Hi there, my name is Nikki Mellinger. After the devastating loss of our 13 year old golden retriever to a tumor, we filled the void in our home by bringing home a new puppy. 2 months after her adoption, she started getting very very sick. She has a Portosystemic Shunt in Dogs, which is where the blood bypasses her liver and allows toxins to fill her body… as a result she was suffering from haptic encephalopathy (where the toxins were causing her brain to malfunction) causing weird and harmful behaviors, full body tremors, disorientation, and weakening of her back legs. We rushed her to the vet for tests that confirmed this diagnosis with the next step being, additional and more invasive testing at Purdue University and hopefully surgical intervention which can range between $2,000-$12,000. However, 3 out of the 4 people in our household already have major medical needs so we just do not have that kind of money. The medicines and the special prescription diet they put her on is already extremely expensive. The last thing we want to do is beg for money, but we don’t know what else to do. We already love this sweet puppy and are all so attached to her. We made a commitment to her when we brought her into our home and will do everything we can to help her live a long and healthy life with us. We cannot thank you enough for any help in getting our sweet puppy the help she needs. And promise that we will only use what is needed for her medical needs. More of our story