Ruca is one of my two beloved dogs. They are both my entire world. Over the past few months, Ruca has been fighting for her life, and now she is hospitalized for the fourth time. This is also her fourth emergency blood transfusion. Two of those hospital stays and transfusions have happened just this week. Her first hospitalization alone involved a 9-night stay in critical care, and it hasn’t let up since.

She was diagnosed with severe IMHA (immune-mediated hemolytic anemia), a life-threatening condition where the body attacks its own red blood cells. After a long and uncertain search for answers, she tested positive for Babesia, a tick-borne parasite that can cause this exact type of anemia. We started treatment, and she began to recover.

But now, she is relapsing again. Despite everything, her recent Babesia tests have come back negative. We do not know why this is happening. We do not know if it is lingering effects of the original infection, a coinfection that has not been caught, or something else entirely. All we know is that she is fighting for her life again, and she is not giving up.

I have spent nearly $35,000 on her care so far. I have done everything I can to keep her alive and comfortable, but at this point, I cannot keep up with the financial strain alone.

If you have ever loved a dog like family, or fought with everything you had for someone who could not fight for themselves, I hope Ruca’s story resonates with you. Every donation, every share, and every bit of support means more than I can put into words. I will continue to do everything I can to give Ruca the chance she deserves.

Thank you for reading, and for helping Ruca keep going.