Save my Service Dog’s Life

This is Sequoia, my service dog. He lets me know when I'm about to blackout, need to eat, or have to sit down. We have been back and forth to the hospital the last 7 days and have seen 7+ vets. He was bleeding from his rectum when I came home Friday (3/17), vomiting, and lethargic. He is now unable to clot his blood, his case doesn't fit anything specific, and he is still not out of the woods. Despite all of that, after dropping him off at the ER last night, 3/26, to get a life saving plasma transfusion, he barked from inside the patient ward to, I assume, tell me I needed to eat before I get dizzy. (Timing was spot on). He is the SWEETEST boy - all the vets and the techs love him already. On 3/17, Sequopia was vomiting, lethargic, and out of breathe. We immediately rushed over to the ER vet where he got ultrasound, xray, blood work. Vet came back with Acute Hemoragghic Diarrhea Syndrome. Before all this, he was so healthy and happy and energetic. I was unable to afford the extended hospital stay at the time, so we took him home and monitored him closely. Bleeding from his rectum, 3/17 PM: On 3/20, we went back to another hospital: Costa Mesa Animal Hospital, because his gums hadn't stopped bleeding, and neither had his paws. His platelets turned out to be extremely low, and his coag factors were off. The vet that treated him thinks Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia, or toxicity, or something unknown. He got a blood transfusion. We went home with Vitamin K to treat toxicity, Prednisone (steroid) to suppress his immune system in order for platelets to start being made again, and subq fluids. Uncontrollable bleeding from his gums: Blood everywhere while we care for him: on 3/23, we went back to another hospital, Garden Grove Animal Hospital, to get another round of bloodwork and to recheck it. His platelets had gone up a little, but the doctors were confounded, and referred us to a specialist - we had to see one within the next few days. On 3/26, an internal medicine specialist was able to squeeze us in. We were able to do bloodwork through the funds provided by gofundme. She found that while his platelets had gone up a little, his coagulation factors were off the charts. As in, his blood won't clot. She immediately recommended a plasma transfusion as well as a hospital stay. We couldn't afford to stay at her practice (the estimate was $7k-$9k), so I went to Central OC ER to get him a transfusion. That transfusion cost $2k. Here's the kicker. The plasma transfusion was supposed to help his clotting factors, but upon checking this morning, 3/27, it was still off the charts. Several vets have called to just advise to stay the course and hope things change, and that continued blood work ($300-$500) every few days for the next month, plasma/blood transfusions, and exams would be necessary as things progress. Large bruising as of 3/26 due to his blood not clotting: FINANCES AND COST TO SAVE HIS LIFE: *i can't upload full images on GoFundMe. Linked here are the invoices from out of pocket 3/17: The first $2k from the first ER visit on Friday 3/17 was paid with rent money that I need to recoup. 3/20: OC Animal Allies was able to pay for his blood work and IV therapy (THANK YOU!!!) at the hospital ($400): 3/20: We had to pay out of pocket (this is later recouped by Gofundme) for a blood transfusion and subcutaneous fluids. 3/23: Animal Assistance League of Orange County was able to pay for his diagnostics. (THANK YOU!!): 3/26: We got squeezed in to see a specialist, who checked his blood, and changed the dosage of his meds, and most importantly, pressed that Sequoia needed a plasma transfusion. She quoted us $7k-$9k. I couldn't afford it. At this point, from all the expenses thus far, I had a budget of $1.6k (because of the donations) after everything. I called another hospital, and Central OC was able to do it for around $2k. As of 3/27, Monday, we are expecting at LEAST: • $2000 - 5 more blood tests & coagulation tests at an average of $400/test. • $2000 - Another transfusion if the treatment continues to not work. • $200 - Prednisone, Vitamin K, Omeprazole maintenance meds until things level out, so at least a month. All my income goes to him and rent and necessities. I'm deep in debt due to losing my career in the height of the pandemic, and got rejected from Care Credit and Scratch Pay. Sequoia has saved my life so many times, I need to help save him too. Please, every dollar counts.