Sponsor my service dog Winston's knee!

Winston, my service dog, tore a ligament in his left hind leg. This is a very painful injury and it doesn't heal on its own. I am asking for your help and support to pay for the surgery he needed to fix his knee.

If you don't know me, I'm Nicolas Steenhout. I'm a speaker and consultant on digital accessibility and inclusion. Winston is my service dog. We've been working together for 7 years.

As a fully trained mobility assistance dog, he's helped with things like pulling my wheelchair and retrieving objects on demand. He's accompanied me on all my trips. We've visited 38 States in the US, and 6 provinces in Canada. He's been a constant assistant for physical tasks. He's also been an ever-present emotional support.

In the last couple weeks, I spent a hair over $11,000 for diagnostics and treatment for Winston. $10,000 of that in the last three days. There are going to be other upcoming costs - post-op visits, physiotherapy, etc.

I feel uncomfortable asking for money to help with his veterinary fees. But several people suggested I should ask, so here I am. It sucks to have to ask but I'm not asking for the heck of it. I'm not asking for fun. I'm asking for survival.

The medical details

Winston tore his cranial cruciate ligament on his left hind leg. He also did his meniscus in. Our usual vet referred us to a specialist vet surgeon. They examined him and proposed a TPLO surgery. That's Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy. It's a bit gruesome, I won't describe it here. Basically, it's a knee reconstruction surgery.

It needed to happen there and then. There was no time to waste - the risk of injury to his good hind leg was significant. We had to proceed as soon as possible. I love him so much and I couldn't bear to know him in pain.

I'm very happy to report that the surgery went well. No complications. Winston is now at home, quite groggy from the pain medication. But he's home and on the long way to recovery.

(alt text: Big black furry dog laying on his side. His left hind leg is completely shaved. He has a white bandage covering the front of his leg from above the knee to just above the ankle. There is a medication delivery patch on his hip.)

The vet says he'll be with me for many more happy and healthy years if all goes well with the recovery. Recovery will be at least 12 weeks. Maybe as much as 6 months!

For the best chance at full recovery, the veterinary surgeon is recommending a series of physiotherapy sessions as well. These are anywhere from $100 to $150 per session, and we likely need at least a dozen sessions.

The impact

I managed to pay for everything so far, but that means I maxed out my credit card and emptied my bank account with no idea how I'm going to pay the card down. I also had to take several days off work with no pay. The financial stress on top of the medical worries has been extreme.

Some people think "Why spend that much money on a dog? It's just a dog." I know because I've had a couple of people making this kind of comment to me.

The thing is, he's not "just a dog". He's my service dog. He's my pal. We've been together nearly every moment of every day for the last 7 years. He's a member of the family. He'd do anything for me, and I'll do anything for him. Our bond is so very strong.

(alt text: Nic sleeping on a mattress on the floor in the living room, his hand reaching out towards the dog asleep next to him. The dog's head is in a cone. His paw is reaching out towards me.)

He will not be helping with pulling my wheelchair or helping me walk. He'll still be doing light duties though, because he just loves it so much. Fetching things for me, or retrieving things I dropped that are hard to reach for me. The important thing is that we'll still be together!

The ask

I know times are hard for everyone. Every little bit helps. Both Winston and I thank you if you're able to help. Your support will help reduce financial stress and focus on his healing. All funds raised will go to covering Winston's recent and upcoming medical bills related to this knee injury, surgery, and rehab.

If you want to help but aren't in a position to make a financial contribution, please spread the word.