This past Monday Max, my 5-year-old rescue dachshund mix, began acting strange - not running around and playing with the kittens like his usual self! We noticed that he was not moving much and just wanted to lay down. Tuesday things worsened. He began to sway until eventually his rear end would just topple over. Within 30 minutes he could no longer move his back legs. He sat with them stretched out in front of him and he attempted to drag his lower body along to follow me. I knew something was seriously wrong. My fiance and I began calling vets and animal hospitals in attempts to get an appointment or someone who could look at him. When I was finally able to get Max into Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital, the doctor said "This is very serious". I proceeded to hear how Max may actually never walk again and I need to consider whether I would be able to care for a dog in a wheelchair or need to euthanize him. It was horrible... just like that my 5-year-old lively, joyful little pup was now no longer going to be the same?! But there was hope. I was referred to L.A. and a veterinary team that could possibly do surgery to correct his discs. It's called a hemilaminectomy and has a 90%+ success rate to allow Max to walk again! Unfortunately, as any pet owner who's been in our same horrible shoes knows, pet surgeries are very expensive. I have received an initial estimate of $10000-$12000. My fiancee and I are willing to max out our credit cards and have already secured funding through Care Credit but it won't be enough. He even offered to get rid of his car in order to help pay for Max's bills. We would happily keep him running around in a wheelchair and take the extra steps needed for his care. Yet, he still has hope for a better quality of life. We can do something and make a choice to allow him to walk again. We have to try. 
Max's family all already miss him so much following his overnight emergency room stay.  Bailey, our 10-year-old Poodle mix looked at me with much confusion and dismay when Max did not follow me in the house last night. His cat siblings include our own brother-sister rescue, but we can't forget about the foster kittens. Max has always been so gentle and accepting of every new animal we have brought into our home. We have fostered several sets of kittens as well as going out on a weekly basis to TNR (Trap-Neuter- Release) feral cats in the community, working closely with MeowCo. He's the friendliest dog who loves his walks, especially the Pack Walk at River Walk Park with Bakersfield Pawsitive Connections where he runs with the big dogs. In case Max's story isn't enough to tug on your heart strings, here is a little more about his family. Personally,  I am a clinical therapist working with children in foster care. My fiance and I had just gotten engaged and were attempting to plan our wedding amidst the chaos that the world is already seeing with Covid-19. My fiance is all too familiar with back pain as he deals with his own pain and awaits helps from disability.

If you can find it in your heart to help our little dog Max, we would be forever grateful. Thank you for your consideration and wish us luck! ♡

Updates to come!