Help Pipsqueak Get Her Knee Surgery

Selena Drake is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Hello, hooman friends!

My name is Pipsqueak, and I'm 9 years old. I love snacks, belly rubs, chasing squirrels, and helping my mama. I'm a little, working puppers, but I have a bad booboo that keeps me from doing my job. My mama says I need a surgery to fix it. She doesn't have the money, and I forgot where I stashed all my bones (doctors accept bones, right?). Can you pwease help us?

- Pipsqueak

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Hey, everyone.

I'm Pip's mama. My name is Selena.

Pipsqueak is a shih-tsu/yorkie mix and my psychiatric service dog. She breaks me out of anxiety attacks and helps me deal with my PTSD. We've been inseparable since we met nine and a half years ago.

When I first got her, she was this poofy, little baby that squeaked a lot, hence her name, Pipsqueak. Now she just squeaks a lot. Really, a lot.

She is my best friend. And without her, I would not be alive today.

Here's what's going on with my best friend:

So, Sunday, June 2nd, the neighbour's "free-range" german shepherd was running along our fence, getting my Pipsqueak and my parents' dogs riled up (just to clarify, there was no fighting; just chasing and barking). When I stepped outside to call my dogs back in, I saw Pip limping really badly. At first I thought it may have been a pine needle stuck in her paw (happens frequently since we have so many pine trees). But when she sat down and refused to come, I knew something worse had happened. I rushed down the patio stairs to get her and carry her inside.

She was panting and shaking, but I managed to calm her down. I checked her paws for pine needles. Nothing. But she was still limping horribly. I watch a lot of vet shows, so my immediate thought went to "This is an ACL tear."

Since it was Sunday, the local vets weren't open. I couldn't do anything or even get advice on how to help her with the pain, which is very frustrating. I spent the day keeping her from walking and jumping around with the promise that I would call first thing on Monday to get her an emergency appointment.

This is how she has been walking. [Watch Video]

Long (frustrating) story short, I ended up taking her to a vet a hundred miles away in Bismarck to be seen. Her new vet, Dr Gutierrez, hasn't sent me the x-rays yet, but I've seen them, and they look like this:

Basically, her left kneecap is way out of place on her left leg, and her shin is too far forward. This could be because of the cruciate ligament, but there was so much swelling in the area that they couldn't see the ligament to be sure. Still, Pipsqueak will need surgery to fix these issues.

The Problem:

I don't have any income. I have made $23 this year from book royalties and nothing last year. Due to my mental health and physical impairments, I am unable to hold a job, and I'm still waiting for a hearing with the Social Security Office regarding Disability, and that could take a year. I'm also not getting any help from family. In fact, they say I should just put her down. That is not an option for me.

So I have no way to help Pipsqueak.

Canine cruciate ligament surgeries run $2000-$4000 minimum, but it will vary a lot depending on just how much damage there is. I am trying to raise $3500 as that seems to be the average in North Dakota. That's just for the surgery, not the travel (over 100 miles away and possible hotel stay--heck, for Pip, I'll sleep in my car if I have to) or recovery process.

Pipsqueak is in great health (proven by her bloodwork and physical check). She just has bad knees.

So if you could take a few minutes to donate a couple of spare bucks so that my best friend could get her badly needed knee surgery, she and I would really, really appreciate it. And if you can't donate, don't worry; I know everything is going up in price except paychecks. But you can still help by sharing this campaign.

Thank you very much.

With Love and Light,

- Selena