Helping Sara pay off Lio's medical bills

Hi everyone!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. My name is Tatum, and I have created this campaign to raise funds to pay for a very special puppy's medical expenses. Earlier this summer, my boyfriend, Eri, and his family decided to make the jump and adopt their first dog!

After searching for the perfect dog for weeks, Eri and I discovered the amazing Arizona Animal Welfare League. Upon visiting, we fell in love with little Lio, a 12-week old Miniature Australian Sheperd. We adopted Lio that day and brought him home to Eri's family. 



It was clear from the start that little Lio had a very special bond with Eri's sister, Sara. The two of them quickly became inseparable! Although Lio was her first dog, she immediately became the perfect owner: taking him on walks every morning, falling asleep next to him, and taking him to what became many visits to the veterinarian.  


It turned out that little Lio, who was rescued along with his littermates from a puppy mill, had a very fragile immune system from the start. Sara and her family noticed that Lio would lose his appetite almost every other week, become very lethargic, and suffer odd symptoms like hair loss and rashes. Sara began taking him to the vet almost every week to keep up with new medications and treatment plans. 

Lio's odd behavior became the norm, but he seemed to always get better.  However, last week,  the family noticed that Lio wasn't eating or drinking, and he developed a serious bout of tremors that intensely shook his entire body. He was lethargic, sleepy, and his gums and tongue had turned bleak white. Whenever he tried to walk, he immediately collapsed. He even bit a part of his tongue off from an apparent seizure. It was a very alarming behavior for a typically upbeat and charismatic puppy.





Sara immediately rushed Lio to the local vet, who kept him for the morning and charged $1000 to run various tests on him. Eventually, the vet called with grave news: Lio was undergoing septic shock (his organs were failing) and had a very slim chance of surviving. They urged Sara to transfer him to the veterinary hospital 30 minutes away. Upon arrival, the hospital requested a $4200 deposit to admit Lio and do whatever they could to save his life. Sara paid the deposit without hesitation. 

For 3 nights, little Lio was isolated in a small kennel. Because his immune system was so low, the veterinarian could not risk letting Lio outside of his isolation-- So he was forced to sleep and relieve himself in the same small kennel for 4 days straight. He survived by being connected to an IV and taking multiple antibiotics to help him fight whatever was causing his organ failure. In addition, a feeding tube was inserted through his nose in order to keep him fed. Currently, Lio's fur around his nose is stained with blood from the feeding tube. 


The doctors still don't know what's wrong with Lio and have put him through various blood and cortisol tests, MRI's, ultrasounds, and are even looking into examining his bone marrow (an extra $2000 surgery).  Sara willingly spent all of her savings to give Lio a second chance at life. And unfortunately, her family, who were so excited to adopt a puppy, no longer saw the value of spending thousands of dollars on saving his life. They considered giving him back to the rescue and even putting him down.

Sara doesn't know that I am sharing this story-- but she has the biggest heart in the world, and I want to help her do whatever it takes to save sweet Lio. That is why I am using the resource of social media to ask for help!



For now, Lio is home. But he still suffers daily from fevers, tremors, and anemia.

Please, if you can help in any way, it would mean the world to help Sara and give her beloved Lio a second chance. She can't afford to spend more money on his veterinary visits, but at least this campaign could cover the costs of the outstanding medical bills. Currently, Sara has spent $7000 on Lio's recovery. Because we are not sure what is wrong with Lio, the cost of further testing and treatment is currently unknown. Your contribution would serve to continue the search for Lio's diagnosis and later provide for his treatment. 

Your donation would mean that Sara has the financial and emotional support to continue fighting for Lio.

Thank you SO much for your time and kindness. I am so grateful for your help!