Operation for a special dog

I have a precious 3 year-old staffie-boxer cross named Baron (Barrie). He is a rescue and has been my rock for 2 years. He is a rare and special companion animal who helps me deal with depression. He senses when my mood changes and comes to me immediately and will not leave my side until he knows I’m okay. I used to take, him for long walks - not knowing he had an old injury as a starving abused puppy. It is clear that it was not treated, but allowed to heal before he was offered for adoption. Fast forward two years, he started limping occasionally, then more often so I took him to the vet.

That’s when I discovered my beautiful boy should not run anymore and can only have short, leashed walks, because he has an old partial cruciate injury in his left knee that has developed arthritic growth and joint deterioration. He needs an Arthrotomy ($700) and TTA - cruciate surgery ($1800). The alternative is continuing joint deterioration and constant pain.

When my late husband died (he had fought the results a severe cardiac seizure for 9 years) my financial state was dire. His seizure had caused brain damage, triggered by diabetes and he suffered compulsive buying disorder (CBD) leaving me $18000 in debt, which took me 5 years to clear on my sickness benefit. Caring for my husband, working full-time as a high school teacher and trying to cope with burgeoning debt made me so ill I could no longer teach. Now retired and on pension I have managed to save $800. I have no assets such as a car or jewellery and live simply in a government housing unit. I have no children or rich relatives and I simply don’t know where else to turn.

I cannot let my precious companion dog down. He is only 3 and deserves everything I can do for him.