Surgery for Snickers
Snickers is currently in tip top shape! Thanks to a few donations we were able to get his shoulder fixed, and now he's back to his bouncy happy self! Thank you everyone!
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If you would like, another way you can help, is by helping us pay off our current debt with our current vet. His emergency stone removal was $1900 and we could only pay $1,000 up front. Currently we still owe the vet about $600. If this is a way you would like to help out, you can do so by calling our vet at Avon Lake Animal Clinic at [phone redacted]. You can speak with a receptionist, give them this number: [phone redacted] and tell them you would like to make a payment on Snickers' bill. If you choose do to this, please inform me so that I can thank you properly!!
I've also had a few people request that I make a wishlist so that they can do a little something extra for Snickers. In no way do I expect anyone to purchase from this list, like I said it's just here for those who would like to! www.amzn.com/w/1FXRWVO47YUFT
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On March 25th Snickers was unable to urinate. I took him into Avon Lake Animal Clinic in Avon, OH and met with Dr. Brian Mills. Dr. Mills held him over night and did surgery the next morning to remove two bladder stones that were blocking the way. The surgery cost a total of $1900. $1,000 of which was put on my credit card. The rest is being slowly paid to the vet.
Dr. Mills suggested sending the stones out for biopsy to see what was the cause. One came back as a typical kidney stone, while the other was a urite stone. The vet then suggested having a bile acids test done. The bile acids came back extremely elevated, around the 200 range, when the results are typically within 12. These results along with his size, demeanor, past seizures, etc., all point to a liver shunt. A liver shunt is essentially a blood vessel that either goes around or through the liver. It allows blood to go straight to other organs without being cleaned of its toxins. This can lead to bladder stones, seizures, trambling, drooling, pacing, agression, liver failure, and more.
We were then referred to the Metropolitain Veterinary Hospital in Akron, OH. At our appointment we met with Dr. Sara Perdion. Dr. Perdion did an ultrasound but because Snickers is so little they weren't able to clearly see a shunt. However, they did see that his liver was considerably smaller than it should be. This is most likely due to decreased blood flow to the liver. Dr. Perdion gave us a few options. We could not have the surgery and hope for the best (which she advised against), open him up and do a very expensive test to find where the shunt is at exactly and then have the surgery, or just go straight to the surgery. Going straight to the surgery was suggested as our best bet as with a liver shunt anesthesia can be hard on their little bodies and having to put him under more than once wasn't the best idea.
So we've decided to have the surgery, find the shunt, and fix it. Dr. Perdion gave us a rough estimate of costs and said that the surgery could be anywhere from $3,000 to $4,000. As we get closer to our goal I'll call and set up the appointment and get a more accurate number and update our gofundme goal accordingly.
Dr. Perdion urged us to have the surgery within 6 months, to give Snickers his best chances. Until we raise the money needed we are managing Snickers' symptoms with a special diet and medications.
If we could we would have the surgery in a heartbeat, but after paying for the emergency stone removal we're pretty much out of funds.
Snickers is my baby. He means the world to me. I have anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and depression, and he helps me cope in so many ways. When I'm sad he comforts me and he can detect the slightest change in my moods. He's always there for me. I can't just sit back and let him suffer. He's my baby, my life, my guardian angel.
Thank you so very much to anyone who shares our story, prays for us, or donates to our cause. We appreciate it more than you will ever know.
