Save My Puppy, Max!

If you have any miracles in you, please, send them this way. My baby boy here is fighting for his life. On Saturday, we celebrated his first birthday. He was kind of low energy at the dog park and his appetite didn't seem as voracious as usual, but he still played and had fun and ate his Birthday Ice Cream for dessert. On Sunday, I became worried, when he lost his appetite and looked to be laboring to breathe. On Monday morning, Max was diagnosed with a pleural effusion, which in his case means that he has likely inhaled a foreign body that is migrating through his lungs and causing infections, which are producing fluid in his chest cavity, which is making it difficult for him to breathe. We were expecting some antibiotics and instead the vet said that I should say goodbye then, in case he didn't make it through the initial procedure to drain some of the fluid. She also said she would support me in letting go of him, instead of trying to save his life. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I'm looking at his sweet face pressed against my leg and his tail wagging and thinking, are you sure we're talking about the same dog? They have been trying to work with me and my bleak financial situation. They've drained more than a liter of fluid from his chest and all but ruled out heart disease and cancer, but the prognosis for his breathing-in what they guess was probably just a piece of grass, is not much better than either of those things. We are trying to do it without some very expensive procedures, which are just not an option. Not because I won't, but simply can't. It's already cost more than $1000 that I had to do all but steal to come up with, but the procedures they are talking about range from a few thousand dollars to more than I will make in a year. He seemed to be responding well to the antibiotics on Wed and Thursday. His fever, pulse and rate of breath had all dropped to the high end of normal or just above. His appetite was coming back and last night he looked damn near chipper. Today, I am seriously concerned. He woke up with his lowest temp yet, but it has since skyrocketed to near dangerous levels and he's breathing at almost twice the rate that he should be. I've called several more vets and only one has offered any hopeful words. He is still eating and drinking and mostly in good spirits with plenty of tail wagging. All I'm asking for are your prayers, good thoughts and healing vibes. If you are one of Max's friends, now might be a good time to visit him and let him know how much he is loved and how much he has for which to keep fighting. Thanks <3.