Help Save Chester: Our Dog With A Critical Heart Condition

Hi everyone, Our names are Sophie and Reece, and we are reaching out today with a heavy heart. Our family dog, Chester, is in a critical situation. Our poor baby has only just turned 2 and is now fighting for his life. We are devastated, but we are not ready to give up on him!

Our Story:

Chester came into our lives 2 years ago and has been a source of joy, comfort, and unconditional love ever since.

Unfortunately our whole world was turned upside down on Saturday night as his breathing began to fail and we had to rush him to the emergency vets. We were told he was in critical heart failure and he had between 24/48 hours to live.

After hearing this devastating news it absolutely broke us as a family, we sat there in tears wondering how we was just celebrating our dogs 2nd birthday that same day was then told he would die within 24 hours. We made a difficult decision to bring him home and arrange for euthanasia the following day and had everyone to say their final goodbyes to him that night. We have a 3 week old baby girl, how could it be possible that she wouldn’t get to grow up with Chester

Then a miracle happened on Sunday morning Chester was bouncing around and eating chicken! We rushed back to the vets for an explanation and a second opinion. We had found out that Chester’s body had absorbed all the fluid around his heart and his lungs and gave him a fighting chance. The vet said we are very lucky he should be dead but Chester is a fighter!

Why We Need Your Help:

Chester has been diagnosed with Chylothorax Disease which is a rare, life-threatening condition caused by a build-up of milky white fatty lymphatic fluid (chyle) in the chest. The chyle leaks from the thoracic ducts (the primary lymphatic vessels that carry chyle) into the chest. He needs urgent treatment to survive. The vets have recommended Surgical thoracic duct ligation, which could give Chester a chance to recover and continue to be a part of our lives.

It was a miracle Chester surviving but now we are in need of another miracle…

The cost of the surgery is substantial, and we are doing everything we can to cover the expenses. However, the bills are mounting rapidly. We are already maxed out on our pet insurance due to vet trips, scans, medication that he has already had. Between the diagnostic tests, medication, and specialized care, the total cost is estimated to be around £15,000 this is due to the operation Chester needs can only be performed by a handful of surgeons in the whole of the UK as his condition is rare. 

Unfortunately, this amount is beyond what we can manage on our own and with reaching out to RSPCA and Animal trusts funds it’s nothing they can help with due to this rare disease.

How Your Contribution Will Make a Difference:

Every pound raised will go directly towards Chester’s medical expenses. Your support will help us cover:

- Emergency veterinary care

- Surgery and post-operative care

- Medications and ongoing treatment

- Specialized therapies and follow-up visits

Final Appeal:

Please Please help Chester grow old with our children it’s an absolute crime to be taken away from us at 2 years old

We know times are tough for everyone, and we truly appreciate any amount you can give. If you're unable to donate, please consider sharing this page with your friends, family, or social media network. Every share brings us closer to giving Chester the life-saving care he desperately needs.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for considering helping our beloved Chester. Your kindness and generosity mean the world to us, and it could mean the difference between life and death for our perfect family dog.

With Much Love

Sophie, Reece, Rory, Raya and Chester

We promise to keep donors updated on Chester’s progress throughout it all.