Help With Luxe's Vet Bills

My name is Cathi Newlin, and I've started this GoFundMe on behalf on my Boxer boy Luxe.

Luxe has not had it easy in 2024. He'd already been to the emergency vet 3 times this year because he has boxer cardiomyopathy, and a mast cell tumor. The former complicates treatment for the latter.

But on March 4th, a new complication arrived.

After a sleepless night in which Luxe was in obvious distress, we made a 4th trip to the ER, where Luxe was found to have stones blocking his urethra. Though he can urinate, it's difficult, incomplete, and painful.

I'm a little tender, so forgive me if I babble...

We had 3 options with Luxe, none of them very good.

The first was the procedure - which they attempted yesterday - to lightly sedate him to try to push the stones back up into his bladder. That didn't work, and I didn't want to retry because they might just enter the urethra again and block it completely. At least where they are at the moment he can still urinate.

The second option is surgery, but...

At UC Davis or the ER vet, it would likely top $10,000, and no matter where it is done, Luxe has a decent chance of not surviving surgery because of his heart. That's also going to make it really hard to find a non-specialty clinic who will perform the surgery. And if he's going to leave me, I don't want it to be on an operating table surrounded by strangers.

The option we chose for now at least was to come home and, with diet and meds try to shrink the stones enough that he can pass them on his own.

Not a great option, but...

He *can* pass urine right now, so while he may occasionally need to see a vet to have his bladder fully emptied via syringe, he's not fully blocked at the moment.

The current challenge is that he's not eating right now, and about 1/2 his meds require food to be taken. These include the antibiotics that may help shrink the stones, and the actual prescription diet.

I just called the ER, and they are going to email me a prescription for an appetite stimulant, but meanwhile, he woke and actually ate some of my aunt's homemade dog treats. They rushed some more over to me, and I was able to get him to eat 2 big handfuls and get all his medications on board, so fingers crossed.

Miracle Cookies...

I've currently got about $2500 in vet bills at the moment, and expect to visit the ER at least one more time at some point, as well as a primary care veterinarian,

Plus, if it looks like I need to let him go, I want it done at home.

Complicating things just a little more is that Luxe's current primary care vet is a mess. They are booking weeks out, do not do urgent care, are not even open weekends. So I need to find another primary care vet ASAP. That will be tough with him in a fairly emergent state, and me not able to talk without breaking down and blubbering.

Added to that, my husband has Parkinson's disease, and I caretake him throughout the day.

I did a count yesterday, and between Hubs and Luxe, I'm doling out 35 pills every day.

Today we are both going to rest, and focus on eating and recharging batteries.

And cross all applicable appendages.

Luxe is a sweet, happy boy who epitomizes BOXER, and I'm not ready to lose him.

As far as is possible, I'm trying to make decisions for him based on what's best for him, and not my wallet, and we all understand how tough those decisions are.

And that's where you all could be of help.

If you feel inclined, please know how grateful we are.

Stay tuned, and thank you.

Cathi & Luxe