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Winston Needs Help!

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This is our sweet Winston.  He hasn’t been feeling his best lately — suddenly stopped eating, drinking, having accidents in the house, and became lethargic.  Initially, we thought he was just in a funk or feeling down.  We decided to take him to the vet to be on the safe side.  The lab tests and physical examination appeared to be normal or “in range” but his symptoms persisted.  Winnie began to stumble and struggled to maintain his balance, walking up/down the stairs and other basic tasks.  We managed his fever by checking his temperature every few hours, keeping a cool wet towel on his head and placing a fan by his side.  At our follow-up appointment, the vet decided to refer us to a local animal hospital for further testing.  


It was heartbreaking to watch him deteriorate within a couple of days with no explanation.  The internist started with a sonogram which showed a full stomach even though he hadn’t eaten or drank anything in several days.  Next, an X-ray was used to rule out the possibility of any obstructions or foreign objects.  There were not any notable findings but Winnie was getting progressively worse.  He did not pass the doctor’s neurological assessment and it became evident that there were issues with his nervous system.  We were then referred to Neurology for a consult and full examination.  The doctor shared her suspicions but an MRI and spinal tap would be necessary to confirm.  The results came in and we finally got some answers...


Winnie has meningoencephalitis — an immune-mediated (autoimmune) disease.  His immune system attacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistake.  This causes inflammation in his brain, meninges and spinal cord.  It explained the sudden change in his health and behavior.  We felt so relieved to have some answers and a possible solution to heal our boy.  The doctor walked us through a treatment plan which has a 66% success rate.  It requires injections to suppress his immune system, regular follow up visits, and biweekly lab tests over the next 6 months and up to 2 years.  Without this treatment, his prognosis would only be 2 weeks.  This will be an emotional and expensive journey to recovery but we could not bear to just let a member of our family die without trying.


Winston recently celebrated his 1st birthday and is far too young for this.  He is a sweet, kind, playful and upbeat dog.  He is well loved by all his furry friends and humans alike.  We wouldn’t normally ask for help but he is still in the hospital and needs immediate medical attention.  The medical bills are quickly adding up and approximately $10K now.  Please share with your friends and family to get Winston the help he needs.  No donation is too small — any amount you could kindly contribute would be most appreciated.


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Donations 

  • Andrea Villalta
    • $100 
    • 6 yrs
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Organizer

Natalie Tran
Organizer
Vienna, VA

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