I am raising funds for Misha’s hospitalization and surgery. She suddenly collapsed Monday evening December 9th. Her right front leg and rear legs partially paralyzed due to a compressed disc in her neck. She has been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease with myelopathy.

We were on our usual walk Monday December 8th, and like any senior she started off slow, then she gained speed as her muscles warmed. She loves the winter; her thick coat is just growing out from her summer clip. She looks like a little bear. Misha is always excited for a walk around her neighborhood.

As you can imagine I was alarmed that evening of the 9th, finding her struggling to raise herself from the floor. My first thought was her arthritis, but when I noticed that she could not articulate her right front leg to support her weight to raise herself up, I rushed to the emergency hospital. I though she may have had a stroke. Once there, the emergency doctor said the word euthanasia too many times. I was not going to put her down. We needed to find the cause and we needed to do that now.

Her x-rays revealed that she had degenerative disc disease, her affected front paw revealed that the problem had a home in the upper region of her spine and neck. We needed an MRI and the process to get ‘there’ was bloodwork, ultrasound and an MRI. The MRI required anesthesia which is always a risk, given her age adding a rare condition where a 3rd liver lobe had grown in her chest cavity leaving one lung partially collapsed.

But the deck was not stacked against her even now. She sailed through her MRI. Hurray! She is awake, aware, and always willing to nestle into the arms of the technicians, nurses and doctors. My heart burst through my chest when her neurologist told me that with surgery, she has a 90% chance of a full recovery, and that only one particular compressed disc needed to be cleared to relieve the pressure on her spine.

Her surgery is scheduled for tomorrow, December 11th. I have already covered the expenses of the emergency triage, bloodwork, x-rays, ultrasound, and MRI. The next hurdle is her life saving surgery and recovery.

I have a little dog playgroup throughout the week of all ages. I especially cater to our seniors and dog with special needs, with specially constructed steps they can easily clime, an available ramp, first aid and CPR training, and of course the little red wagon for those that have limited mobility. I will not give up on my pup or anyone else’s. My heart is big enough for all.

Thank you and God Bless

Michael Rose