TPLO Surgery for Banana

Hello friends and friendly strangers,

We really need help. We took our sweet Banana to a veterinary osteopath as her knee was swollen and she was limping. We expected that she had torn a ligament and would need surgery, which is common, but the vet returned with difficult news.

Banana has a congenital issue where both her hind knees developed at too extreme an angle for the joint to handle routine impact. Unfortunately, this means that she needs not one but TWO knee surgeries called TPLOs: Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomies. TPLO involves changing the angle of the top of the shin bone (the tibial plateau) by cutting the bone, rotating it, and stabilizing it in a new position with a plate and screws. These surgeries will end up costing nearly $9,000.

Banana's first surgery is in July and it will take 12 weeks of constant care to help her heal. The second surgery will happen soon, but the date is not yet set.

The prognosis is promising; with both surgeries, Banana should have full, pain-free function of all limbs. In her current state, she is in pain all the time.

AJ and I love our goofy, little yellow dog beyond measure. We were hit hard when I lost my career in 2018 and then again when the pandemic landed. This is a surprise expense that is extraordinary to us. We need communal support, as paying for these surgeries out of pocket would put us in an unstable financial situation.

This GoFundMe will be for Banana's first surgery, as we hope our financial circumstances improve before the next one. If you're able to help us out, we are forever grateful. Thank you so much.