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Lifesaving Surgery for Honey

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Hello, my name is Jessica Vanlancker and I write this for my small family which includes my husband, Max, our two cats, Bobby Bat and Jack, our mini-aussie, Honey, and our baby expected late this summer.

Recently, our sweet eight-month-old puppy Honey gave us quite the scare. After tearing up a towel, she began incessantly vomiting. I rushed her to the emergency vet. Upon further testing, we found out she had a partial bowel blockage and would need life-saving surgery. We did not hesitate. Afterwards, we were informed that it was more complex than was expected. In order to extract the fabric, which extended from the back of her tongue to her rear, they had to create three incisions, one in her stomach and two in her small intestine. She did well during the surgery and we hoped it would end there. They sent her home the next day to begin her recovery.

Although not exactly herself, she seemed better. We held our breaths for signs of improvement, and they were there. The day after we brought Honey home, she ate, she toileted, and she moved around. By the second morning, she began to decline. Honey was too unwell to get out of bed for breakfast. Max picked her up and she was clearly depressed. Her stitches looked okay, although there was slight scabbing and a very small amount of discharge. She refused to eat so I medicated her and left to work with a heavy feeling. I could not stop thinking that something was very wrong. Half an hour later, I had called and spoken to her primary vet and the hospital where she received care. I left work to check on her and she had declined significantly. At this point, it was obvious her wound was not healing properly. Once again, I rushed her to the hospital. After assessing her, the doctor said she had a fever and her stitches appeared infected. Blood work and an ultrasound revealed an infection that they said was isolated to her stitches. This was positive news. It meant she would need antibiotics, her stitches opened, then the wound cleaned and resealed. The hospital did not perform her second surgery until the following morning. Three days after her initial surgery, her second intensive surgery revealed that an infection began at one of the original incision sites. Honey had sepsis caused by intestinal dehiscence. Six inches of her bowels were removed, due to festering. Her odds of survival were extremely low.

The night after her second surgery, I visited her in the hospital. Her demeaner was slightly improved from the last time I saw her but she was in a medically critical condition. Honey is an incredibly strong dog and against those odds she hung on. When I spoke to the vet on duty, he explained that she was regurgitating fluid which was repeatedly filling her stomach. This put her at risk of pneumonia, not to mention her lack of nutrients. She would not recover this way. Refusing to give up on her, we elected to have a nasal-gastric tube inserted to drain the fluid and a plasma transfusion to help regulate her protein levels. Later that evening, Max and I visited her again. This time she was well enough to see us in a visitation room, rather than the backroom attached to wires. She had life once more and was wagging her tail and showing interest in food. Bloodwork revealed that her white count was elevated which meant her body was finally fighting back.

By the next morning, she was stabilizing. The doctors began the process of removing the numerous tubes that had been sustaining her. She successfully ate and we were finally able to take her home that afternoon. After six days in hospital, two major surgeries, and a small procedure, Honey was on the road to recovery.

It has been five days since we brought Honey home. She is on seven medications but doing incredibly well. She is back to her happy, hyper self. Honey loves all people and animals and she can't wait until we allow out into the world.

As you can imagine, this whole experience has been traumatizing. We are very grateful that Honey made it through but it has also been financially damaging. It is against my nature to ask but being five months pregnant, the financial burden is too much. We humbly ask for help getting back on our feet. I plan to work until I give birth but I simply do not have enough time to recoup the costs. Her initial surgery and hospital stay totaled a staggering $9,437.60. Her second surgery and hospital stay was $14,439.97. I will attach the invoices because the numbers are shocking.

There are no words to express how much any donation or simple positive thought means to our family. Thank you.

-Jessica, Max, Bobby Bat, Jack, Honey, and baby.


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Donations 

  • Catherine Van Lancker
    • $125
    • 10 mos
  • Suramy Sosa
    • $60
    • 10 mos
  • Ryunosuke Watanabe
    • $25
    • 10 mos
  • Tomomi Asanuma
    • $50
    • 10 mos
  • Jay Bamba
    • $100
    • 10 mos
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Organizer

Jessica Vanlancker
Organizer
Seattle, WA

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