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Mickey (the DFB) Needs More Surgery

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A lot of you know my pal Mickey, otherwise known as the Dog Face Boy. He’s a seven year old, 95-pound Chocolate Lab, who goes with me everywhere. Many of you met him on my book tour this fall, promoting my book Road Dog.





While we were out on tour Mickey was attacked twice by dogs in two different cities. Mickey is very gentle and didn’t fight back. Luckily I was able to pull him away quickly and I thought no damage was done.

I was wrong.

I don’t know when it happened but one of the dogs bit Mick in the leg and broke the skin. I didn’t see anything for weeks and then one day I noticed he was licking and chewing on his leg. Then I saw a sore that was getting infected. It was about this time I noticed that his (for lack of a better word) ass was turning bright red and he was having difficulty going to the bathroom. It looked quite painful.

I took him to the Vet and she said the mark on his leg was definitely a wound from another dog. Mick started antibiotics immediately but it wasn’t soon enough. He quickly dropped 10 pounds. More tests followed and it was determined that he didn’t have cancer which had become a concern. Mick had a couple of very bad, and very deep infections in various parts of his body.



Mick developed some sort of autoimmune illness. He got an ulcer in his mouth and one on his eyelid. Then the skin collapsed around his rectum.

We continued the antibiotics and added a healthy dose of steroids and painkillers. He kept losing weight, getting weaker, and was absolutely miserable.  When you looked in his eyes it was like he wasn’t there. During one horrible week both the Vet and I thought we were going to lose him.

After a few weeks and a ton of medication we saw a slight change.  He was slowly starting to heal.  A couple more weeks went by and he kept healing, slowly but he was making progress. Last week I was able to stop giving him the painkillers and started cutting back on the steroids. He continues to improve. After our last check-up the Vet said she could see the flicker in his eyes again.

This whole ordeal has been going on for over 3 months and with the help of a family member I’ve been able to cover all the bills.

Until now.

Mick continues to improve. He has lost a total of 15 pounds and some muscle mass in his back legs. We are walking 2 -3 times a day. We go slowly and he’s building up strength.

His bowels and colon are fine, he just has this inch and a half by inch and a half hole under his tail where his rectum used to be.

The Vet and I have been discussing surgery that will basically “create a new rectum”. It will connect his colon to the outside of his body and close up the majority of the hole that exists now.

The surgery will be around $1500.00 and after care and follow-up visits will run another $500.00 

I am hoping to raise $2000.00 to pay for the surgery and the follow-up visits and medications.

If Mick's healing continues we plan to do the surgery at the beginning of March.



Why do the surgery? 

If we leave the hole the way it is we run the risk of Mick getting more infections as there’s nothing separating his colon from the outside of his body. Right now Mick spends most of the day wearing a cone so he doesn’t lick himself.

One of the most important things for me is that by doing this surgery we are going to improve Mick’s quality of life. He’ll be able to travel with me again and we’ll be able to resume our walks, hikes, and general running around on. 

Some of you already know that Mick is a rescue and he means a lot to me. He is my exercise companion and has kept me healthy since my own health issues 5 years ago.

I may have rescued him, but he has certainly rescued me.

If this surgery wasn't going to improve his life, I wouldn’t do it.

Mick and I have already been through a lot already, so please give whatever you can so that he can have this surgery.

Remember no amount is too small it all helps.

Thank you.

Here are some more pictures of Mick when he was healthy...




Once again Thank You for whatever you can do to help.

Sincerely,

Kelley and Mickey The Dog Face Boy

Organizer

Kelley Baker
Organizer
Portland, OR

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