Napoleon's Chylothorax Surgery

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Hi Everyone,

Two weeks ago I received a devastating diagnosis for my sweet boy Napoleon. The Vet showed me his X-rays and said the following, "Napoleon has a rare condition called Chylothorax. I drained 300+ ml (nearly a pint) of fluid from his chest cavity. He had very little lung function due to the fluid pressing on his heart and lungs. The cause for Napoleon is idiopathic (no known cause) and his prognosis is very guarded."

Napoleon's diagnosis X-ray.

X-ray after Napoleon's first thoracentesis (chest tap).

When I heard those words "very guarded" - those terrible words, I was hit with a wave of realization, shock, and pain. He's only 3 years old. He's been well cared for and well loved. I understood those terrible words emotionally before I understood them intellectually. I cried for Napoleon, for me, and for the pain of possibly losing him. But now that we have this diagnosis, it's time to get to work.

I reached out to those who know more about dogs and have more experience with dogs than me. I scoured the Internet for information. There was one clear expert. Dr. McAnulty at the University of Wisconsin. Dr, McAnulty has done three important studies on Chylothorax in dogs including a clinical trial and a longevity study after treatment. He is cited by most of the other articles I could find. I phoned him. He was very generous with his time and recommended a surgeon closer to Raleigh who worked with him on a surgical treatment for chylothorax that has yielded an 80 to 100% success rate in dogs. Dr, Chad Schmiedt at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine is that surgeon. So, I called him too.

Dr, Schmiedt, also very generous with his time and expertise, confirmed that he uses the same surgical treatment which has resulted in the same high success rate achieved by Dr, McAnulty. He explained the perils of repeated thoracentesis (drawing the fluid from Napoleon's chest). He also explained that time is a critical factor. He said that for a successful surgical outcome he recommends surgery within a month of the first thoracentesis.

Napoleon has had two of those procedures, thus far, the second coming only a week after the first which was on November 24, 2015. He was at 50% lung function last Wednesday, December 2, 2015, and 100+ ml of fluid was drained from his chest. He is scheduled for X-rays every Wednesday until I can get him to Athens, GA for surgery.

Napoleon at 50% lung function before thoracentesis #2.

Everyone I spoke with, our Vet (Dr. Jessica Holt), Dr. McAnulty and Dr. Schmiedt, was very candid that without surgery Napoleon will not survive.

The cost of Napoleon's life-saving surgery is $7000.

Unfortunately, my credit was devastated following a wreck a couple of years ago. I was riding a scooter when I was hit by a minivan. I have tried Care Credit but was rejected. I still have many medical bills from the wreck as the driver, who was at fault, was under insured.

Napoleon and I are hoping that many of you will come together to help us extend his life by another 12 to 15 years. If Chylothorax is resolved through surgery, Napoleon can go on to live a normal life. Any amount will get us closer to our goal. We will be eternally grateful for anything you can give. Your generosity and support would mean that my sweet baby boy will not die. I can't express how much this means to me.

Here's how the costs break down.

$1000 for transportation and housing while we are at the University of Georgia for a full week.

$7000 for advanced imagery and surgery

Brown Dog Foundation is a non-profit that may help. They require the owner pay 25% of the cost. IF we are approved that would mean I only need $3000 from this fundraiser. If they award a grant for Napoleon's surgery, I'll notify everyone and close the fundraiser after reaching $3000. If they reject Napoleon, I'll add that update here.

Who rescued who?

I adopted Napoleon from the Wake County Animal Shelter in 2013. It was my great good luck that someone returned him after adopting him only 3 weeks earlier. I still can't believe that such a wonderful pup was ever returned to the shelter. From the moment I brought him home, he's been a joy.

A month after adopting Napoleon, I was run over by a minivan and couldn't walk for months. Napoleon was my source of comfort and love. We bonded in a special way that astonishes me, even now. The best way I can describe our bond is that Napoleon trusts me completely. He's perfectly willing to launch himself into the air knowing with certainty that I will catch him. He got me through many hours when I was in pain and unable to walk. He and I played training games, talked philosophy, learned a few French words and snuggled for hours on end. Napoleon is my baby. He deserves every effort to save his life.

There's no way I could ever adequately express my gratitude for your willingness to help my baby boy live. My sense of obligation is very heavy both to Napoleon and all of you who help us. Thank you!!!

Those of you who know us understand completely how much Napoleon means to me. Yes, I've heard your complaints about excessive photo sharing, but I will continue to ignore those complaints. :-) Thanks to those of you who can give, and please, share this request widely. I love you all!