Hello, my name is Susan LaSalle, and I’m reaching out to ask for help for my son & daughter-in-law’s best friend & “son” Ralphie. Ralphie is an 8-year-old beautiful Golden Retriever. He’s the sweetest boy and such a huge part of the family.

3 weeks ago, Ralphie was diagnosed with the following:

Myasthenia gravis

(MG) in dogs is an autoimmune disease causing severe muscle weakness due to a breakdown in communication between nerves and muscles. It often causes Megaesophagus (swallowing difficulties) leading to regurgitation and dangerous aspiration.

Unfortunately, Ralphie does have Megaesophagus as well, which caused pneumonia. The pneumonia has fortunately cleared after 2.5 weeks in 3 different animal hospitals in upstate New York.

Ralphie started out at an animal hospital in Rochester. After 5-6 days at the hospital, they basically said there was nothing more they could do for Ralph and he was too unstable to move.

They weren’t ready to let him go (and he didn’t seem ready either), so they took the chance and transported him to Green Acres in Buffalo… triage was waiting for him. He was treated (surgery, extensive testing, scans, meds, etc.).

On Monday evening, 3/23/26, they were instructed to take Ralphie to an animal hospital in Guelph, Ontario (Canada) for a PEG tube to be surgically inserted into his stomach as a feeding tube.

This morning, they drove back to GA in Buffalo where Ralphie is currently being evaluated and hopefully fed through his new tube.

They’re hoping to possibly return home tomorrow after living in various hotels during this almost 3-week period. Ralphie will require a lot of medical and home support.

Family has already helped support this journey financially, but the expenses to save him have been pretty extraordinary.

Any support for our boy, Ralphie, is so appreciated. Many people think it’s ridiculous to spend this much money to save a dog, but most dog lovers out there know why.

Thank you for your consideration.