Young Beans Needs Hip Surgery
Donation protected
Oh man. Poor Beans started showing some lameness just before Thanksgiving, struggling to get up steps or jump onto the bed. By the end of the Thanksgiving weekend I had to carry him up and down any steps and he was clearly in pain. The vet couldn't find any evidence of injury, and was about to prescribe an anti-inflammatory, in case he had pulled something, but Beans was so docile she decided to go ahead and do a quick x-ray. When I saw it my stomach did 4 or 5 somersaults, real fast. Beans's left femur looked like someone had bitten the end off: noticeably shorter than the right one.
It turns out that Beans most likely has Legg-Perthes disease , something that usually affects young small breed dogs, usually in their first year (Beans is 3). It's also called "aseptic necrosis of the femoral head," which sounds even scarier, but is a little more explanatory: blood supply to the bone is interrupted and the bone tissue necrotizes, leading to the collapse of the cartilage that cushions the hip joint. So Beans's pain is coming from bone-on-bone contact. I'm not sure if the sudden onset was brought on by anything, but most signs seem to point to this being a genetic problem, most likely only in the left hip.
The good news is that this isn't a degenerative illness and is treatable with surgery, with a high incidence of the full return of mobility. Once they remove the damaged tissue, the body forms a "false joint," consisting of a cushion of scar tissue that forms between the cut end of the femur and the hip, which mimics the cushioning effect of the natural cartilage that's been lost.
But! I am a freelance cartoonist, not the most lucrative of careers at its best. I'm at the "pays most bills two months late" stage of my career, and the vet estimates the surgery--called a "femoral head and neck ostectomy"--will cost roughly $2000. I'm factoring in a little extra for overage, GoFundMe fees, etc., so there is less chance for financial surprise at the end. There should be some physical therapy afterwards, but I've already raised about $800 through special commissions and the kindnesses of a few close friends, so I'm hoping that will cover therapy, the vet visits, the stairs and ramps I've had to install in my house, etc.
IF you have any extra room in your budget, I would be so appreciative with help in fixing up my poor Beans. It's hard to describe how odd and wonderful the little guy is. He barks about once every 3 or 4 days, loves every person he meets and most cats (he is pretty nervous with the cats, but interested), and spends most of the day jumping into and out of my lap while I draw; or if we're outside he'll stand in one spot and watch whatever is happening silently, without complaint, for hours. He sleeps curled up under my chin every night, and immediately takes my spot if I get up for even an instant.
It breaks my heart that he is hurting--it's gotten so acute so quickly, that now, a week and a half after this began, he can barely pee without falling over. Ugh. He's my special little guy and it's embarrassing that I can't take care of this on my own, but there it is. I would really, really appreciate your help. And if you cannot help financially--as many of us cannot, myself usually included--passing this fundraiser along to your friends is plenty good enough for me and Beans, we'll take all the help we can get.
It turns out that Beans most likely has Legg-Perthes disease , something that usually affects young small breed dogs, usually in their first year (Beans is 3). It's also called "aseptic necrosis of the femoral head," which sounds even scarier, but is a little more explanatory: blood supply to the bone is interrupted and the bone tissue necrotizes, leading to the collapse of the cartilage that cushions the hip joint. So Beans's pain is coming from bone-on-bone contact. I'm not sure if the sudden onset was brought on by anything, but most signs seem to point to this being a genetic problem, most likely only in the left hip.
The good news is that this isn't a degenerative illness and is treatable with surgery, with a high incidence of the full return of mobility. Once they remove the damaged tissue, the body forms a "false joint," consisting of a cushion of scar tissue that forms between the cut end of the femur and the hip, which mimics the cushioning effect of the natural cartilage that's been lost.
But! I am a freelance cartoonist, not the most lucrative of careers at its best. I'm at the "pays most bills two months late" stage of my career, and the vet estimates the surgery--called a "femoral head and neck ostectomy"--will cost roughly $2000. I'm factoring in a little extra for overage, GoFundMe fees, etc., so there is less chance for financial surprise at the end. There should be some physical therapy afterwards, but I've already raised about $800 through special commissions and the kindnesses of a few close friends, so I'm hoping that will cover therapy, the vet visits, the stairs and ramps I've had to install in my house, etc.
IF you have any extra room in your budget, I would be so appreciative with help in fixing up my poor Beans. It's hard to describe how odd and wonderful the little guy is. He barks about once every 3 or 4 days, loves every person he meets and most cats (he is pretty nervous with the cats, but interested), and spends most of the day jumping into and out of my lap while I draw; or if we're outside he'll stand in one spot and watch whatever is happening silently, without complaint, for hours. He sleeps curled up under my chin every night, and immediately takes my spot if I get up for even an instant.
It breaks my heart that he is hurting--it's gotten so acute so quickly, that now, a week and a half after this began, he can barely pee without falling over. Ugh. He's my special little guy and it's embarrassing that I can't take care of this on my own, but there it is. I would really, really appreciate your help. And if you cannot help financially--as many of us cannot, myself usually included--passing this fundraiser along to your friends is plenty good enough for me and Beans, we'll take all the help we can get.
Organizer
Dustin Harbin
Organizer
Charlotte, NC
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