Balto is our 11-year-old Alaskan Malamute. He has been living with pain and mobility problems for several years, but unfortunately over time his condition has steadily worsened.

Recently, Balto was referred to a specialist neurologist and diagnosed with a form of polyneuropathy. Polyneuropathy in dogs is a neurological disorder affecting multiple peripheral nerves, leading to weakness, poor reflexes, and muscle wasting, usually in the back legs, due to degenaration of nerve fibers outside the brain and spine, with symptoms like a shuffling gait or paralysis. It impacts nerves for movement (motor), sensation (sensory), and automatic functions (autonomic).

The specialists believe it is likely age-related, though the exact cause is still uncertain. What is clear is how much it affects his daily life. His back legs are weak and often give way, he struggles to walk, moves very slowly, and needs help going up and down the stairs. It also affects his energy levels as well as his bladder and bowel functions, meaning that due to nerve damage his body does not send signals to let him know when he needs to go, resulting in more accidents at home regarless of how much he is outside/walked. As his condition is progressive, it is expected to continue worsening and will eventually lead to partial or full paralysis.

There is no cure for this condition. The only way to maintain Balto’s quality of life is through ongoing management. This includes multiple pain medications, anti-inflammatory injections, physiotherapy, and supportive equipment such as a specialist harness to help him safely manage the stairs, and aditional care and management for his bladder/bowel issues at home.

In addition to this, Balto has a severe vitamin B12 deficiency caused by an inability to absorb it properly, which contributes to his neurological condition. He requires lifelong B12 injections - an intensive weekly treatment at first, continuing monthly for the rest of his life. These injections are essential, but they are costly.

Balto is a giant-breed dog, and unfortunately that makes everything more expensive: higher medication doses, higher treatment costs, and specialist equipment sized to support his weight safely. Veterinary bills add up very quickly.

We are trying to raise £5,000 to help cover:

Our first donation milestone is £700, as we get more donations we will move onto the next milestone until we reach £5k

We greatly appreciate any contribution, no matter how much you're able to help. It will helps us keep Balto comfortable, supported, and able to enjoy life for as long as possible. If you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing this page which would also help a lot.

Thank you for taking the time to read Balto’s story and for helping us care for him.