Operation Gobble Gobble

Operation: Gobble! Gobble!                   Help save Turkey from a life of pain.

Last month I adopted my ADORABLE rescue dog, Turkey. I couldn't believe my luck. He's a wirehaired German Pointer/Poodle mix.  He loves his crate. He loves people. He loves other dogs. He loves running and playing and swimming and jumping. I hit the jackpot! Within the last month, he has become my fur-ever companion. He has brought so much joy to my life and has made every day of 2020 with him more bearable. 

Within 4 days of adoption, I noticed a limp in his leg. By the next week, the limp ranged from barely noticeable to him yelping in pain. I figured he was accident prone as a pup or had played too hard with other dogs. 


I made an appointment for Turkey to get his booster shots and as a secondary thought, mentioned the limp. After a$400 exam and x-rays, I found out that Turkey has Osteochondritis (OCD) lesions on his shoulder joints.  Essentially his long arm bones have developed lesions where they connect to the shoulder joints. The lesions create a rigid fit which results in extreme amounts of pain. This is a bone defect that he was born with and is not uncommon for large, male dogs. 

I immediately started my research.  Due to the lesions on his shoulders, the only real option at this point is surgery. This surgery commonly ranges from $2000 to $4000 per shoulder. That does not include additional x-rays, consultations, etc. 

I did not make the decision to adopt a dog lightly. I know that there are expenses associated with pets. However, I didn't think I was going to be faced with spending thousands of dollars within the first month of his adoption. Turkey's wonderfully caring vet, Dr. Strohmeyer, and I had some really honest conversations about my options. 


1) Do the surgery to alleviate the pain which will extend his life
2) Rehome him to someone that can cover his medical bills
3) Start a lifetime of pain management knowing that I will have to reassess his quality of life in 2-3 years

More than anything I want to be able to provide Turkey with the surgery he needs. Figuring out how to pay $8k seemed impossible and I was feeling extremely helpless. 

Dr. Strohmeyer mentioned a surgeon in Sun Valley, Idaho which is about two hours away, that is known for doing OCD surgeries. Randy Acker at Sun Valley Animal Center. I spoke with him and he quoted me $2200 for BOTH shoulder surgeries. This is the hope I've been looking for. It is still a TON of money but a bit more in the realm of what is possible to save Turkey. 


I have always been super comfortable asking for money on behalf of others but have never needed to ask for my own needs.  I know that 2020 has been a horrible year. It pains me to even ask for financial help but I really don't want to give up this funny, loving, adorable Turkey that has just come into my life. I'm hoping to raise $2,500 to cover the exam, x-rays, and surgeries. I understand that especially during COVID everyone is experiencing financial strains. (I'm no different). Anything that you could spare, that won't have a negative impact on your financial status, would be immensely helpful and very much appreciated. 

I will post photos of him pre and post-surgery and keep everyone updated on his progress. If you haven't already seen all of my social media posts, I would encourage you to go check them out so you can fall in love with Turkey as quickly as I have. 

Thanks for reading my very long rant. I appreciate your consideration in helping me fund the surgeries Turkey needs to be able to live a long and painless life.