Support Winnie's Fight After Emergency Surgery

Our sweet 4-year-old Australian Cattle Dog (red heeler), Winnie, is fighting through a medical emergency, and we're reaching out for help as we navigate the overwhelming cost of her care.

On the night of Wednesday, March 19th, Winnie secretly ingested part of a rope toy - something we didn’t know had happened. The rope was hidden inside another toy, and Winnie has NEVER eaten toys before, so it was completely unexpected. Thursday morning, she vomited two small pieces of rope. We were shocked, but she seemed okay at first - alert, playful, and hungry. As the day went on, her condition rapidly declined. By Thursday night, she had vomited multiple times, was refusing food (which she never does), and hadn’t pooped. She was clearly uncomfortable, and I immediately suspected an obstruction.

We rushed her to Dix Hills Animal Hospital first thing Friday morning, where Dr. Eric Johnson immediately began evaluating her. Initial x-rays didn’t show an obstruction, so she was started on IV fluids and monitored. But she wasn’t improving. Repeat x-rays later in the day did confirm a blockage. She was taken into emergency surgery, and a section of rope toy was successfully removed from her intestines. Thankfully, her intestines were intact - no resection was needed. However, when she woke up from anesthesia, she aspirated due to a buildup of fluid in her stomach, which put her at high risk for developing aspiration pneumonia.

That same night, she was transferred to the Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) in Commack, where she remained under observation through the weekend. Sunday evening, she was stable enough to come home - she was eating small amounts and able to keep food down, but the early signs of aspiration pneumonia were obvious. We brought her home hoping that being in a familiar, low-stress environment would help her recover.

Unfortunately, by Monday morning, her condition had worsened. She couldn’t even keep water down. Fearing a secondary blockage or post-surgical complication, we rushed her back to VEG in Commack. Repeat x-rays ruled out a new blockage, but confirmed that the aspiration pneumonia had progressed. Gas was now visible in her abdomen, raising concerns that the intestinal sutures from surgery may have come loose - which could require a second emergency surgery.

Winnie was immediately transferred to the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island (VMCLI) in West Islip, where she is currently hospitalized. There, she is receiving more advanced imaging (including a sonogram) to determine if a second surgery is needed. If so, it will be done at VMCLI. If not, she’ll stay in their care for continued medical support over the next few days.

We’re doing everything we can to help her, but the cost of her initial emergency surgery, round-the-clock care, imaging, medications, and potential second surgery has become financially devastating. We have currently spent over $13,000 on her care and we are suspecting that number will increase. We never imagined facing such a serious medical emergency - and the added complications have made it even harder.

If you’re able to contribute any amount, even $1 or $5, it means the world to us. Every bit helps and adds up more than you know. And if donating isn’t possible right now, we completely understand - please don’t stretch your finances on our behalf! Sharing this campaign or sending us good thoughts is also deeply appreciated!

Thank you, truly, for reading Winnie’s story and for being part of her village. She’s our little shadow, our goofy, sweet, brilliant girl, and we just want her to come home healthy and happy!!