Save Johnny: Urgent Vet Care Needed

Johnny is my 11-year-old, disabled ring-neck dove. Since he was a baby, he was hatched with deformed, pretzel-shaped legs that have made walking completely impossible for him; however, that didn't stop him from living his best bird life. He coos and flies like any other dove. He loves snuggles and safflower seeds. He can sing for hours at a time. He's been with me through school, through heartbreak, through the good and the bad. He's my sweet baby.

Recently, I noticed he was struggling to balance on his legs, using his wings as support. I took him to the vet, and they concluded it was a bacterial infection and put him on antibiotics. For a month, he was on antibiotics, and his stomach bug was gone. We thought, "Great! He's all better now!" But I noticed he was continuing to struggle to rest on his legs. He wobbled daily, and I could tell he was very uncomfortable. Eventually, his leg started to turn blue, and he became lethargic and weak.

An ER visit later, and we discovered his left leg's bone is incredibly damaged. The radiologist will confirm what it is exactly, but he most likely is suffering from a bone infection. He's in tremendous pain and needs to be put on strong painkillers and antibiotics. He also needs to stay at the hospital overnight for the next three days to be monitored because, according to blood work, his liver is struggling too. We are doing everything we possibly can to make Johnny as comfortable and happy for the remaining time he has on this earth, even if it's for an extra week, an extra day.

However, none of this is cheap. Vet bills, even for a small bird like Johnny, are incredibly expensive: Gram stains, blood work, X-rays, an assortment of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory meds, nerve pain meds, and ER visits and examinations have added up, and I am struggling to keep up. He needs to be monitored by a vet team and given his medication and general care. He will die without this care. We need help.

Any support is greatly appreciated. This has been an incredibly stressful two months of vet visits, and we aren't out of the woods yet. I love my baby so much, and I want him to be happy and healthy. Thank you so much for reading.