Lilo is the goofiest, sweetest, most perfect little baby. She loves to play and always wants to be near you — preferably on top of you. She is incredibly loving, and she’s made the last six years of my life better in every possible way. We’ve been together through college, marriage, divorce, moves, jobs — just about anything you can think of.

A couple of months ago she started limping, and it’s only gotten worse. After exams and x-rays, the vet confirmed she has a torn CCL and meniscus. While it’s thankfully not life-threatening, it severely impacts her quality of life.

If she’s ever going to be able to run, jump, and play like she used to, our best option is a procedure called TPLO. It involves cutting and rotating the tibia to take pressure off her damaged ligaments and stabilize the knee. Without it, not only will she live a life of pain and limited mobility, but it will also increase her risk of further injury from overcompensating.

The good news is that Lilo is still relatively young, and outside of this injury she’s very healthy. The vet thinks she’s a great candidate for the procedure and has around a 95% chance of making a full recovery.

The bad news is the estimated cost of surgery is around $4,000. This doesn’t include money already spent on exams, x-rays, and medication, or the cost of additional rehab and physical therapy she’ll need to regain strength and mobility.

As much as I wish I could cover everything myself, it’s an expensive treatment plan that will be a huge financial strain. That’s why I’m asking for help.

Lilo has touched so many people’s lives. She’s a little dog with a huge personality, and she makes my worst days better.

Anything at all to help toward her surgery means the world to me. Every little bit — even just sharing this — helps.

Thank you from Lilo and Mikahla