Meet Whiskey,

Whiskey aka Smacker is a spirited 12 yr, old Corgi who continues to fight every day in her recovery to gain complete control of her legs again. For a decade Smacker has been more than a pet. She and her two sisters Reba and Bella have brought tremendous joy and comfort to our family. In mid May during our daily dose of fetch, Whiskey appeared to have injured her left front leg during one of her many acrobatic retrievals. The next day however, she was unable to walk or even move any part of her legs. We took her to our local vet who gave her a possible prognosis of a pinched nerve and recommended she see a neurologist. With the help of a friend we managed to get a quick appointment the next day with the VCA animal specialist group neurology in Los Angeles. Right away neurologist assured us that Whiskey was not in pain, and suggested she go through a series of tests. This included a full spine MRI and a lumbar spinal tap. She was hospitalized overnight and did very well during her recovery stage in the hospital. Whiskey continued to go through additional tests and only through a process of elimination did the vets determine that she most likely was suffering from a neuromuscular disorder. Basically, the brain waves were working fine from her brain to her spinal cord, but stopped short to her legs. There is no underlying cause, but maybe associated with an autoimmune disease commonly referred to as IBR. IBR is idiopathic polyradiculoncritis. This is a fancy word for acute inflammation involving the nerve roots and the nerves itself. Prognosis is two to four months of rest, rehab, and physical therapy for a full recovery. The joy that hearing Whiskey could make a full recovery from this severe debilitating disease was a truly heartfelt relief for her family and friends. We are now in the third month of her recovery stage and thanks to her Dads daily nursing, rehab and patience, Whiskey has full function of her legs with her normal daily routine and signature waddle. She continues to show daily improvements in her walking and endurance. Whiskey's recovery came with a heavy financial strain to her family. Her total vet bill to date is $6,700 dollars. We are asking for any help to ease this burden. Every dollar raised goes directly to cover Whiskey's medical expenses, ensuring her family can focus on what matters most, keeping Whiskey and her sisters healthy and happy in their golden years.