Update
It is with sadness we share that our blind friend Natty has gone to the Rainbow Bridge.
His mom Jessica wishes to pay forward his 2XL Blue Muffin’s Halo to a big blind dog in need.
RIP Natty
XO
Backstory
Hi, Theresa. I was contacted on Facebook to contact you regarding Natty‘s story.
Natty is a nine-year-old Golden Retriever. We’ve had Natty since he was a puppy. Up until this June, Natty was in great health. Natty is the most caring and loyal dog that I have ever had. He has never disobeyed me or my husband, never wandered off, and he truly is, OUR BEST FRIEND.
It began with a tooth infection in June of 2015. Natty had three teeth removed, and during the surgery, which was $1200, the vet discovered a tumor. Biopsies were taken and results were inconclusive. Another biopsy was done, and the results of that were inconclusive as well. However, the tumor is growing incredibly fast. In the picture that I enclosed, you can see that it is growing. It has since caused Natty to go blind, as well as lose his sense of smell. Many blind dogs rely on their sense of smell to get around, but Natty is only relying on his hearing.
The vet believes that Natty has an aggressive soft tissue sarcoma under his right eye. We are now even trying holistic means to get the tumor to shrink, but nothing is working. His breathing is labored, he cannot see, nor can he smell. The tumor is under his right eye, pressing on his optic nerve. They believe that it has grown into his sinus cavity.
I am a teacher and my husband works nearly 12 hours a day. Neither of us are home on a daily basis, and because Natty is having such a hard time navigating due to the loss of smell, we are incredibly worried about him. He is constantly running into things, bumping his head, the tumor, and his eyes.
Because of his vision loss and loss of confidence, Natty is no longer playing. Natty has also decided not to play with our other dog, JD…even though she still tries to play with him. He just seems so depressed.
In the time since Natty has had the surgery, I have contacted a local agency near me in Youngstown, Ohio. I asked them to aid me with the medical bills. They thought thatNatty was a good candidate, but they only cover the expenses before the surgery, not after. Since then, we’ve had to buy a new fridge and a new car due to them breaking unexpectedly. I’m sure that you know some teachers, and we don’t make very much money! The bills have become overwhelming.
Many of my friends have shared videos of Muffin’s halos with me on facebook. I love them, and I think Natty would benefit greatly from one, but we just can’t afford it. I don’t normally look for handouts, but I am so worried about my little guy when we’re away all day long.
We’re not sure how much longer he has with us, and we just want to be sure that he is confident, comfortable, and happy while he is still here. I feel that with your help, and Muffin’s Halo, we can give Natty his confidence back.
Thank you for taking Natty‘s story into consideration for Muffin’s Halo. It is an honor just for you to hear his story.
With Sincere Gratitude,
Jessica G,
