The Purcell family includes two miniature dachshunds, Zero (8) and Howie Long (6). They are a big part of our lives, as anyone who knows us can tell. Zero was the first pet our girls have had and I'm not exaggerating when I say he is the quintessential "good boy": he is the sweetest dog you will ever meet, as anyone who has been around him can attest. He is worth saving and this is why I'm asking for help.

Monday, August 11 was a difficult day. That morning, I took Zero to the local veterinary hospital because he was clearly suffering some sort of medical crisis, but we didn't know what the problem was. By the afternoon, the vets were thinking he could have an intestinal blockage, and at 10:30 that night, Zero went into exploratory surgery to try and find the problem.

At 1:00 am, we got a call from the surgeon saying they had removed a 1-inch diameter fabric, button-like object lodged in his duodenum, which is the beginning of the intestinal tract. The surgery and hospital staff saved Zero's life, but it also cost us close to $6,000.

Our boy was recovering well after returning home on Wednesday, August 13, and everything seemed normal. However, on Thursday, August 21, it became clear that something was wrong again. He started vomiting foamy bile and digestive fluids every five minutes or so. Concerned, I took him back to the vet hospital to be checked. A blood test showed that his pancreatic lipase enzymes were off the charts high (400 is the high end of normal range and his were 2000). They diagnosed him with severe pancreatitis and possible intestinal obstruction (again), although that part wasn't as clear from the xrays.

Zero has been in the hospital since then, and he's not improving as quickly as we had hoped. We've paid another $3,000 and have almost depleted our savings at this point, but we are determined to save him. I normally wouldn't ask for help with this, but our family has been through 2 cancer diagnoses this year (Daphne was diagnosed with Stage 3B Hodgkins lymphoma in March and David was diagnosed with early stage colon cancer in May and underwent a partial colectomy in early July), and we can't fathom losing our precious Zero on top of all the stress and pain we've already experienced this year. Daphne, especially, relies on him for comfort during her worst days, and he is an important part of our family's collective emotional wellbeing.

I have been asked by a number of people if they can help us financially, so I'm putting this fundraiser together, listing the amount we've paid so far for Zero's care, even though I certainly don't expect us to receive that much. I am happy to send copies of our vet bills to anyone who would like to see them. Also, if you want to avoid the credit card transaction fee associated with online giving, please reach out to me or David for our Venmo or Zelle info.

Any donation is appreciated greatly, and if you can't donate at this time, we are blessed by your prayers and well wishes for Zero. We have such a supportive group of friends and family, and David, the girls and I are thankful for each one of you.