Last Thursday, January 22nd, our sweet Phoebe woke up and couldn't walk when she got out of bed, looked confused as to where she was, her gums were almost completely white, and she had zero interest in any food. If you know her, you know she is the silliest, most rambunctious, food-obsessed puppy there is, so it's been absolutely heartbreaking to watch her be uninterested in anything that typically brings her joy or turns her into a little chaos goblin.

At the first hospital, we learned that Phoebe's red blood cell count was only at 11% (normal for dogs her age is around 35-40%), and her blood protein levels were low as well, causing the doctors to search for internal bleeding. We were sent to two other hospitals that day, and she ended up spending the night at a specialist, where she received multiple emergency plasma and whole blood transfusions to save her life. After the transfusions, her RBC count went up to 26%, but has since continued to drop. The doctors cannot figure out a cause for this, and so we have several follow-up appointments over the next week with different specialists to hopefully identify the root cause of these issues.

As of now, we have spent close to $15k on her emergency vet visits, hospitalization, blood work, transfusions, and specialized food, but this is just the beginning. While we do have pet insurance, it caps out at a certain number, only covers certain tests, and not all of the appointments, and none of the food. Additionally, they only reimburse, so all of this money has to come out of pocket up front. Phoebe is only 2 years old and otherwise very healthy, and I hate that finances could be the deciding factor to continue treatment, or having to make the unimaginable decision of putting her down. A lot of folks have reached out asking if there is anything they can do to help, and honestly, financial support is the number one thing we need right now as we continue fighting for her life. If you know my baby, you know she is a tough little cookie, and we want to give her a fighting chance in this battle. We are so grateful for our community and the love we have received over the past few days, and appreciate any support, no matter how big or small.

With love,

Phoebe, Hailey, Kaylin & Koda