Help westie Locky to get though emergency esophagus problem

Dear dog people and supporters!

My name is Olga and I'm doing my best to save my fur family member who has been urgently hospitilised.

Lockhart story began in December 2019 where he was the heaviest of 3 puppies west highland terrier born. He was a cheerful, always hungry pup and he chose us himself when trusted me and felt comfortable in my hands. Withing a week Lockhart started to respond to Locky and he also started my happier days together back in February 2020 when we brought him home.

In February 2022 we could not leave immediately as it wasn’t safe to move towards the border and dogs need rabies certificates to go abroad. We struggled and Locky was always by my side, I had nowhere to escape somewhere quiet. He got scared with loud unexpected noises as well as his owner but he also helped me to fight depression, constant stress and lots of fear we won’t make it to another day. Lockhart became a lifeline to me and helped to deal with severe anxiety. He distracted me from what was going on with his daily routine and I could only fall asleep listening to him breathing rhythmically in his container next to my bed. My boy constant affection, positiveness and calming presence helped me through those terrible nightmare days and motivated me to leave to get a safe, quiet place to stay and provide him with no life hazard, happy days in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Since Sunday, March 9th I have been praying like never before. It’s another terrible day in my life I wish nobody ever had. My boy swallowed a piece of food without chewing quickly, that piece got stuck at the end of his esophagus and was causing him pain and irritation, but couldn’t get rid of it no matter how vigorously tried. I took my dog to the emergency vet clinic immediately. At the same time, there was an exacerbation of pancreatitis because a lot of air had gotten into his stomach when he was coughing and trying to vomit the piece, I can’t imagine how scared he was. Locky was trembling and rushing at the vet’s and whimpering, tears rolling from his eyes. They started with X-ray where they saw that piece got stuck and went to a minimally invasive procedure with an endoscope, but it did not help because the sphincter at the end of the esophagus spasmed and it became impossible to push the food into the air bloated stomach. The piece was relatively soft, but it was impossible to get it through his throat either. The dog was saved only by surgical intervention through the stomach, so he got his abdominal cut and stomach cut. Thanks God and doctors, my fur friend could make through all those procedures and long hours anesthesia.

Lockhart is a small but real strong warrior as his full name from kennel is Thor Lockhart. I was not allowed to take Lockhart home the next day after the surgery as he didn’t eat properly and had to be watched to continue his injection medication. Locky has never been separated from me for his 5 years and he is scared and anxious staying among strangers in the clinic. Dogs don’t talk but he doesn’t cooperate in English, so I can’t even imagine what he feels both physically and mentally.

When he is discharged there will be two more weeks of medications such as antibiotics (Clavaseptin), anti reflux (Metoclopradine), anti nausea (Cerenia), gastro mediaction (Omeprazole) to prevent ulcers.

That’s a lot for such a small buddy but that’s the only way out. I must save his life as he saved mine in Ukraine, kept mentally stable and motivated me to leave successfully. I poured the whole amount of all my credit cards which have pretty low limits for newcomers in Canada as they have no long term reliable credit story. There is no pet or newcomers charity community to support and I really need help to go through this. I have already paid 4,000 Cad (before tax) on March 9th and the clinic invoice is still opened as they haven’t discharged him yet and it’s 1637 CAD ahead to be paid to the clinic for March 11th.

Every amount, every single penny will help Lockhart to heal and recover but it would also help me to know we are not alone, please help in this fight. Locky made though challenging 2022 in another country, trans Atlantic flight to Halifax where he loves and I can’t lose him now.

This is the first time I am asking for financial help in my whole life and also in Canada since we arrived on Easter Sunday in 2023, I pray for the power of dog owners, lovers and local Canadian community. I am broken and desperate to see my dog fighting for his life not even in person but on the photo provided by vet clinic nurse.

I hope for the testament of understanding when someone is in need in a new country and local power of community. Thank you for every small step to help me and my dog to go through this awful challenge.