Hope Service Dogs, Inc

To provide disabled owners with professional training and support in all aspects of training their service dogs. To provide and sustain professionally trained service dogs and companion dogs. To provide education as to the rights of the disabled person while using a service dog and the benefits of service dogs. Our focus is on Dysautonomia, and the comorbidities associated with autonomic dysfunction, including Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Hi friends, join me in making a difference by supporting a good cause! I'm raising money for Hope Service Dogs, Inc and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

Hi my name is Samantha. I am 20 years old and in need of a new service dog. I have hEDS, POTS, anxiety, depression, mass cell activation, PPMD, chronic headaches, and other issues. I need a service dog because the older I get, the worse my symptoms are. I have a lot of problems with dizziness, and because of that, I am prone to falling. My knees are very weak due to the hEDS, so changing positions can be difficult. I would train a service dog to interrupt my anxious behaviors, pick up dropped objects, brace me when I lose my balance, assist with position changes, regulate my body temperature, do DTP ( deep pressure therapy) when needed due to sensory overwhelm or a panic attack, bring my inhaler when needed, provide grounding, and crowd control. Those are just some of the tasks I would train it to do, and I know as I get older, I will train new tasks to help accommodate my disabilities. In July 2020, I got a puppy to train as my service dog. Koda was a massive help to me the minute I got him; he was able to get me out of my room when my depression got worse, and he got me outside and moving. Sadly he has had many medical issues. In December 2021, he needed surgery on his eyes because his eyelids were too big for his eyes. In early March 2022, he began limping and would not put weight on his leg. After ten different vets, one finally determined what the issue was. Koda had a tear in a ligament in his leg; after the vet was done with x-rays, she informed me that Koda's left hip is extremely shallow, and he will most likely develop hip dysplasia within the year. As much as I love Koda, I need a mobility service dog to help me with my hEDS and POTS symptoms. Because of his health issues, I have decided to retire him at the age of 2. I am not planning on getting rid of Koda; my plan is to keep him as a pet/ a possible ESA (emotional support animal). To avoid this happening again, I will go through the company Hope Service Dogs. Hope Service Dogs genetically tests all parents and puppies of their litters. In addition to the testing, they also begin service dog training with the puppies. As my health gets worse, it gets harder to train a puppy. To do the least damage to my body, I want to do their six-month training program. The money will be used for: paying for the puppy paying the cost of training the puppy for six months paying for all food needed in the time that the dog is being trained paying for all vet bills that come with a puppy The cost above will total $19,000 The leftover money will be used for Flying out to Flordia to pick up the dog Paying for spaying/ neutering Continuing training with the dog Paying for any other vet bills that might come up Paying for any other expenses that come with a dog (toys, food, beds, crates, etc.)

At only 3 months old, Bucky was diagnosed on 7/8/2021 with a Portosystemic Shunt. We are trying to get in with UF Vet School or Blue Pearl for an evaluation appointment & surgery. The surgery alone is expected to be $4500-$7000. Plus the extra appointments and special low-protein food.

Bucky came to us as a future stud dog, service dog, and father of service dogs. However, now the hope is just that he will live.

He is such a sweetheart, loves cuddles and kisses, and deserves a chance at life.

Please save Bucky, our little Winter Soldier.

What is the prognosis for a dog diagnosed with a portosystemic shunt?

Most dogs improve almost immediately with proper diet and medication. About one-third of the dogs treated medically will live a relatively long life. Unfortunately, over half of the dogs treated medically are euthanized within ten months of diagnosis because of uncontrollable neurological signs such as seizures, behavioral changes, or progressive liver damage. Dogs that tend to do well with long-term medical management are usually older at the time of diagnosis, have more normal blood test values and have less severe clinical signs.

Dogs with a single shunt, especially one that is extrahepatic, have an excellent prognosis if surgical correction is performed.

How successful is surgical treatment?

Surgery provides the best chance for a long, healthy life in most dogs with extrahepatic shunts. If ameroid constrictor placement is performed, survival rate is over 95%. Many dogs are clinically normal within four to eight weeks following surgery. A small percentage of dogs will develop multiple acquired shunts and must be managed with a protein-restricted diet and lactulose for life.

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/portosystemic-shunt-in-dogs