Help Jackson Walk Again: Support His Surgery

Approximately 25% of Dachshunds suffer from damage to the discs in their spines at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, the family baby, Jackson, is one of them.

On March 10th, Jackson started to display signs of pain. Quickly, his condition deteriorated and, by the end of the day, he lost motor function in his legs. My family swiftly brought him to the Emergency Vet where he was diagnosed with a herniated disc, also known as a slipped or ruptured disc. He had to wait to see a surgeon, but within those few hours, he lost all feeling in his legs. Now, with time of the essence, surgery wasn't an option if we wanted our sweet boy pain-free and walking again.

The decision to go through with surgery was a no-brainer, but the debt that comes with it is not something we'd wish on anyone. It's a common story; a beloved pet needs surgery or life-saving care and their insurance doesn't cover it, so the family is left with insurmountable debt. This is now our situation, and we need your help.

Surgery and hospitalization have cost us over $12,000, with even more bills to come. If all goes well, Jackson will require follow-up visits that can cost $1,000 each. He'll also need physical therapy for 8 weeks to get him up and moving again, adding up to another $2000. These are only estimates, as we can only tell as time progresses, but we already know we won't be able to afford all this care. We've already opened credit to pay for the surgery, and there's only so much we can do after that. That's why we need you.

Any donation, big or small, would mean the world to us. If you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing this with others who may be able to help. We are incredibly grateful for any support you can provide, as it will help our baby regain his ability to walk again.

More About Us:

My name's Bobbi, and I'm Jackson's primary owner. Currently, I'm 25 and a student studying Chinese Culture and Visual Communication. I unfortunately deal with severe bipolar depression and anxiety, hindering much of my daily life. As for Jackson, he was born in 2020 to a small litter. I adopted him in 2021, in the height of the pandemic, from my grandmother. She had previously taken in both him and his sister soon after they were born, but ran into trouble with her apartment's management. My family had just experienced the death of another dearly loved pet, Potter, the year before. His sister, Zoey, was still with us, but she was independent and disliked affection. The death of Potter had left my family distraught, but it affected me most heavily. Due to my depression, I threatened harm upon my life and found ways to hurt myself. This is why I sought another dog; I needed a companion to comfort me in my times of need and help me through daily life. And thus, Jackson came into our home.

Jackson has been everything our family needs, and more. He's grown to be the sweetest, most loving dog an owner can have. He craves attention, and is always either laying his butt into someone's lap for a nap or pushing his head into their hand for pets. At night, he chooses someone to share a blanket with, and snuggles up beneath their feet. Jackson has also worked diligently as both a therapy and psychiatric service dog. He quickly learned how to read and act on my moods, and how to stop me from harming myself. This became very needed when Zoey passed of old age, and our family was left to mourn the death of another beloved pet. The lil' old lady he'd play with and share a nap in the sun with was gone, but he continued his duties and comforted our family.

Now, Jackson is the only dog we own, and we're determined to give him a healthy and fulfilling life. He's walked the streets of Disney World, New York, and Pennsylvania, but there's more he needs to see. I have dreams of travelling the world, and wish to take him along with me. But whether it's at home, or halfway across the world, he needs his legs to carry him. Jackson's young, barely five years, and full of energy. He loves running in the grass, rubbing himself in the dirt, destroying his favorite Lamb Chop, and zooming across the house. We want to see him doing those things again, so we'll be doing what we can to get him the care he needs, but would appreciate any help.

Again, any donation, big or small, would mean the world to us. If you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing this with others who may be able to help. We are incredibly grateful for any support you can provide, as it will help our baby regain his ability to walk again.

Thank you for listening to our story, and may good health follow you♡

For updates, follow me on Instagram: @kuromi.bunbun