To some people he’s just a dog, but to me he’s so much more. He saved me, I don’t say that lightly. Troy came to me in the worst time of my life with paws far too big for his tiny body he stumbled over to me, hid under my dress and he chose me.

I loved him instantly.

Troy has been right there through it all, the best and worst years of my life, an abusive relationship, Covid, having my daughter Lilah, moving house, weddings, parties, lasagne sharing, and everything in between.

He was at one point the very reason I got up in the mornings, without his desperate need for three walks a day and love of everything outdoors I wouldn’t have. ️ ️

We’ve walked literally hundreds of miles together, beaches, woods, roads, fields, no matter how wet or cold or even snowing it is Troy doesn’t miss a walk. ‍♀️

He’s chased my neighbours down the street, he stole sandwiches and burgers at family gatherings. He’s chased Lilah back into her bedroom when he’s sick of her still getting up at night. He even took himself off for a four hour hike from my nans and found his way home to bed, I just left the door open.

Now he can’t walk without me.

Troy has got IVDD, and is unable to walk unaided right now. He has been to the emergency vets, and eventually we ended up being referred to a specialist in Essex, he had an MRI and they recommended surgery. Whilst Troy was already under General anaesthesia we ran into an issue with his insurance, I always knew it would only cover £4000 of the £9000 that was being spent but I was finding a way to cover the rest. Now we have hit a wall as the insurance is not willing to pay out anything.

I have spent £3,500 for a specialist MRI appointment to diagnose Troy and it broke my heart to make the decision not to operate because of course I want my boy to have the best possible chance, but I just don’t have the money. The fact it comes down to money is a bitter pill to swallow.

Troy and me are now on a journey we’ve not experienced before but we’ve made it through everything else.

On Monday this week Troy lost the ability to walk at all, he is on complete crate rest and I have to manoeuvre him every hour with a sling to lift him outside. Troy can now make 3 steps, small progress is progress!

Hydrotherapy, physio therapy, crate rest, anti inflammatorys, pain relief, and a calming remedy is so far what we are working with.

I’m starting this go fund me to hopefully raise some of the money to enable us to give him this operation, Troy is only 5 years old and this operation (with a 95% success rate) could potentially give him his life back, a life of which he has so much more to live.

Good Boy Troy