Oy needs knee surgery

 

Hi, my name is Nick, and this is my dog Oy. He is my best friend.

 

 

 

I adopted Oy as a puppy back in 2015 after my grandfather passed away. It was a difficult time for me personally, and Oy brought such a bright light to my world, and immediately allowed me to find focus, purpose and joy. He is the first dog I have ever raised, and my only companion. I didn't know it back then, but over the passed 6+ years I have witnessed the absolute transformative power of a dog's unconditional love. Oy has changed my life is more ways that I could possibly explain, and has given me hope in hard times and been a constant source of joy even in these increasingly difficult times we find ourselves in. Since the first day Oy came into my life, I could feel he has something special. I am sure that sounds cliché and I am positive that every dog parent feels that way about their companion. Oy show so much emotion and intelligence, you can see it in his eyes. He is very in tune with his surroundings and I believe very intuitive with people. He is personality is buoyant and energetic from the second he wakes up til the moment he goes to bed. While not the most cuddly dog, he his a great companion and loves to be close by, ready for anything. I feel like everyone who interacts with Oy sees he is genuinely good, not just as a dog, but as a friend. His face is so expressive you can just tell once he knows you, and recognizes you, he cares about you.

 

On Monday, October 11th, 2021 while doing our daily fetch/play at the dog park, Oy ruptured his CCL on his left hind leg. He yelped, which is rare because he is a sturdy, healthy boy in the prime of his life, and would not put weight on that leg. I immediately took him to my local pet hospital, where they assessed him and scheduled a radiograph, during which he would need to be sedated.

 

Four days later, during the radiograph, while under the effects of the sedative, Oy stopped breathing and had to be intubated. The pet hospital called me while I was at work, told me to come quick, in fear of the worst. Thankfully Oy pulled through and was able to breathe again on his own later that afternoon and come home. It was an incredibly scary and painful moment, and I felt the full spectrum of emotions that inevitably wash over you when something like this happens to a loved one. The radiographed confirmed that Oy's left CCL is completely torn and will require surgery.

 

I called the surgical specialist that the vet referred us to, but never received a call back. I have contacted over a dozen veterinary hospitals within about 50 miles of where we live, and have only had 1 call back only to be told they don't preform orthopedic surgery. From my experience, covid has wreaked havoc on the veterinary world, and the appointment availability is severely impacted. The board certified vet hospital in my city that was highly recommended by friends and family said the soonest availability they had was late December and Oy would need to be on-boarded first, this was on 10/18/2021. After calling twice weekly for the passed 2 weeks I have not been able to make contact with the surgical coordinator to even begin the onboard/consultation process and they have not returned my calls or acknowledged my voicemails.

 

I have started expanding my range to find a surgical specialist in central California, at this point it seems very likely that I will need to travel potentially two or more hours away to get Oy this surgery.

 

After researching the TPLO procedure on my own, I've read that TPLO has a >95% success rate and been around for about 20 years. In most cases, dog who get TPLO surgery are able to return to about 90% of the activity level they had previous to the their injury. We won't be jumping for frisbees or doing flips, but we might be able to return to doing short day hikes and regular walks, and I would be very grateful to continue to have those moments with Oy and see him smile again. The procedure does require bone plaining and a plate secured with screws to support the knee, I am worried about the invasive nature of the surgery, especially after Oy's experience under sedation for the radiograph. However, as of today, he is pretty depressed, tired of being sequestered at home on "bed rest" he currently just limps around the house with his chuck-it ball, not understanding why I won't throw it for him :( It is crushing me to see my boy, who has been such a bright soul all his life to have this injury and not be able to help him. The interim waiting for calls back from surgical specialist has been hard on us.

 

From what I have read, TPLO can range anywhere between $3,000-$6,000 just for the surgery, there are rehabilitation practices that are recommended (like water therapy) but I will deal with that as it comes. It has taken me 3 weeks to get to a point mentally where I am prepared to reach out for help financially. At first, I just assumed we would get an appointment with a surgeon quickly, and I would charge the procedure on a credit card somehow, but as time as gone on and the financial reality has set in (follow up appointments, rehabilitation, travel expenses, missed days of work, etc.) I would be very grateful for any amount of help. The recovery period is said to be 120 days after surgery, and we can't even get an appointment scheduled, or even a call back to start the process.

 

Right now, I am still trying to find a surgeon. I really need some concrete dates and dollar figures so that I can plan in earnest but thought I would start this gofundme with the hopes that we will have a greater chance of getting him the care he needs sooner. It would seem we will be waiting to get on a list for the procedure and Oy and I both would be immensely grateful for any amount of help. It is just he and I, and as a single income household, this unexpected procedure presents a number of challenges and unknowns for us financially. All donated funds will go towards the procedure, I will update the costs and timelines as we find out more. I am really trying to find a surgeon that can do this procedure as soon as possible (hopefully before the end of the year) as it is really hard on Oy emotionally not to be healing or progressing and the longer we wait the more scar tissue will form, complication surgery and recovery.

 

If you have read this far, I really do appreciate the time you have taken to hear our story and hope you will consider any contribution for Oy.

 

Thank you so much,

-Nick & Oy