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I hate to be the person to ask for any sort of help… but my biggest nightmare came true late last week and any support, even just a share, would mean the absolute world to me and my sweet boy Reef. After going through another medical emergency with my other dog Nash just 6 weeks ago resulting in a diagnosis of EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) this was even more unexpected, stressful and heartbreaking to go through.
Reef is my 16 month old potcake, who is originally from Barbados. Reef’s mom was rescued by an amazing shelter in Barbados and was pregnant when she flew to Canada. She had her 5 beautiful babies in my home shortly after she arrived. Reef was the first born of his litter, almost double everyone's size, and I knew he was something special the moment I laid eyes on him. Getting a puppy was not planned at the time, but this amazing little dog came into my life at a moment that I needed him most and I couldn’t imagine life without him in it. Reef is everything I’ve ever wanted and more. He is smart, funny, and he loves everyone he meets. He is my best friend, my entire heart and soul… without him I honestly don’t know what I would do. He has helped me through some incredibly tough times with my mental health in the last year, and he is truly my reason to get out of bed most days.
Last week he got a hold of a bone and unfortunately started choking. It happened all within seconds, and despite my best effort trying to get the bone out, he swallowed it. We brought him to our vet for diagnostics when he started to decline and it was clear the bone was causing major issues. After x rays and tests, they discovered the bone had become lodged in his esophagus preventing him from keeping much food or water down. He also developed aspiration pneumonia when he choked on the bone. He had to be rushed to Montreal for an emergency endoscopy to remove the bone from his esophagus, as this is not something any clinics in Ottawa were capable of doing. The endoscopy was performed successfully, but there was still significant damage to his esophagus. He currently needs to be on 7 different medications, and has 4-6 weeks of rest ahead of him to prevent any more damage or esophageal strictures. Due to his aspiration pneumonia, he also needed 3 nights of hospitalization with fluids and antibiotic injections. Reef’s total costs for these emergency visits came to $8621.97.
I thank my lucky stars that my boy was able to be saved from this incredibly scary experience, but this unexpected vet bill is just beyond my means right now. Again, any and all support would be so incredibly appreciated. Thank you for helping me help my sweet and incredibly cherished Reef.
Reef is my 16 month old potcake, who is originally from Barbados. Reef’s mom was rescued by an amazing shelter in Barbados and was pregnant when she flew to Canada. She had her 5 beautiful babies in my home shortly after she arrived. Reef was the first born of his litter, almost double everyone's size, and I knew he was something special the moment I laid eyes on him. Getting a puppy was not planned at the time, but this amazing little dog came into my life at a moment that I needed him most and I couldn’t imagine life without him in it. Reef is everything I’ve ever wanted and more. He is smart, funny, and he loves everyone he meets. He is my best friend, my entire heart and soul… without him I honestly don’t know what I would do. He has helped me through some incredibly tough times with my mental health in the last year, and he is truly my reason to get out of bed most days.
Last week he got a hold of a bone and unfortunately started choking. It happened all within seconds, and despite my best effort trying to get the bone out, he swallowed it. We brought him to our vet for diagnostics when he started to decline and it was clear the bone was causing major issues. After x rays and tests, they discovered the bone had become lodged in his esophagus preventing him from keeping much food or water down. He also developed aspiration pneumonia when he choked on the bone. He had to be rushed to Montreal for an emergency endoscopy to remove the bone from his esophagus, as this is not something any clinics in Ottawa were capable of doing. The endoscopy was performed successfully, but there was still significant damage to his esophagus. He currently needs to be on 7 different medications, and has 4-6 weeks of rest ahead of him to prevent any more damage or esophageal strictures. Due to his aspiration pneumonia, he also needed 3 nights of hospitalization with fluids and antibiotic injections. Reef’s total costs for these emergency visits came to $8621.97.
I thank my lucky stars that my boy was able to be saved from this incredibly scary experience, but this unexpected vet bill is just beyond my means right now. Again, any and all support would be so incredibly appreciated. Thank you for helping me help my sweet and incredibly cherished Reef.