I’m Shan, a therapist based in Chicago, and I’m reaching out for help with my 10-year-old cattle dog’s medical care. I adopted Bunny (formerly known as Cornflakes) from One Tail at a Time rescue when she was five years old. She came from a previously abusive home. Sadly, she was not spayed then, which drastically increases the risk of female dogs developing cancer. Last December, she had surgery to remove a grade 2 carcinoma from her mammary gland. Unfortunately, she’s now developed another tumor.

We recently completed chest x-rays, senior bloodwork, and a radiologist’s review, which together have totaled $548.

Right now, I'm waiting to find out whether the cancer has spread to her lungs. If it has, she won’t be a candidate for further surgery. If it hasn’t, I’ll be considering a more extensive procedure to remove the entire mammary chain on one side (a $1200 surgery). She’s already being seen at a low-cost vet clinic an hour from home, which helps keep expenses down, but the costs are still significant.

Like many people, I live paycheck to paycheck, and caring for Bunny often means taking on more debt. This feels like a suffocating conundrum: to keep risking my own wellbeing for my best friend’s health. Any support toward her ongoing care would mean so much. Thank you for being a part of Bunny's life.