Help Fix Khione's Leg!

Hello! My name is Sonnie and my husband Joe and I live in Fukuoka, Japan.

When we came to Japan, we had absolutely zero plans of getting a dog. But after a puppy mill was shut down here in Fukuoka and suddenly dozens of dogs needed good homes fast, we knew we had to help. Seeing the conditions these animals were forced to live in was heartbreaking and we ended up adopting Khione (key-own-nee), a three year old Japanese Spitz. 

She's a very smart, sweet, and special little girl and we're so happy to be her parents, but what we didn't know was that she'd need some very expensive surgery. When Khione was being bred in the puppy mill, she broke both of the bones and a joint in her front left leg. Because of the terrible conditions there, the owners never took her to get any care for the injury, which resulted in it healing improperly. 

Now, she walks with a horrible limp which is putting immense strain on the rest of her joints and body.  Going for walks is her favorite thing in the world, but she can't handle long ones. If left untreated, she'll develop painful arthritis and more as she ages. 

We have to bring her to an orthopedic vet specialist in another prefecture for up to three surgeries.

The first surgery will be the longest and most costly at up to $4,000 USD. Khione's bones will have to be shaved so they can rebond. To keep both legs at the same length, a cadaver bone will be transplanted between her bones. Bone marrow will be transplanted from either her shoulder or her hip into the cadaver bone. And everything will be held together using metal plates and screws. 

This will not be a quick process. Khione won't be able to walk for 4-5 months after the first surgery. The second and third surgery, to remove the plates and screws and fix any issues, will only be about $400 USD  each. The full healing process will take about a year. 

It will be a lot of work, but will be so worth it.

We're hoping to raise enough money to help with the first surgery. The specialist doesn't allow anyone to pay with credit card, cash only. The longer we have to put off the surgery, the higher the risks and the longer the recovery takes as she ages. 

After everything she's been through, Khione deserves a life full of happiness and freedom from the pains of her past. I hope you'll help us give that to her. 

Thank you so much for even just coming to this page and considering donating. If you don't want to donate to us, please consider donating to a local animal rescue center. (^_^) 

P.S. If we end up with any extra funds, we'd love to get Khione a dog stroller so she can still enjoy some fresh air and the park without walking during her recovery and a pet camera so we can watch for any issues while we're at work and she's home alone.