Please help me give Cota a Fighting Chance

hi everyone, my name is Anna. I am a stroke survivor. In 2018, one year before my stroke, my husband and I saved Cota from the hot summer heat in the Tucson desert. She was lost, no collar, no chip. We took her to our vet and were told she was severely dehydrated and had blood in her stool. it was going to be two to $3000 for treatment. This was a dog we had just found.

With the recommendation from our veterinarian we took her to PACC (Pima animal care center) where she would receive the treatment she needed and we would attempt to adopt her if she would make it.

when we told PACC we wanted to adopt her we were told it was first come first serve. We made sure to check the website every day to see if she was adoptable. As soon as we saw her picture on the website, we were so excited and went to see her and pick her up right away!

Cota as we named her, didn’t know, or understand affection and she didn’t have any interest in toys or playing.

Cota would growl at me every time I tried to get near her just to give her some attention. Little by little I was able to gain her trust. approximately nine months after we found her, just as she was starting to trust me, I had a stroke that left me disabled, and very vulnerable.

When I came home from the hospital Cota was very protective of me. She watched over me like a little wounded sheep. I was now hers.

After learning to walk again, Cota allowed me to walk her with a leash. She was very intuitive, and very careful to walk slowly, looking back to see me. She would stop and wait for me without me teaching or saying anything.

Cota is not just a dog, she is a very special dog, beloved pet, companion, a part of the family, friend and my therapy dog.

The reason I’m asking for help is because

yesterday morning, My two beloved pets, Sandi (a pitbull mix) and Cota got into an extremely bad fight. The fight lasted approximately 20 minutes and caused a lot of serious injuries to Cota. I was home alone and was unable to stop them. Thankfully a neighbor came to help separate them.

Because of the severity of the fight, I called Police and animal control for assistance.

After the dogs were separated, it was extremely evident that my poor Cota needed emergency vet services. unfortunately, I found myself needing to surrender Sandi to PACC and taking Cota to the emergency veterinary hospital where she is currently being treated and cared for.

Cota has multiple serious wounds on her face, both front legs, and axillary area. Because of the intensity of pain, Cota required anesthesia for her wound care and placement of multiple drains.

She is on continuous IV pain with morphine, fentanyl, and lidocaine, as well strong antibiotics to help fight infection. Her white blood count is very low, indicating that she’s fighting hard, but is at risk for sepsis. Cota is requiring oxygen therapy due to bleeding into one of her lungs from the trauma.

despite everything, the doctor says Cota has a good prognosis with intensive care and continued hospitalization for several days.

As of starting this go fund me, I have paid $4200 for 48 hours of care which ran out sooner due to the need for additional imaging, and an increase in her antibiotics and oxygen therapy.

tonight, I have been asked for another $4000 for another 48 to 60 hours of care.

Could I put her down? Yes. But I want to give Cota an opportunity for a Fighting Chance just like I was given after the stroke. Cota has so much more to give than to just let her go.

If you are a dog or pet lover then you know the difference pets make in our lives and the lives of others, the difference they can make, the healing, the joy they bring, the happiness they give, I unconditional love, and so much more.

Will you help give this sweet baby, my Cota another opportunity for a fighting chance?

if you can’t give, please help by sharing this link with friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, anyone, you know who loves pets, and understands their value in our lives❤️