Support Rafi and Blu's Road to Recovery

Hi everyone, my name is Rafi Tanaka and I am the owner of 6 year old Blu, a Pitbull mix. On 6/24/24, I rushed Blu to the ER after he started screaming and limping. The diagnosis of the ER Vet is most likely a CCL/ACL tear.

I am a full-time college student moving in mid-July and am unable to afford everything on my own, especially his medical expenses. Blu and I will also be long-distance for the first time, but I will fly home if he needs surgery to care for him post-op. My other dog, Milo, had two ACL surgeries four years ago which I paid for with my whole college fund.

As a hardworking, independent woman in my early 20s, I take great pride in managing my responsibilities on my own. However, during times like this, I find myself needing to ask for help, something I rarely do. From the bottom of my heart, I am reaching out to you for support to ensure my soul dog, Blu, receives the care he needs.

Thank you and Mahalo all for the kindness and support, especially for taking the time to read this. Please spread the word, every penny counts to be able to make Blu pain-free again.

Update: Hi everyone!

Thank you all again for all the love & support regarding Blu, I just picked him up from the vet and we have SOME news (it’s not the worst, but it’s also not the best).

The good news is that Blu only had a partial CCL tear, which gives us some leverage on whether or not we want to move forward with the $6-10k surgery or try to let it heal on its own with strict house arrest.

The bad news is that he has severe hip dysplasia, as well as arthritis in his hips and knees. The vet said I could do monthly shots to manage Blu’s hips, but really figure out if it’s worth getting Blu brand new hips for a minimum $20k when he’s about to be a senior.

I’ve ultimately decided to go with the natural process for the CCL tear and the monthly shots. I have already stopped accepting further GoFundMe donations, but will update you guys in a few months about Blu’s CCL and hip progress :)

I can't thank you all enough for all of your generosity! All the support has helped cover a portion of his whopping $1k vet visit, which would have otherwise taken up all my rent money and paycheck.

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!!!