Hello

My name is Tracy and my sweet pup is named Maxine. She's going on 12 years old and has been my sidekick and boss since she was 3 months old. She's been my world since she arrived in my life.

This past year we've spent an incredible amount of time at the vet. End of last year I noticed a couple of tiny lumps next to her nipple. I had them checked and they came back benign. Based on this finding and understanding that senior dogs get lumps with age, I decided to let them be rather than putting her through an invasive surgery.

During her testing for the lumps, it was discovered that she had an enlarged liver and elevated enzymes - this became my main focus for her care. 4 months of meds, dietary changes and repeated blood panels finally resulted in normal, healthy readings.

Within a month of her recovery from this, she injured her leg. A vet visit provided some meds to help manage pain and discomfort. 3 days later on a Sunday, she got unexpectedly and extremely ill - we went to the VET ER in Berkeley - she was admitted immediately and after extensive testing, it was determined that she had acute pancreatitis. She spent 2 1/2 days in the hospital. This was in early August. That entire month was overwhelming with monitoring her every movement, researching food alternatives and proper care for dogs with pancreatitis. Apparently, once they have it, it's ever easier to have a recurrence unless you completely change diet and overall care. It's been a crash course learning how to care for her but she's been doing well and I finally feel mostly confident in keeping flare ups from happening.

So this leads us back to the lumps. In early June, they had grown a bit since first detected but were still barely noticeable. After her bout with pancreatitis in August, they began growing aggressively. They are now nearly golf ball size. Maxine's recent blood work has shown all very healthy values for liver, kidneys, GI system, etc and I feel confident in her ability to get through what I feel is an imperative surgery.

Because the tumors are growing so aggressively, it's understood that they are no longer benign.

The overall vet expenses this year are astronomical. This fundraiser is meant to help cover the costs for her upcoming surgery and aftercare. She is going in at 7:30am, Wednesday December 10.

I'm nervous and worried, but anxious to get through this and help Maxine have a chance for a few more years on this planet. Maxine has been the one constant living and loving being in my life. I'm grateful for the years we've had together so far and hope to help her reach proper old age.

Thank you for considering supporting us through this difficult time, mentally, emotionally and financially. Maxine and I send our love and gratitude.