Cinnamon's Liver Shunt Surgery

Cinnamon is a 14 week old puppy who came to us with one of her sisters from a rescue in San Antonio, Texas.  We didn't know it when we received her last week from her first rescue family that didn't work out, but Cinnamon has a serious birth defect. It is called a portosystemic shunt, also known as a liver shunt. 

This condition causes her blood to bypass her liver, preventing her liver from doing the important job of filtering her blood. Read more about liver shunts at https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/portosystemic-shunt-in-dogs. 

Without proper treatment, Cinnamon has a very poor chance of growing up and leading anything like a normal life. Fortunately for Cinnamon, she has the kind of shunt that makes her a candidate for life-saving surgery. Unfortunately for Cinnamon, that surgery costs a lot of money.

In the first 6 days we have had her, we have already spent well over $2,000 on medical care for her, trying to determine what was wrong as she was declining rapidly. The estimate for surgery is another $5,000, not including the after care costs.

As the article above describes, the majority of dogs that do not receive surgery are euthanized within 10 months, due to siezures and other serious complications. With surgery, Cinnamon's chances approach 95% that she will grow up and have a long, normal life.

We really want Cinnamon to receive the surgery she needs and we could use help funding it. We expect to continue to pay for most of her medical care, but the prospect of the cost of the surgery she needs urgently is daunting. 

If you feel so inclined, please consider donating. If you tell us how to reach you, we will also send you updates on her condition if you want them. Thank you for helping save her life.