Bella's Surgery
Donation protected
On March 20th of this year my dad and I went to our local animal shelter to look for a new member of our family. We had lost our 13-year old Maltese, Jubilee, to Cushing's disease in November of 2014 and felt we could let another furkid into our hearts.
I saw a post for two Maltese mix sisters and dad agreed to go see them. We ended up falling in love with the mother/daughter duo in the cage next to the sisters and began the adoption process.
They had been in the shelter, in one small cage, for 37 days and I could not wait to get them home with us. At the end of the paperwork and just as they were about to charge our card for the spay, meds and dental, the adoption counselor said, "Oh, by the way, Bella, the mom has a mammary tumor." Since I had no experience with any dog except Jubilee and her Cushing's, I wasn't concerned. We signed the papers and paid the bill ($560.00).
The surgery was to take place on Saturday the 22nd and we could pick them up on Sunday morning. Saturday I get a call from the doctor telling me that Moxie (the daughter) came through with flying colors but Bella, after reading her x-ray and finding multiple masses in her lungs, had cancer and they weren't going to do the surgeries. They asked me if I still wanted her. I said, "YES!"
We brought them home (mom and daughter are thisclose at all times; cannot be separated) and the next week I brought Bella to my vet who put her on heavy duty antibiotics for two weeks and just took another x-ray yesterday which showed NO masses in her lungs or anywhere else. Her lymph nodes weren't even swollen. GREAT news that my girl doesn't have lung cancer.
The infection from her bad teeth is still ongoing, she needs to be spayed and the two mammary tumors need to be removed (one is bleeding). I would take them to the shelter to have the surgeries done BUT they have closed the shelter because of the dog flu! Rumor has it that all 556 dogs there are mysteriously gone, too!
My vet, who took care of my Jubilee, said she would do all of the surgeries but it would cost between $800 and $1,000. to spay Bella, remove the two mammary tumors, a biopsy on said tumors, dental work with extractions.
I am over the moon happy that Bella is better than the shelter doctor said she was but she still has one more hurdle; there's a 50/50 chance the mammary tumor could be cancerous. She doesn't act sick at all. Her appetite is healthy, she's playful, my dad takes her for 8 block walks three times a day and at a very quick pace, too!
Those of you who know me, know that I have MS, multiple sclerosis and am on disability. My mom and dad are in their 80's and live on social security. Things are tight and this is why I'm asking for help for Bella. Whatever you can give will be so appreciated. Thank you for reading this. I know it's lengthy but I wanted you to have the entire picture...
I saw a post for two Maltese mix sisters and dad agreed to go see them. We ended up falling in love with the mother/daughter duo in the cage next to the sisters and began the adoption process.
They had been in the shelter, in one small cage, for 37 days and I could not wait to get them home with us. At the end of the paperwork and just as they were about to charge our card for the spay, meds and dental, the adoption counselor said, "Oh, by the way, Bella, the mom has a mammary tumor." Since I had no experience with any dog except Jubilee and her Cushing's, I wasn't concerned. We signed the papers and paid the bill ($560.00).
The surgery was to take place on Saturday the 22nd and we could pick them up on Sunday morning. Saturday I get a call from the doctor telling me that Moxie (the daughter) came through with flying colors but Bella, after reading her x-ray and finding multiple masses in her lungs, had cancer and they weren't going to do the surgeries. They asked me if I still wanted her. I said, "YES!"
We brought them home (mom and daughter are thisclose at all times; cannot be separated) and the next week I brought Bella to my vet who put her on heavy duty antibiotics for two weeks and just took another x-ray yesterday which showed NO masses in her lungs or anywhere else. Her lymph nodes weren't even swollen. GREAT news that my girl doesn't have lung cancer.
The infection from her bad teeth is still ongoing, she needs to be spayed and the two mammary tumors need to be removed (one is bleeding). I would take them to the shelter to have the surgeries done BUT they have closed the shelter because of the dog flu! Rumor has it that all 556 dogs there are mysteriously gone, too!
My vet, who took care of my Jubilee, said she would do all of the surgeries but it would cost between $800 and $1,000. to spay Bella, remove the two mammary tumors, a biopsy on said tumors, dental work with extractions.
I am over the moon happy that Bella is better than the shelter doctor said she was but she still has one more hurdle; there's a 50/50 chance the mammary tumor could be cancerous. She doesn't act sick at all. Her appetite is healthy, she's playful, my dad takes her for 8 block walks three times a day and at a very quick pace, too!
Those of you who know me, know that I have MS, multiple sclerosis and am on disability. My mom and dad are in their 80's and live on social security. Things are tight and this is why I'm asking for help for Bella. Whatever you can give will be so appreciated. Thank you for reading this. I know it's lengthy but I wanted you to have the entire picture...
Organizer
Laura Wilcher Thomson
Organizer
Burbank, IL