Marlee's New Bionic Knee - Help Our Big Puppy Run Again!

Our 5-year old puppy Marlee (yes, we call her puppy as all dogs are big puppies to us), our beloved family member, is unfortunately in dire need of full knee replacement surgery.

You see, unlike her human companions, Marlee loves nothing more than a good old run. Be it at the beach, in a park, or even the tight hallway in our home, if she can run a distance, she will! Seeing tennis balls as one of her required food groups, Marlee adores chasing them yellow fuzzy balls and many a neighbor can attest to the desperation she feels when there's one of her own (or one she would like to have in her life regardless of ownership) just the tiniest bit out of her reach. Every good run is successfully completed by chewing up her short-lasting, frequently-replaced favorite balls.

Which is why it pained us so much to receive the devastating news that one of Marlee's knees was affected by a serious case of arthritis. Poor girl is now walking with a noticeable limp and even short distances have become insurmountable. Like any otherwise happy puppy, Marlee is still eager to go out and run around, yet we have to keep exercise to a slow pace to not cause her any additional harm. You should see her devastated face when we drive by her favorite beach without stopping! She always gives us the dictionary-definition look of disappointment.

Thanks to advice from our great vet, we've already changed her diet for her to be at her optimal weight and receive as many beneficial nutrients as possible. While it has alleviated her limping to some extent, there's no way around her needing surgery. Our vet strongly suggests surgery within the next couple of months to not further increase her pain levels and decrease her quality of life.

We would have never dreamed of asking others for help as we've always made a point of keeping a separate fund for any possible pet-related costs, but unfortunately the surgery comes at a much higher price point than we could have anticipated. We humbly ask for any financial support you can offer our baby girl so that she can once again chase her favorite balls down her favorite beach!

All funds will go directly to cover the cost of surgery and any related prescriptions.