On the night of September 17th while I was home relaxing, my dog Rustie randomly let out a huge yelp in pain and then started dragging his back legs across the floor. (At first I thought it might have been an anal gland issue, or something that we've dealt with before). Unfortunately, when I took him into the vet the next morning, we had some tests done and  found out that he has what is called intervertebral disc disease. 

Long story short---He ruptured a disc in his back, where there is now a lot of pressure, swelling and pieces of it embedded in his spine. Rustie is now paralyzed and requires daily vet visits to be catheterized so he can urinate.

He should have went in for surgery within the first twelve hours of it happening, (at-least for the success rate for him to walk/urinate on his own to be at its highest). However that surgery is close to ten thousand dollars. (Which I cannot even afford a fraction of.) So the vets and I decided to go the medication route/give him some time to hopefully bounce back and adjust to now being paralyzed.

It has been close to a week since this occurred. He is on several pain killers and medications multiple times a day to alleviate some of, and manage his pain. He also now has to go in daily to see the vet to be catheterized, as he can no longer pee on his own. As I said-- surgery to fix this now has a much lower success rate (to make him walk and  pee on his own again) since it has been multiple days since his disc ruptured, (however if he still gets it done, it will alleviate the pressure and disc matter and there is a possibility he could bounce back) but if we can't ever afford the surgery he can still be managed with medication, daily routine vet visits and some special equipment!

Although the chances of him recovering his ability to walk again arent very large, (actually pretty near impossible), I'd still like to give him the opportunity to live out a comfortable and happy life.  Being paralyzed shouldn't mean its the end of his life. He is only seven years old and deserves a chance to keep living, and as comfortably as he can. 

Aside from needing daily vet visits to go pee and medication, the vets would like to try out acupuncture (which I was scared to even ask how much it was)....but since he still has deep tissue pain and superficial pain---he still involuntarily responds if they pinch his back legs-- there is still a chance that acupuncture could help stimulate the nerves and get him possibly moving again. It should also help with some of the pain. Rustie will also need some special doggy disability equipment, such as a set of wheels to get him mobile again, a "drag-bag" to protect his back legs from lacerations and lesions occurring when he drags himself around, and a back lift harness to aid him in his bowel movements and walking. 

(I unfortunately know that I cannot provide this type of comfortable living with my current income)---It is of no  fault of his own, he didn't do anything silly to hurt himself, the disc randomly ruptured. He never asked to be my dog--so he absolutely does not deserve to be euthanized because I can't afford to keep him comfortable and help him adapt. (I essentially live paycheck-to-paycheck and have ever since I was in high school. I stick to a pretty tight budget). So in all honesty I am struggling to be able to afford to make, (and  will struggle to be able to keep) him comfortable. (I also don't have any parental or guardian units to ask for help, and the vets don't do payment plans here.)

It has been a super challenging week, full of many, many vet visits, with many more to come (and my resources have pretty well been tapped---it probably doesn't help that i've missed some work for this too). I am not the type of person to ever ask for help, I am especially not the type of person to ever ask anyone for money/any sort of handout..but I can't be selfish in this situation,  it isn't me that will suffer or that needs the help. It's Rustie, and he is such an amazing boy, so I have to try. Anyone that knows Rustie will tell you that he is the BEST boy with the BIGGEST personality. I f*#king love this dog so much. We've been a team for seven and a half years and I can't imagine not having him in my life. (I also don't want him to be euthanized just because his owner isnt financially able to help him adapt and be comfortable. I'm hoping that with these visits and some time he will adapt and start to progress.

Full disclosure---I got this dog from a rescue shelter out in Alberta after finishing a really traumatic court trial (due to being suuper abused as a child, and for a long time. He was found guilty and got 6 years---I found a psychologist and got therapy.) My psychologist mentioned  to me that dogs and animal companions often got her clients out of their houses and feeling more mentally well again. (I was having trouble doing much of anything after having my childhood trauma dug up and ripped out of me).... When I was out west I seen an add for a mom dog and eight puppies who were abandoned on the side of the road and needed to find adoptive-forever homes. The mom was a brindle shih-tzu mix, and all the puppies were black...all except for one, who is now my little Rustie, a Jack Russell Shih Tzu mix...Sir Rustington King Bowser the first to be exact. (So its pretty safe to say that me and this little guy have a pretty special bond. This is one of those lame "who rescued who" situations). He is my best pal and I really don't want to lose him just because of my lack of financial success. 

Anybody who knows me, knows my animals are my family.  I love them more than I love anything in this twisted world. I would do literally anything for them...apparently that even includes publicly grovelling for money to hopefully help save/keep my little man around. 

So if you can, please please please help Rustie out.