Help Young Koba's Much Needed 2nd Knee Surgery, Torn ACLs

PLEASE SHARE!!!!

Hi, my name is Amber. Koba is a 1.5 year old APBT Mix who came into my life as a rescue at 8 weeks old. Despite being the runt of the litter, he was full of personality and when he crawled into my lap it was love at first sight.

Koba has become more than just a companion to me, he is my hiking partner, my cuddle buddy, and my best friend. Outside of work, we do everything together. Koba is an active dog. He enjoys visiting his 4 legged friends, hiking, swimming, "pack walks", camping, agility, daycare, visiting his second family at the sitters, sunny afternoons laying in the yard, obedience and scent training, Netflix N'Chill, ice cream dates and ball.

Giving Koba the best start at life, we took puppy socialization, obedience and advanced obedience classes as well as spending all the free time I had on adventures, relaxing, and growing together.

Two years before getting Koba I had quit drinking entirely and recognized I had some depression issues I had to address, my prior dog Duke was my rock through it all. He past suddenly on Christmas at 13 due to a tumor deep in his chest that ruptured.

Finding Koba was by chance, and he quickly mended my broken heart with his unconditional love, and a loyalty I have never experienced before.

To say I have a connection with this dog would be an understatement. Having someone so happy to see you when you come home, and by your side on the good days and bad is priceless. Kobas sense of humor can light up a room, and his gentleness for his size melts your heart. His deep rooted connection allowed us to work as one unit when we're out hiking, and yet he's upside down covering you with kisses in the evening.

Last winter, Koba had a play date and I noticed returned home slightly limping. After rest, he was back to his old self. A week or so later we took a moderate walk, and the limping returned.

Taking him to my local vet, they assured me he strained a muscle and to rest for a week with NYSAIDs.

After a week and a half of rest, we took a short walk just to have limping and muscle spasms in leg resume. I took him to Cornell ER, where they said rest another week with NYSAIDs.

We went back to my normal vet who took X-Rays and (Mis) diagnosed Koba with Hip Dysplasia. Devastated, we changed everything we did and I introduced supplements and well as targeted low impact exercises to build muscle.

Couple weeks later on a walk, I noticed Kobas other leg now spasming on and off and shaking. Knowing something was still wrong in my gut we took another ER trip, followed by rest and I made an appointment with an Ortho specialist a month and a half out, as soon as they could get me in for a consultation.

So we restricted activity further and continued to wait. A sudden onset of bloody dirreah, no eating for a week and quite a scare paired with an overnight, we didn't know what was wrong to start. He spent the night at Cornell ER, they suspected Koba had gotten Gastroenteritis from either NYSAID or from a bacterial-viral source. Antibiotics and more rest and he healed quickly within a week.

Finally an Orthopedic Specialist appointment at Cornell in April, which lead to diagnosis of Two Torn ACLs and Koba needing a very expensive surgery known as TPLO-....twice.

The left had gone first, then the right due to favoring his good leg.

Doing these surgeries at once wasn't realistic with me working full time and honestly I didn't feel it was very humane and that way Koba has atleast one good leg to stand with as he heals.

Unfortunately, all these expenses have been adding up to the point I'm running out of funds. I tried applying to care credit, but with student loans my debt to income ratio is too high. I have good credit, but only cards I own have 30% interest rates and I'm still paying them off from the whole surviving covid ordeal and the gap between when my work shut down and when unemployment checks came in.

I'm a fine dining server and saving as much money as I humanely can. Koba is my light in the dark, and he brings me so much joy. I can't stand to see him in pain every day and not being able to do the things he loves. He's so young and has his entire life ahead of him.

We will be doing outpatient Physical Therapy as well which is expensive but worth it. They recover much more quickly and smoothly with PT. Each knee is $4,500-$5,500 not including x rays or follow up exams. Half the bill is always due before, and half when the dog is discharged and they don't due payment plans. They're not doing any studies on ACL or CCLs currently or in the near future, I asked just encase. I've called around to so many Organizations-Not-For-Profit Organizations and not one has available funds, and you apparently have to be within your county for most.

I put my student loans on forbearance, used my savings and house down payment for his first knee and prior vet visits. I have been setting aside as much money as I can, being a fine dining server we've taken a hit with the economy but are still doing ok business wise.

But that's a lot of tables. I'm pushing my body to the max, all while helping Koba recover from his first TPLO- he had at Cornell May 31st this year.

The second knee is the financial problem as I'm also juggling PT and post OP follow-up x-rays and visits and the bills just keep adding up.

Please. And I mean Please. If there is anyone out there who is willing to help Koba and I, we would immensely appreciate it. It mite not seem like a lot of money to some people, but for us it is. I'm not looking for free handouts to be lazy or for an alternate cause, and I don't take asking for help lightly. I'm working every day towards money for this and PT as well, on top of normal bill load and the increasing costs of....well...everything. My car insurance and rent both just went up again this month alone.

But I don't know what else to do.

Anyone can feel free to contact Cornell financial department to proove all this, and anyone interested is welcome to follow our journey. I now know to get pet insurance for all future dogs, and have enrolled Koba for any future ailments, though I hope I never need it. Unfortunately no insurance will cover his pre existing conditions but it'll help with anything else so I'm never in this position again. I was naive on the aspect of pet insurance as my lifetime of adopting pound dogs, I never had any major issues that I couldn't handle;until I did. Lesson learned.

I love this dog, unconditionally. And I want to give him the best life he deserves, and to be pain free. Please share, even the smallest amount helps and if not I understand. I'm just reaching out because we need our communities help!!

Any questions, people who would like to see some receipts, more info or photos whatever please feel free to contact me.

And most of all, Thankyou.

-Love,

Amber and Koba.