Warning: Emotional content ahead
It is with great sadness that we share the news of our beloved two and half-year-old Weimaraner Livi. Unfortunately, she has come into tough times, and we are uncertain of the outcome at this moment, but it is our duty as her pet parents to give her a fighting chance.
If you know Livi, you know she is a loving, affectionate and extremely active dog. She lives for the fetch, is no stranger to relaxing cuddles and loves to meet new friends.
Here are the cards that she's been dealt.
She began losing control of her hind legs on December 10th. We took her to the vet and were sent back home with pain meds. After giving her meds, we noticed her losing coordination Sunday morning. She required help to use the bathroom and eat. Without her medication, she would shake in pain, but we were instructed to skip her night dose to see if her balance improved. It did not, and she lost the complete function of her limbs and went into paralysis.
We took her back to the vet again Monday morning and waited in fear to be seen by a neurologist. On Tuesday morning, she finally had an MRI, and spinal tap, and the doctor told us her brain was swelling due to infection or immune-mediated disease.
Working with the veterinarian, we've obtained some direction regarding her aggressive treatment and recovery. It has given us some hope, but the situation has put us in a financial position that is becoming out of reach.
We are upwards of $6000 in, just with diagnosis, and their estimates show that treatment and further testing will put us north of $10,000.
Livi is our baby, and we will do everything to keep her on this planet. Asking for money is very uncomfortable, but we are most worried about Livi's comfort. We are lucky to have a support system that includes our family, friends and community, which gives us optimism that we will get through this.
We thank you so much just for reading, and even if you can't spare, please share. All the love from Eileen, Etienne and Livi.