New Service Dog Needed
PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, can make day to day living extremely difficult for the individuals who suffer from it. I know this first hand because I have been dealing with this condition for many years. I also am needing help with my mobility issues this last year or so. Fortunately, I was blessed with my current service dog, Chella, almost ten years ago and having her support in the community has enabled me to live a more productive and happy life.
The symptoms of PTSD include severe panic attacks, anxiety, and at times even social phobia. Having a service dog with me who can respond to these symptoms is something that I cannot imagine being without. Within the last year to six months I have been having balancing problems. When walking or standing I tend to start getting a little wobley and then its like I am tripping over my own feet, which I'm not, lol. Chella tries to help me as much as possible, however, she is a little short to try to grab a hold of to stop my falling.
Unfortunately, I recently learned that my current service dog, Chella, has late stage cancer and along with her advanced age will soon make my fears of living without her a reality.
While there are a variety of support programs to help veterans and the blind obtain service dogs, I do not fall into one of these more traditionally accepted categories. I have no way of obtaining a new service dog to step into Chella's "shoes," aside from my own savings and assistance from others who care.
Therefore, I am asking for anyone who can, to please donate in order to help me obtain my next service dog. The training and the veterinary costs that is associated with the process of new service dogs are expensive. The way I am going about it, in this matter, is a lot less expensive. I have been looking around for quite awhile now (and I mean long before I ever found out that Chella has terminal cancer) and have found the cost for a new service dog can go anywhere from $8,000 up to $20,000 to start.
I am looking to do this in a less expensive way by aquireing a quality dog with the help of a breeder that has quite a few certified therapy dogs of her own, because you cant pick just any dog. The dog has to have the proper temperment, etc. in order to work as a service dog. Also, I have a case manager that has saught out for me an excellent trainer will stay be there for the rest of the dogs life.
At this time, Chella is not in any pain from the cancer and since speaking with my priest and other people whose dogs had this type of cancer I have decided not to persue any invasive procudures. In order to try and prolong her life simply for my selfish reasons to keep her here with me. Chella has been having petite-mal seizures, however, not all the time and they are being monitored. At this time she is not on any medication for them. If they begin to increase to a signifagint amount, her veterianern and I will at that point decide whether or not she will need medication for them. She is not having grand-mal seizure at all at this point in her life, thank God!
However, when the time comes that regular medications will not help her and she is showing signs that she is in physical pain I will have to make the tough decision (that I really don't want to make) to lay her to final rest.
Until that time comes, I need to aquire get a new service dog as soon as possible. Due to the fact that Chella was also a rescued and her unique issues I need to get a puppy to bring into my home according to her behavorist. The training of a new service dog takes a few years to train, however, with the pup being around Chella it may learn a little quicker. I have really lucked out with Chella because of the special bond that was created at the hands of our tormentors.
Hopefully in the future, service dogs will be understood and respected as a treatment option covered through health insurance. However, until that day comes, I am forced to plead for help from individuals with big hearts.