more than significantly. I'll post updates here as we learn more, and I'll adjust as the situation changes.

I've put together a simple, itemized cost summary at the bottom of this post and in the photos so you can see exactly where the money goes, and I'm keeping every receipt. If you'd like to see the actual invoices, whether for the vet bills or the Airbnb, just ask. I want you to know precisely what you're donating to.

Thank you

If you can give, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. If you can't, sharing this with other dachshund and animal lovers helps more than you know. Ringo doesn't understand cancer. He just knows he's loved, and that his people show up for him every day. Your kindness helps us keep showing up. All we want for his seventh birthday is more time with him.

With love and gratitude,

Michelle, Brandon, George, and Ringo