Beloved Companion Dog Needs Surgery, Please Help!

ABUSED RESCUE DOG FINDS LOVING FAMILY

This is Ranger. Sweetest old guy. He is half bull mastiff and half staffordshire terrier and he is a rescue. He belongs to my friend and her family. I have known him since he was first rescued approx. 10 years ago and I also help take care of him. When we met him he was living in a car with his former owner who shared with us that he bred two dogs to come up with a "fighting machine"! Poor thing was only ever supposed to be a dog but was terrorized by his former owner who was trying to "toughen him up". After a year of negotiating and caring for him my friend bought him from this thug. And for three years after that Ranger had severe nightmares and would cry like a grown human in his sleep every night.

CURRENTLY BEING TREATED FOR A RARE FORM OF CANCER

He is currently being treated for Pheochromocytoma which is a rare tumor of adrenal gland tissue. It causes the release of too much epinephrine and norepinephrine - the hormones that control heart rate, metabolism, and blood pressure. He is currently being treated by an internist as well as a holistic vet. Both have helped to keep him around longer and to feel better. He is taking phenoxybenzamine for his adrenal gland tumor and a large amount of supplements. He is also on a special diet that is prepared for him each night. All of these treatments are working. We're all trying to help him live as long as possible and to feel good while he is still here. Unfortunately, the specialists are unable to remove the adrenal gland tumor because it is too close to a major vein and has invaded the vein. If they were to have a mishap during surgery he could bleed to death. There is also a blood clot in there that could break loose. So he is treated very gently and his family gives him all the love they can and thank him each day for being their "little boy".

ROGER NEEDS SURGERY TO REMOVE PAINFUL TUMOR ON THE BOTTOM OF HIS FOOT!

Now he has a few other tumors that have shown up. Two are on his stomach, one is on his back knee and one is between the pads on his foot and has doubled in size in the past 2 weeks. Also, each step he takes irritates it and it is ulcerated.

His vet does not want to put him through any unnecessary surgery, but because this tumor is growing so rapidly and because it is hurting him with each step he takes, they want to remove it at the base. They can't put him completely under because his other tumor could cause a rush of adrenaline while he is in surgery and he could jump up unexpectedly and hurt himself, terribly. They want to give him a local, possibly a tranquilizer, and they need to have his family in there holding him and keeping him calm. They also want to test the tumor on his knee because it has grown very quickly.

They will need to do blood work and there will be additional medications prescribed after his surgery. The vet's office said the best gauge they could give on the price with the blood work, test on the knee tumor, local, surgery to remove the tumor, aftercare and meds is approximately $2000-$2500. They won't know exactly what they are dealing with until they run tests and it's only after surgery that they will have the final tally. He will also need an ultrasound of his adrenal gland tumor after the surgery and that, along with his exam will cost a little over $600.

His family is already spending quite a bit of money each month to keep him feeling as good as they can. His adrenal gland tumor shrunk a little bit and was stabilized the last time they gave him an ultrasound and his blood clot even shrunk! So, the treatments are helping in many ways. Aside from the pain he has when walking on this tumor, he seems to be thriving.

SENIOR YEARS

We don't want him to have this tumor growing and hurting him. We want to help him to feel good in his senior years and want to have him around as long as he can feel well.

PLEASE HELP!

His family is uncomfortable asking for help, so I am asking instead. I have watched them spend all of their money to get him the best treatments possible and they can't afford his surgery. I would pay for it if I could but I am unable to. If anyone finds it in their heart to help this old guy, that would be amazing. Thank you in advance for reading and thank you for any help you can give.