Help Oki Dog!

Dear Friends and Family,

Over the last three years, Oki developed a swelling on his left leg that we got checked out by a vet on several occasions (though Oki showed no discomfort with it). It was diagnosed each time as an elbow hygroma, and the recommendation was to let it be as it is totally benign, to get him some soft bedding, and to not worry. We invested in the softest dog bedding money could buy, and life continued on for Oki with international voyages, mountain hikes, and farm dog life. In the last month, however, Oki's leg began to swell very quickly and cause Oki discomfort, so we sought a second opinion. This new vet told us it was definitely NOT an elbow hygroma, and he performed a biopsy. The results showed that it was stage two or three cancer—a soft tissue sarcoma that tends to stay localized (thank goodness) but that required immediate attention. We then brought Oki to the world's leading pet oncologists at CSU in Fort Collins. The experts there recommended immediate amputation. Surgical excision was not a possibility due to the "fixed nature of the mass and circumferential nature of the tumor around the limb," and radiation would only potentially slow the tumor growth and therefore only delay amputation by a few months.

Though there really isn't another option, we still agonized over this decision as we want Oki to have all his legs and to continue life as he knows it. But sadly, amputation of his leg is what we have to do in order to give him the best chance of being free of disease moving forward. The amputation is scheduled for this week at CSU. With all the labs, tests, medications, and amputation, the cost will be upwards of $5,000, so we are asking for some support to help us get this treatment for Oki.

If you know and love Oki, then you probably already know that he has been Tim's inseparable companion for the last 10 years. Oki has traveled with Tim all over the world: Costa Rica, New Zealand, Canada, and from coast to coast in the US. While Oki is completely devoted to Tim, he is also known for being his own dog....unbeknownst to us for years, he frequently would leave our yard to walk a daily neighborhood circuit, making friends with the children at a nearby middle school, visiting the homes of his local dog friends, and greeting all of our neighbors with a little stop at their doorstep. Oki can run incredibly fast, and has been clocked at 31 miles per hour! He uses his speed to chase squirrels, bunnies, rabbits, and has been known to get into rumbles with coyotes, black bears, and no joke, monkeys!  Oki is a lover of adventures and has accompanied us on countless hikes in the mountains of Colorado, the hills of California, the lakes of Maine, the rain forests of Costa Rica, the deserts of Nevada, the wilds of New Zealand, the old growth forests of Oregon and Washington, the coastline of the Great Northwest, and everywhere in between.

Though we know that Oki will have to adjust to life as "tripawd," we are hopeful that amputation will give Oki the best chance of a bright and healthy future, filled with many more hikes, trips abroad, and adventures on both land and sea.

Please hold Oki in your thoughts this week, imagine him healthy, happy, and running around with delight on three legs! And if you can offer any financial support, no matter what amount, we are also really appreciative as this will help us greatly.

We are so grateful for your support, and for your love of Oki.

Love,
Kerry & Tim