Honey needs help!!!

[Doodle]

We just received a phone call from the vet confirming Honey (only 8 months old!) has 2 partially torn ACLs!!!! Our vet's office has an orthopedic surgeon as well and he agreed with our vet and asked that the x-rays be sent to a radiologist to double check. All three are in agreement it is both knees.

How can this be? Our poor Honey!! She's on meds to control the pain.

The vet is talking about surgery on BOTH knees with extensive recovery time.  Honey would have to be still with no exercise. Did I mention she is only 8 months old?

I'm sure it must have happened when Honey and Shadow were chasing and wrestling, they always have a good wrestle and run. 

The vet said it is going to cost anywhere from $1500-$2500 that's PER KNEE!!!! Tears are flowing as I'm writing this and my heart is breaking. We can't pay for this. We've already spent over $2,000 in medical bills on her just in the last 4 months! What am I going to do? I love her so much. If we don't do the surgery than she will either get a full tear in one or both knees and get arthritis and have to be on constant pain meds until she can't take it anymore. I can't do that to her. I feel horrible. I told the vet I heard that sometimes it can heal on its own.  She wasn't as hopeful because Honey is bigger (50 pounds) and generally speaking that happens in smaller dogs and it's not all that common.

HELP!!! What do I do??

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Donna, GMTA....I just told the same story about Hurley!

[Colleen, Jake & Baxter]

I hope and pray that Honey will get everything she needs to help her.  I am so sorry for what you are going through.  My own "free" re-homed doodle, Jake, has been the most expensive animal I have ever owned due to all of his issues.  But, we love him dearly and that's just how it is.....

[Rita and Fazzy]

Definitely look into WSU and their vet program as well as the Good Samaritan Fun - - may be a bit of a drive over to Pullman, but certainly worth looking at - they do wonderful work!!! 

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

Elizabeth, is there any update on Honey?  I have been thinking about her...

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Thinking about Honey and just wondering how she's doing.?

[Jen and Annie]

I am new to the thread, but I wanted to send some thoughts.  First off, I'm so sorry this is happening to Honey.  With all of the resources posted here, I would think you will be able to find the financial assistance you will need (or at least a portion of it).  The other issue, is that you feel like you are being attacked for bringing up the potential choice to rehome Honey.  The folks here at DK definitely love their dogs as a bonafide member of the family, and the idea of rehoming a dog because it would be a hassle to rehabilitate the dog, is a foreign concept. $4000 is a lot of money.  No one is arguing that point.  But when you love an animal, you will find a way to do what is needed, whether it's begging for money, begging for help...anything to keep the dog you love and help them to heal.  In this situation, just like when grandma has a broken hip, and you dont WANT to have to deal with helping her get to and from the bathroom - you do what you have to do.  Even if it's inconvenient to you or interrupts your familys daily life...Because it's a family member.  To the folks here that really love their dogs AS family members, the idea of giving the dog away sounds like a very selfish move, because it seems that your main reasoning for considering a rehome is that it is 'disturbing' your life. (Kids have to step over the gates, kids have to be quieter)...

If you were to ask Honey, she would probably rather be locked in a tiny cardboard box in the garage for her recovery than go to a new home.  She loves your family - your profile says she is a real lover girl - she loves you and your family, and trust me, she is not interested in interrupting your life, but things happen.  And we deal with them.  I'm sure if she could go back and NOT hurt herself, she would do it to keep the peace in the family and avoid having to start all over again with a new family.  The dog hurt itself - unfortunately it happens.  The answer is not to send the dog packing because it would be inconvenient to rehab her.  The money would not be an issue, there is help through donation funds as listed here, etc.  To be fair to all on the thread, your most recent post seems to indicate that you have given up on Honey because it will not be convenient for your family to have to deal with her recovering from the injury.  It sounds selfish.  You are right, no one here knows you - or your family.  But the bare bones is:  Your dog is hurt and needs an expensive surgery. Many members posted options of financial assistance, including free money from complete strangers to help pay for it.  It seems that you don't want to have to work around any inconveniences to your family to help the dog recover. At least that's how the post reads.  For people who really value their dogs and couldn't imagine ever taking that stance, it seems selfish and foreign.  I do wish you the best, and hope that you can make it work with Honey.  It seems like she is really in love with your family, and it would be a shame to see her story end with a rehome or worse.   

[Doodle]

It's Elizabeth (and Honey). I changed my name on here and I've decided to not be on this site.  It's a wonderful site full of fun and love but I feel I have upset too many of you (with good reason) and I've chosen to remove myself.

It's clear you are all loyal loving dog caregivers. 

There are MANY wonderful organizations I have learned about and spent hours researching. Thank you for introducing me to them. I felt it was only fair to keep you posted in how things are playing out.

Believe if you must that I am an awful pet caregiver. I have not given up on Honey. I completely believe in her.  The 4 months we have had her I know how wonderful she is. It is not just the money or the rehab, there is more and I choose not to go further in depth because I don't need to share my dirty laundry.  I know I'll be picked apart no matter what is said.

The bottom line now is that Honey will not have a chance if she is with me and she doesn't deserve that. She deserves more. I HAVE to rehome her that's her only option. Believe it or not I'm completely heartbroken about all of this and I know that is frustrating to many of you to hear. I reached out to http://doodlerescue.org/ to help find a home for her. 

There is nothing more anyone can say about me and my family that could possibly make me feel any worse, lower or more of a failure than I already do. I can only hope and pray Honey will get the life she deserves because shes really an amazing labradoodle.

[Rita and Fazzy]

I'm sorry to hear this and I wish both you and Honey the best going forward.  :-(

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

Though I do appreciate you updating us, I cannot help but feel so sad and terrible for Honey. I suppose somewhere in my mind I was hoping that you would've changed your mind. Though I don't agree with your decision, it is out of my hands., Traci said it best- if you knew you had this dirty laundry, then why bring up the surgery question in the first place? Im sorry. I didnt want to go there again, but it is true.
I truly hope that Honey will find a forever home that will give her everything she deserves and more.

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

I am just now reading this and feel devastated.  If you, Elizabeth, are still reading anything from DK, I am sorry that you have to make this decision and I'm terribly sorry that Honey has to go through all of this in her young life.  I have no idea about your family, but you just got her four months ago, right?  That means that whatever "dirty laundry" you are referring to would have occurred  within that four months I assume, otherwise why would you adopt a rehome in an unstable family situation to begin with?  I don't get this.  It's not really my business, but maybe it is since you posted all of this in the first place.  You wanted help, you claimed, for Honey.  When many options of help were presented, you decided to just get rid of her.  I wish people would just do what they are going to do then & not get DK involved because it is very upsetting to all of us who love dogs.  Again, I am very sorry for whatever you are all going through.  I will now have to pray for Honey because I can't stand this.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

"I wish people would just do what they are going to do then & not get DK involved because it is very upsetting to all of us who love dogs"

Amen Traci. 

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

This is very upsetting but not surprising.  I hope you get through whatever it is that you are going through.  I hope Honey gets the help she needs as she is FAR too young to have been re-homed twice already.  I hope she gets to a forever home that will consider her a part of the family.  I hope you get your other dog pet insurance so this won't happen to him as well.  But you do seem to have had him longer ...