Bill Caballero is a Latin jazz trumpet player in San Diego, and whether he’s famous (or infamous) depends on who you talk to. You’ve probably seen his dog Ziggy at one of Caballero's Homey Jammmmmm sessions, lying in the middle of the band at Bill’s feet, always so happy. She has been by his side during good times and bad. Ziggy is Bill's ride or die.

Now a sweet viejita at the age of thirteen, Ziggy's mind is still sharp and she has the same happy smile, but her body is getting old. She had difficulty breathing and started dry coughing, so Bill took her to the emergency room over the weekend.

Ziggy was diagnosed with spontaneous pneumothorax, commonly known as collapsed lungs. Air accumulated between the lungs and chest wall, preventing the lungs from inflating, resulting in the lungs collapsing. The underlying cause of her condition is currently unknown.

The doctor put Ziggy on oxygen and removed over one liter of air from her chest cavity to allow her lungs to expand. They kept her overnight to monitor and stabilize her before sending her home. Additional treatment depends on the underlying cause, and if there is a significant defect found in the chest wall, then surgery could be required. Bill is keeping her comfortable and watching her breathing closely to make sure that it does not reoccur.

How can you help? The vet and hospital bills are currently at $3,350 (and counting), which is quite costly on a musician's modest income. Please consider donating whatever you can towards her care, no amount is too small. Your donation is greatly appreciated.

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