Hi everyone,
I’m reaching out because my heart is breaking and I need help saving my best friend, Bear.
Bear is my 6-year-old Labrador, and he is truly the sweetest, most loving soul you could ever meet. He loves giving kisses, chasing lizards, and greeting every single person he sees like they are his new best friend. In our apartment community, he’s known as the “President of the Welcoming Committee” because he happily greets everyone with his wagging tail and big loving heart.
To me, Bear isn’t just a dog—he’s my family. He’s my constant companion and honestly like my son. He brings so much joy not just to me, but to everyone around him.
Recently, we received heartbreaking news that Bear has a growth in his neck that needs to be surgically removed. The surgery is necessary to give him the chance to continue living a healthy life. The cost of the surgery and care is estimated to be $8,500, and it needs to happen within the next month.
To clarify Bear’s condition, a little bit more, the saliva from one or more of Bear’s salivary glands is leaking into the tissue in his neck and creating a pocket of fluid, or growth, that continues to grow.
Dogs have multiple salivary glands on both sides of their neck, and sometimes more than one gland can be involved. Because of that, the surgical team needs advanced imaging beforehand to determine exactly which glands are affected and where the issue is coming from as the glands are near the carotid artery.
The glands are located in a delicate area of the neck close to important structures like the carotid artery, which is why Bear needs a board-certified veterinary surgeon who has experience with this type of procedure.
The estimate includes the imaging needed to plan the surgery, the specialized surgery itself, and pre-operative testing to make sure Bear can safely go under anesthesia. Based on my research, the estimate is not unusual for advanced veterinary surgery with imaging and a board-certified specialist. Those procedures can often run $6k–$10k+ depending on complexity.
As much as I wish I could cover this on my own, the cost is more than I can manage right now. I would do absolutely anything for Bear, so I’m humbly asking for help from anyone who is able to contribute.
Every donation—no matter how small—will go directly toward Bear’s surgery and medical care. If you’re not able to donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean the world to us.
Bear has spent his whole life spreading love and happiness to everyone he meets. I’m hoping we can come together to help him get the care he needs so he can keep giving kisses, chasing lizards, and welcoming people with that joyful wagging tail.
Bear is currently under the care of Dr. Roger Welton at Premier Veterinary Care, and his surgery would be performed by board-certified surgeon Dr. Jeff Christansen at Animal Specialty & Emergency Hospital. I’m happy to provide the veterinary clinic information for anyone who would like to verify his care. You can also donate directly to Animal Specialty and Emergency Hospital. Their phone number is 321–752–7600 and give them the name Bear Sturgeon. For transparency purposes, I posted a copy of the estimate in the photos.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading Bear’s story and for any support you can give.
With gratitude and hope,
Lauren & Bear