Our sweet Yorkshire Terrier puppy, Roxie, is just 12 weeks old and barely weighs 1.9 pounds. In the short time we've had her, she's completely captured our hearts! She's loving, playful and incredibly bonded to our family. But now, Roxie is facing a life-threatening medical condition, and we're doing everything we can to fight for her.
Roxie had a liver shunt, a serious congenital defect that prevents her liver from filtering toxins properly. This condition can quickly become fatal without treatment. Since coming home with us, her symptoms have worsened and now include:
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Weakness in her back legs
- Head twitching
- Lethargy
- Weight loss and stunted growth - she has lost .3 lbs in the past two weeks
The day after we brought her home, we took her to the vet for vaccines and an exam. Our only concern at the time was that she seemed tired and quiet. The vet believed it was likely stress from leaving her litter. A week later, we woke up to find Roxie completely limp - she couldn't stand and barely had the energy to lift her head. We gave her honey, thinking it was a hypoglycemic episode, and rushed her to the vet. That ER visit started our difficult and emotional journey towards a possible liver shunt diagnosis.
After already spending over $1,500 on ER visits and early testing, Roxie is scheduled to have a CT scan under general anesthesia to confirm the type and location of the shunt and to assist the doctor in planning Roxie’s surgery. The scan alone costs almost $4,000 and we were quoted $10,700 for her surgery!
To make matters worse, our pet insurance has denied all coverage, claiming her condition is pre-existing. Because we mentioned "lethargy" at her very first vet visit, one day after bringing her home, they are refusing to cover anything, stating it was tied to her current condition and was present before her policy took effect, just 3 days after we adopted her.
We are devastated. We're doing everything we can for Roxie, but we're rapidly approaching a point where we can't afford the care she needs. That's why we're asking for help from friends, family, and kind-hearted strangers.
Every donation, no matter the size, will go directly towards:
- Roxie's CT scan
- Prescription medications
- Special food to manage her symptoms
- Surgery and post-operative care
Please consider donating and sharing her story. Your support could be the reason Roxie gets to live the full, happy life she deserves.
From our hearts to yours, thank you for helping us fight for our little Roxie.
Organizer
