Emergency Vet Bills For Zane
Donation protected
To our friends and family,
On Monday January 2nd, Zane, Rachel Rava’s treasured dog, passed away after a sudden diagnosis of heart cancer less than a week earlier.
Zane was only a year old when he entered Rachel’s life as her foster, and days later he gained the status of foster failure — though if you ask Rachel, she knew instantly: they were meant to be together. And every day of the last eight years since, Rachel has loved Zane and Zane loved her.
Zane was not just a dog, and certainly not simply a pet — he was a companion: loyal, patient, protective and grateful for each moment he spent with his array of human friends. Zane jumped with joy at the sound of his loved ones’ names, he didn’t even need to see or smell them to recall their meaning to him. Witnessing Rachel and Zane’s relationship proved there are deeper ways to communicate than with words, that knowing and loving another can dissolve the difference of species.
Zane was a strong spirit and hid all signs of illness until the pain was unbearable. At the age of nine and with no visible symptoms, Rachel had not been preparing for the costs of the extensive testing required to investigate and confirm a diagnosis, the pain relief that eased him throughout his final days, and the cost of euthanasia.
The resulting medical bill to the surprising and heartbreaking events is overwhelming for Rachel on her own. As her close friend, I am asking our community for help to support Rachel in her time of grief by easing the weight of this financial burden. Donations of any size are greatly appreciated.
The depth and veracity of Rachel’s heart was the first thing that struck me upon our meeting. She deserves to have the space to move through her grief, which spreads that great distance of her awe-inspiring heart, in the absence of financial strife, and I hope together we can make that possible.
With love and thanks,
Mickey
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Zane’s Prognosis:
On December 26, 2022 - Zane was rushed to the emergency clinic with a distended abdomen, extreme vomiting and refusal to eat. There were no prior signs. Immediately after being triaged, he was given an ultrasound that showed extreme pericardial effusion (fluid around the heart sac) that put his life at extreme risk. The veterinarians at VEC performed an emergency pericardiocentesis to drain the fluid. We were told it was likely cancer and that the chances of him making it through this were slim to none. Devastated, we left the clinic and arranged to see our family vet the following day. We spent the night sleeping on the floor with him, under blankets, with all of the love in the world. The next day when he was given a second ultrasound, the fluid had returned at an alarming rate. We were told we needed to see an emergency cardiologist to get a clear image of his heart and to confirm a diagnosis. 24 hours later, we were back at VEC with Zane to see cardiology. Upon triaging and ultrasound, they saw that the fluid had returned to a greater volume than the first day they saw him - confirming that to keep him alive that day they would need to drain his heart immediately. After being drained, we were told the total volume of fluid totalled over a litre - a truly alarming rate of return that meant his prognosis was likely grave. Shortly after, we were delivered the earth shattering news that cardiology had discovered a large mass at the base of his heart, a chemodectoma, that was inoperable given the size and location. We were given two options. Treatment with oncology; which at the rate of the fluid returning would mean him being put under anaesthesia and a needle inserted into his heart sac 2-3 times a week at an emergency clinic, going through extensive chemotherapy (which would likely not take effect quickly enough to even slow the growth of the mass), see a rapid decline in his quality of life and impose the risk of his heart suddenly and painfully stopping at any given time. The second option was euthanasia, that day, at the emergency vet. Devastated, we asked for Zane to be discharged so that we could return home and begin palliative care, a sort of “wait and see” approach monitoring for signs of difficulty breathing, pain, and any general discomfort. My family vet called me the next day telling us we should arrange to say goodbye before the end of the weekend - mere days. To say we were shattered is an understatement. We decided to take on any chance of Zane experiencing sudden death, pain, or suffering, and decided it was best to let him go in peace, without suffering, and to never let him see the walls of a scary emergency clinic again. We had three great days with him at home - at his favourite beaches, with his best friends, eating steak, cheeseburgers, and kale stems. On January 2nd, He passed at home, surrounded by his favourite people, free of pain and suffering.
Our sweet Z, we hope you have found the rest of our family in the ether, human and four legged, and will carry out an eternity of happiness, love and boundless affection. Rest easy, beautiful. We will never be the same without you.
Co-organizers (2)
Rachel Rava
Organizer
Toronto, ON
Zane Rava
Beneficiary
Mickey Jones
Co-organizer