Four years ago, my husband Trenton was working security when he came across a small dog wandering completely alone. Finn was estimated to be around six years old at the time. He had been abandoned and was eating grass to survive. No one came looking for him, and we couldn’t imagine leaving him behind.
We brought him home, and from that moment on, he became family.
As we got to know Finn, it became clear that he had not had an easy life. He came to us with multiple medical issues, including a collapsed trachea, a deformity affecting his penis, and physical weaknesses that suggested years of neglect. He would flinch at sudden movements and seemed terrified whenever someone moved too quickly around him. While we can never know exactly what happened before we found him, many of his behaviors suggested he may have come from an abusive or neglectful environment.
Despite everything he had been through, Finn never stopped loving people.
Over the last four years, Finn has become the heart of our family. He is loved by a large, close-knit family and has brought endless joy, comfort, laughter, and companionship into our lives. He greets us with excitement, follows us from room to room, and somehow always knows when someone needs a little extra love. Through good days and bad, Finn has been our constant source of happiness. He truly is the ray of sunshine in our lives.
One of our favorite things about Finn has always been his smile. After everything he had endured, seeing him happy enough to smile reminded us every day how resilient and loving he is.
Recently, our family was devastated when Finn suddenly began experiencing neurological symptoms. He started acting differently, and then one side of his face became partially paralyzed. He can no longer fully close one eye, and he has lost movement on one side of his mouth. The smile we have loved for years is now gone as one side of his mouth is lopsided. Food constantly falls from his mouth and we are having trouble properly feeding him. The steroids he had been prescribed has made him extremely drowsy and he is lethargic which is a complete change of how we’ve known him for years. He has been giving eye drops to prevent his eyes from drying out from his inability to blink or close his eyes and now wears a cone on all times.
Watching him struggle with something we don’t fully understand has been heartbreaking.
Our veterinarian suspects facial nerve paralysis or another neurological condition, but the exact cause remains unknown. While Finn is still eating, drinking, and trying to be his happy self, we know something is wrong, and we desperately need answers before his condition potentially worsens.
To determine what is causing these symptoms, our veterinarian has recommended advanced diagnostic testing, including an MRI. Unfortunately, the MRI alone is expected to cost approximately $4,000, not including specialist consultations, medications, follow-up visits, and any treatment that may be needed afterward.
After being abandoned once, Finn finally found a family that loves him unconditionally. We promised him a safe, happy life and have done everything we can to give him one. Now, when he needs us most, we are doing everything possible to help him again.
Any donation, no matter how small, will go directly toward Finn’s medical care, diagnostic testing, and treatment. If you are unable to donate, sharing his story would mean the world to us.
Thank you for taking the time to read Finn’s story and for helping us give him the chance to get the answers and care he deserves. He’s my fiancés soulmate and since sharing Finn with him he’s been my pride and my heart.
Trenton Clark
Darcelle Camargo