Roxanne - service dog needs surgery for hygroma..

Thank you for reading my GoFundMe fundraiser for my 12 year old service dog Roxanne ...

Because I suffered a brain injury on-the-job when I was 20 (now I am 48), when Roxanne was gifted to me by a good friend, I had Roxanne trained to detect seizures when she was young and made her a service dog. I was there when she was born on February 10th, 2009 and she goes everywhere with me every day since. For any person who has met her, she has changed-for-the-better the way pit bulls are often treated and viewed in her community and far beyond...

A few days ago I noticed a large mass growing on her left elbow. I had it diagnosed immediately at the vet to be a hygroma, a mass that grows on old dogs elbows and gets infected eventually ... caused from dogs laying on hard tile floor and concrete a lot after so many years. The abscess from infection was growing and spreading fast, her chest started hanging, lost lots of energy and stopped eating normal. It requires surgery, draining tubes for the next 3 weeks, lots staples different and medications ...

The required treatments add up to bills of over $2500+, far beyond my ability to afford. I will take her in every few days for check ups and follow ups with the doctor till the antibiotics take effect and she gets staples removed. I must keep her supplied and treated with a few temporary medications, and two of them are now for the rest-of-her-life requirements.

Roxanne is the ultimate service dog, she has been by my side and traveled the country with me. I live alone, so she is totally my best friend. She is my first dog of my own as an adult, and I couldn't have asked for better ... She takes me to Dodger Stadium many games every season, and they love her so much at the stadium they have invited her to the World Series for 3 games ... True story. She is that great of a dog. She watches over her Daddy, and I make sure she doesn't have to protect me. Together we make a magical team, and I believe she has at least two or three more happy healthy years in her if we can beat this infection.

She has survived 3 previous surgeries for cancer, two when she was 7 and 1 when she was 10. She is the happiest girl, a true survivor, and a great example for all people to learn how pit bulls can be if they get at least 3 long walks a day, and are treated like family.

I am most thankful for the blessing of her in my life, and will be equally thankful for any help we can get with the unexpected unbelievably high vet expenses.