Save Booker’s Life – Emergency Surgery Fund

Our beloved dog Booker is in need of life-saving surgery. On August 17, 2025, he suddenly became very ill, and after days of testing, vets discovered a severe gallbladder blockage. His gallbladder is too damaged to save and must be removed immediately.

If left untreated, his gallbladder will rupture, releasing toxins into his body and causing internal bleeding, sepsis, and death. This is not a matter of if it will happen, but when. With surgery, his prognosis is excellent, and he can return to being the happy, energetic dog we know and love. We adopted him from the ASPCA in the summer of 2017, and he’s been a big part of our family ever since. His big brother Copper is deeply attached to him, they go everywhere together.

To make matters harder, he suffered an injury to his foot while we were out hiking earlier this month, and our savings for these types of emergencies has been depleted. The timing couldn’t be worse. As of this post, we’ve already spent $2,086 on diagnostics and medication, and the surgery is estimated to cost $15,434. Unfortunately, we cannot afford this on our own. We are asking for help to save Booker’s life and keep him with the family and his brother, Copper, who he is deeply bonded to.

Every donation helps bring us closer to surgery. If you cannot give, please share this fundraiser—it means more than we can say.

Booker’s Story

On Sunday, August 17, 2025, our sweet dog Booker suddenly became incredibly ill. He began vomiting anything he tried to eat or drink, even water. We rushed him to the emergency vet, where he was x-rayed. Unfortunately, the x-rays didn’t reveal the underlying cause. After receiving IV fluids and anti-nausea medication, we were sent home.

The next few days were a struggle. On Monday, he managed a little chicken broth but refused solid food. By Tuesday, he wouldn’t even take broth—just water. On Wednesday, August 20, our vet ran blood and urine tests. We also noticed the whites of his eyes turning yellow, a sign of jaundice. After more anti-nausea medication, he began to eat again, but we had to wait for test results.

On Thursday, August 21, the results showed severe issues with his pancreas, liver, kidneys, and gallbladder. Our vet had us come in immediately for an ultrasound—even giving up their lunch break so he could be seen right away. It revealed a gallbladder blockage that is causing toxic bile to back up into his body, damaging his organs and causing jaundice. Booker’s gallbladder is too far gone to save and must be removed entirely.

We’ve been given medication to manage symptoms, but surgery is the only solution. If his gallbladder ruptures, it will release toxins and bile into his body, causing internal bleeding, infection, sepsis, and death. It’s not a question of if it will rupture, but when. The longer we wait, the greater the risk.

About Booker

We rescued Booker in 2017 when he was just 10 months old. He has struggled with anxiety, which makes it hard for him to mesh with most dogs and people. Because of this, he is extremely bonded to us and to his brother, Copper. For his well-being, and for Copper’s, it’s vital that he stays with his family.

Booker is a mild-mannered, happy dog who loves life. Despite his anxiety, he is joyful and full of energy. He loves giving hugs, snuggling with his humans, and playing with his brother.

He just had his yearly check-up on July 28, 2025, and received a clean bill of health. This condition developed suddenly and rapidly, but aside from this, Booker is a healthy dog with an excellent prognosis. With surgery, he can return to being the vibrant, loving dog he’s always been.

Why We Need Help

While we can normally afford Booker’s veterinary care, he suffered an injury to his foot while we were out hiking earlier this month, and our savings for these types of emergencies has been depleted. The timing couldn’t be worse. As of this post, we’ve already spent $2,086 on diagnostics and medication, and the surgery is estimated to cost $15,434. We can’t cover the cost of this surgery on our own.

We’ve opened new credit lines to cover the testing and medications, but those are already near their limit and cannot cover the surgery. We’ve set our goal a little higher to account for platform fees and post-surgery care, so that every dollar donated goes directly to helping Booker recover.

We are asking for help because Booker deserves the chance to keep living the full and happy life he loves. Every donation, no matter the size, helps bring us closer to getting him the care he needs. Even sharing this fundraiser means more than we can say.

Thank you for reading and for helping us save our sweet boy.