Saving Marshall - our Veteran's Service Dog

Marshall is our beloved companion and my husband’s Service Dog for his combat related PTSD. He is only 2 ½ years old has proven to be an incredible lifeline to my husband for his disability, to my two sons during this isolating pandemic, and to myself.

10 days ago, he fell seriously ill. He has an extremely angry pancreas, a swollen liver and spleen, fluid in his abdomen but worse, extremely low blood platelet count. He has been diagnosed to have IPD most likely, but possibly lymphoma. We cannot currently test since the required biopsy would most likely have him bleed to death given his platelet count.

We have a small window possibly still save him!!!!!!!

Treatment:

-          Medication to up his blood platelet count: he started this already, but his platelets need more time to regen. This can take up to 14 days….. $1500/day IF there are no additional emergencies

-          Biopsy

-          If he does not have lymphoma, we can treat him all out for IPD. It would be about 3-10 days in hospital followed by 4-6 months of outpatient treatment with bi-weekly blood tests

 

Please help us give him a fighting chance!!!! I was heartbroken when I heard my husband discuss the situation with the vet today. The vet said Marshall could hemorrhage any moment. Gary: "yeah I have seen people die of hemorrhaging right in front of me and it is a horrible way to go." Then he cried  - I was like.. I got nothing... I mean, what do you say to that?

I am so worried that not being able to at least try to save his comrade will make the effects of his PTSD worse than it would be if we could at least give Marshall all we got. Thus far we have spent about $4000 on hospital treatment for him. Help us give this a true chance please!!!!!!!!!!



Marshall’s story:

We used to have his uncle Ares for 13 years as our buddy! When he passed away my husband who had only known him for about 4 years at that point went into a dark place. Depression, anger, and several other PTSD symptoms. After a couple months of therapy, his counselor figured out that Ares had, unbeknown to us, become his emotional support dog. Once he was lost, my husband was lost too. So we called the breeder and just that same morning another family had given up their hold on one of the male puppies in her littler. THAT was Marshall. We felt it was a sign from God! Heaven sent! Meant to be! He joined us shortly thereafter and has never left our side since!!!! Marshall is scared and alone right now and we want to give him all we can! Please help bring him back to us!!!!!!!!