**Hey everyone, thanks so much again for all your support. Cass and Tufton are on their way home ❤️. Handing over to Cass now and she’ll message once she’s home and sorted. As the beneficiary of this fundraiser, Cass will be able to add updates so keep your eye out for them. Xxx

*Thank you so much to everyone who has donated! Cass is in disbelief of everyone’s love and kindness. We’ve made some guesses at the expected costs from here on out, and as said below they are likely underestimates. However Cass doesn’t want to up the target until we know more tomorrow as she knows it’s not an easy time of year for people. However we imagine the costs are going to continue to increase, so will amend tomorrow when there is more news from the vets, if needed ❤️*

Hi everyone, I’m raising funds on behalf of my good friend Cass to help Pay for Tufton’s urgent veterinary care.

Tufton has been unwell for the past week, and having initially ruled out a tumour Tufton was urgently referred to Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists for scans to check for a foreign body. This was booked in for today and they were expecting to be going home this evening, but the hospital are now keeping Tufton over night on an IV drip and antibiotics, post surgery to remove a grass seed, which Tufton had somehow breathed in, likely whilst sniffing around, which his body has then tried to expel, puncturing his lung and making him very unwell.

Cass is spending tonight in a nearby hotel, and hopefully she’ll will be able to bring him home tomorrow - on Christmas Day.

Cass has pet insurance for Tufton but all of us with beloved pets know how unaffordable vet care is becoming, and Tufton’s care has already exceeded the £4k limit from his insurance. Cass is a self employed carver trying to keep afloat with her beautiful artistry, competing with all the online, unethical companies who make earning a living through skills like Cass’ so difficult. These vet bills are money that Cass just doesn’t have and I’m really hoping this fundraiser might allow a few people to help. Tufton has been Cass’s constant since just before the pandemic hit and not knowing if he will be okay has been devastating for her. He’s a lovely dog, and Cass just wants to ensure he gets all the care he needs.

More about his condition:

Following x-rays, cell samples, CT scans and an ultrasound today, it appears that he inhaled a grass seed, it travelled through into his lungs then his body has tried to expel it, leading to it working it's way out into his side via the lung wall.

This has created all the swellings and reactions that Cass initially took him to the vet for. It has developed into abscesses all down his side with multiple open wounds where theyve erupted and an abnormality in his lung in the same area.

A grass seed has been removed today via surgery but it is unclear whether there are more foreign bodies (seeds or fragments of seeds) or anything else going on underneath it all.

Further antibiotics will be needed to try and clear all the bacterial infection and then there may need to be more investigations. Healing is going to take a few weeks, assuming that there is nothing else which could perpetuate the issues. He’s only 6, so we are hopefull he will be able to fight off the secondary infections, but for such an outdoorsy energetic dog this is a painful and miserable time.

What we hope to raise:

For now I have set the target based on what we know the minimum costs will be. If by some miracle what we are able to raise exceeds the costs needed to get Tufton better we will donate the excess to Wadars animal rescue, although I’ve likely under estimated. If, worse case scenario there are further challenges and costs for Tufts - I’ll update this post and the target.

Thank you so much to anybody that’s able to donate, I appreciate it’s a hard time of year for finances. But anything at all helps.

Xxx