Wilder's Leg Surgery Fund
Donation protected
Hello friends, family, and strangers alike. My name is Emilee and I'm making this fundraiser for my little buddy, Wilder. To introduce us, here's a photo of us from a few years ago, I don't have a current one with us both.
Some of you may know my dog, Wilder. For those of you that don't, he is a 7.5-year-old Doberman. About three weeks ago, he tore his cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) and is now in need of a Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO).
WHAT IS A TPLO?
This section is for those of you who are curious about what his surgery and recovery will entail. For those of you that don't want to read about that, feel free to skip down to the section where I list a breakdown of what the funds will be used for and how your donation will be helping Wilder to make a full and successful recovery.
The CCL (known as the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, in humans) is one of several ligaments in the stifle (knee) that connect the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone).
TPLO surgery eliminates the need for the cranial cruciate ligament by reconfiguring your dog's knee. To perform TPLO surgery, a surgeon makes a curved cut to the patient's tibia before rotating the tibial plateau (top section) to level the tibia and femur.
Once the tibial plateau is in the desired position the TPLO surgery is completed by attaching a metal plate to stabilize the knee as it heals around the new configuration.
After TPLO surgery the dog needs to rest up for around eight weeks while the bone heals. After this, they start a gradual return to normal exercise. Following the rules in these two months is an investment in the success of the surgery. Especially since Wilder is a large, over-active dog.
There are three phases of TPLO surgery recovery:
1. The initial 10 days: The dog needs to get over the anesthetic and wait for the skin of the incision to heal over
2. 10 days to 8 weeks: Waiting for the bone to heal
3. Two to six months: Physiotherapy and rebuilding strong muscles.
BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THE FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR:
The following is a breakdown of what I'm paying for and what I need help with, for transparency, because honestly this is a lot to ask for and I am having a hard time accepting that I need to ask for help publicly like this.
That being said, I will not only have to afford the surgery and all of the associated supplies for recovery, but I will not be able to leave his side for 8 weeks post-operation as he is not well-behaved in the sense that he has been known to evade every head cone I've ever tried and is very easily excited. To leave him alone for any amount of time longer than using the bathroom would be risking him either licking the incision site or bearing weight on it too soon because he is easily excited by noises (which are inevitable.) We will not be staying in the house that we live in during the first 8 weeks of recovery because I have to keep him away from the other dog that lives in the house. The other dog is also a full-sized Doberman but he's a 1-year-old, overactive puppy. It would be impossible to keep them from interacting or triggering each other with noises in separate rooms.
The surgeon informed me that I will need to pay for the procedure in full before they start and there are no payment plans available as they are a specialist for these surgeries and are not my general veterinarian, therefore we have no rapport built to work in my favor. I have not scheduled the surgery yet because I am not sure I'll be able to raise the funds. When I see progress on the funds coming together either here or internally, I will schedule the surgery and update this page with the surgery date.
In the chance that any complications happen during recovery or he needs a medication refill past what we are sent home with, those bills will not be included in this total. Those cost extra. That, along with the following things, I can cover on my own because I can either afford that much now or I have some time to save up before future complications get here.
What I can afford:
- The $250 visit my general vet charged to diagnose him
- The $350 visit the surgeon specialist charged for a surgery consultation
- Vet visits associated with future complications post operation
- Any medications that will require a refill
- Any gas used during the multiple trips from Richmond, VA to Charlottesville, VA where the surgical vet facility is located (I picked this one off of a list provided by my vet because they had the lowest price range for the surgery on the list and seemed the most organized.)
- $400 in recovery supplies such as a recovery dog bed, things to keep him calm/ laying down for 8-12 weeks - 8 weeks is a long time to sit still for a Doberman (1 real bone a week, 3 plushies, 2 interactive nose games, peanut butter, 2 Nylabones, 2 lick mats), shit bags, and non-slip mats for hard slippy floors.
- $240 for 8 weeks of dog food (eats a $60 28lbs bag in 2 weeks)
- $600 for 8 weeks of home rent
- $1000 for 8 weeks of studio rent (I'm the leaseholder and have 2 tenants that are local small business owners in the space, so getting rid of the space is not an option. After they pay their share of the rent, I am left with $500-700 a month until we find one more studio mate. I also use this space to make money so it's my best chance at financial recovery after this is all said and done.)
- $1000 for 8 weeks of personal bills (car insurance, phone bill, E-ZPass, etc.)
- $1200 for 8 weeks of human groceries (that's $150 a week or $22 a day)
Total of what I can cover: $5,040 + the cost of post-operation visits due to recovery complications, medication refills, and all gas used.
Now on to what the funds raised will be paying for.
What I need help with:
- $5400 for Surgery Cost (combined TPLO and unrelated infected cyst removal to consolidate on amount of times exposed to anesthesia, the cyst removal is only $200 of this cost)
- $1000 for 8 weeks of rent in a quiet, otherwise animal-free recovery environment with a fenced-in outdoor area (this is the most important element of giving his bone time to heal without reinjury or complications.)
- $500 for more recovery supplies that I cannot cover myself such as supplements (Cosequin and probiotics), a ramp (to get him in the car home and to get into the yard to use the bathroom), a cone I found online that seems like it may work as a deterrent long enough for me to shower or feed myself, a belly sling to help him get up from the floor and go outside, first-aid products, a few training treats to load the nose games and to keep his mind stimulated by practicing simple stationary commands, clean throw blankets (keeps him calm and helps keep recovery area sanitary),
Total of what I need help with: $7200 ($6900 for Wilder + estimated Gofundme fee of ~$285)
ENDING STATEMENT:
I know this is a lot to ask for but anything you are able to donate to help ease this unexpected financial burden is greatly appreciated. If you don't feel comfortable donating thru Gofundme, I am also taking donations privately on Cashapp with the cashtag $wilderthedoberman. When the collective funds raised reach my goal of $7,200, I will shut down this Gofundme so that it no longer accepts donations. If the campaign is still up, I have not reached my goal yet.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ AND DONATE!
Organizer
Emilee Austin
Organizer
Richmond, VA