Help Mossimo get moving again!
Donation protected
On Saturday March 30th, 2019, I went to my friends Frank and Raelynn’s house to see my little friend Mossimo. Mossimo was rescued from Save A Lab Rescue in 2014. Normally when I go over, Mossimo is running around like a maniac, jumping on and off the couch and when we eat dinner he jumps up on his chair at the table to eat with everyone. But this time when I went next door it was very different. His two lab sisters Shelby and Bella (which are also rescue dogs) were cautious around him like they knew something was wrong. Mossimo was walking around very slowly, shivering, he struggled to lay down or even get up, his belly was hard, he was moaning like he was in pain and had the look in his face like “please help me”.
The next day I woke up to a text from Raelynn that they had taken Mossimo to Ocean State Emergency Veterinary Specialists and that they thought something was very wrong with him. The doctors had told them that they thought something was wrong with his spine and that he needed an emergency MRI and possibly emergency surgery. Not thinking twice about how much this could all cost they gave the vet the go ahead to see what was wrong with their pup.
Frank got a call from the doctors soon after the MRI was said to have begun. They said that when they put Mossimo under the anesthesia he didn’t do well and he was struggling to breathe. Frank then told them to do whatever it was needed to save Mossimo. The doctors were thankfully able to stabilize Mossimo and continue the MRI. The MRI came back that something was indeed very wrong with Mossimo’s spine. They said that his MRI showed that something was pressing on the spinal cord, and discs had moved. Mossimo was moving slowly because he could no longer move his back legs. To fix this he needed a hemilaminectomy to fix and remove any disc material that is pressing against the spine. The doctors said that Mossimo would have a 50\50 chance of walking again after this surgery. Again not thinking twice about how much this would cost, or what future costs could be if he couldn’t walk again, Frank and Raelynn said do it.
Surgery was performed and it was successful. The first time Frank, Raelynn and their son Joey went to see him after surgery it broke their hearts. Mossimo could no longer move or feel his backs legs. He could try to move but would slide and go down. This was not the boy that they knew and loved. After a few days at Ocean State the nurses said Mossimo is doing well but he was very anxious being at the hospital and that he seemed to be trying to figure out how to sit. He was trying to fight through this!
Frank and Raelynn are determined to get Mossimo home again do and whatever it takes to get him happy and healthy again. My friends have already spent $8000 just on the MRI and surgery. Mossimo came home on Thursday April 4, 2019. The bill for Mossimo’s post-surgery stay at the hospital was $800. My friends will still have to pay for accommodations they will have to make to their home to make it safe for Mossimo to get around (which he will soon hopefully!) and possible multiple physical therapy sessions to help strengthen him and get his back legs moving again, or he may need a wheelchair to get around if he does not regain feeling and movement of the back legs. Other bills may occur also like visits to the vet to check for progress, MRI’s, Xrays, special “equipment” for him to help do therapy at home with him and also possible medications.
Having a pet get unexpectedly sick is stressful enough never mind adding the stressful expensive medical bills. Please help my dear friends take care of their boy Mossimo by donating whatever you can. I know they will appreciate any amount they receive. Mossimo will also appreciate all of the love and support to help him get moving again! He is a great dog and deserves to regain his mobility and live life to its fullest. I know it would make Frank, Raelynn and Joey so happy just to see Mossimo running around in their backyard again with his two doggy sisters!
Thank you for all of your help!
Amanda Valvo
The next day I woke up to a text from Raelynn that they had taken Mossimo to Ocean State Emergency Veterinary Specialists and that they thought something was very wrong with him. The doctors had told them that they thought something was wrong with his spine and that he needed an emergency MRI and possibly emergency surgery. Not thinking twice about how much this could all cost they gave the vet the go ahead to see what was wrong with their pup.
Frank got a call from the doctors soon after the MRI was said to have begun. They said that when they put Mossimo under the anesthesia he didn’t do well and he was struggling to breathe. Frank then told them to do whatever it was needed to save Mossimo. The doctors were thankfully able to stabilize Mossimo and continue the MRI. The MRI came back that something was indeed very wrong with Mossimo’s spine. They said that his MRI showed that something was pressing on the spinal cord, and discs had moved. Mossimo was moving slowly because he could no longer move his back legs. To fix this he needed a hemilaminectomy to fix and remove any disc material that is pressing against the spine. The doctors said that Mossimo would have a 50\50 chance of walking again after this surgery. Again not thinking twice about how much this would cost, or what future costs could be if he couldn’t walk again, Frank and Raelynn said do it.
Surgery was performed and it was successful. The first time Frank, Raelynn and their son Joey went to see him after surgery it broke their hearts. Mossimo could no longer move or feel his backs legs. He could try to move but would slide and go down. This was not the boy that they knew and loved. After a few days at Ocean State the nurses said Mossimo is doing well but he was very anxious being at the hospital and that he seemed to be trying to figure out how to sit. He was trying to fight through this!
Frank and Raelynn are determined to get Mossimo home again do and whatever it takes to get him happy and healthy again. My friends have already spent $8000 just on the MRI and surgery. Mossimo came home on Thursday April 4, 2019. The bill for Mossimo’s post-surgery stay at the hospital was $800. My friends will still have to pay for accommodations they will have to make to their home to make it safe for Mossimo to get around (which he will soon hopefully!) and possible multiple physical therapy sessions to help strengthen him and get his back legs moving again, or he may need a wheelchair to get around if he does not regain feeling and movement of the back legs. Other bills may occur also like visits to the vet to check for progress, MRI’s, Xrays, special “equipment” for him to help do therapy at home with him and also possible medications.
Having a pet get unexpectedly sick is stressful enough never mind adding the stressful expensive medical bills. Please help my dear friends take care of their boy Mossimo by donating whatever you can. I know they will appreciate any amount they receive. Mossimo will also appreciate all of the love and support to help him get moving again! He is a great dog and deserves to regain his mobility and live life to its fullest. I know it would make Frank, Raelynn and Joey so happy just to see Mossimo running around in their backyard again with his two doggy sisters!
Thank you for all of your help!
Amanda Valvo
Organizer and beneficiary
Amanda Bizzacco
Organizer
Johnston, RI
Raelynn Carnevale
Beneficiary