Help for Hamish

Hey everyone, we are putting out a very special appeal to help wee Hamish the chihuahua puppy to get the surgery he needs.

Hamish was rescued from a puppy farm when he was only a few weeks old, thanks to Underdogs NI and Firmount Vets. He was adopted by Claire and Fraser and found a very loving home, doted on by everyone, the tiniest little boy with the biggest personality and full of fun love and affection.

Earlier this week, wee Hamish was rushed to the vet, squealing in pain and unable to walk. The vet suspected IVDD and a CT scan was performed. Unfortunately, the scan results showed that Hamish has a condition called Atlantoaxial instability (AAI) - this is a serious spinal condition where the first two neck bones (the atlas and axis) are loose or misaligned. This lack of stability presses on the spinal cord. It is common in young toy-breed dogs due to missing or malformed ligaments and bone structures, it's something that Hamish was born with, and the risk factor was sadly increases due to puppy farm breeding.

Hamish has been in the vet since Tuesday morning, in pain, unable to move, sedated and scanned, missing his family and his wee chihuahua sister Heidi.

On Thursday, his family took him to Meath, a 2.5 hour journey for which he had to be sedated, the sedation was wearing off on their arrival and he was squealing in pain. Hamish had further scans and tests, during which time Claire and Hamish were told he was at risk of paralysis as they had to extend his neck to get the imagery they would need for the surgery. Thankfully, Hamish survived this part of the journey and the team of specialists have agreed they can perform surgery and give him the best possible chance at a pain-free life - this will be a permanent procedure to fuse and stabilize the neck bones together.

The vet bill is already into 4 figures (£1000 for a CT scan in Belfast and €5000 for the scans, tests and preparation for surgery in Meath) and is estimated to increase drastically, upwards of £10k.

Any dog-owner will know that they would do everything to give a wee pup a chance at survival, and Hamish's family will do whatever they have to. We are appealing on their behalf for prayers for Hamish, and also for any financial help that can be donated to give this wee man a fighting chance. He survived the puppy farm, we need him to survive this, and to thrive in life.

If you could donate any amount, big or small, it would be hugely appreciated. We know that all the little acts of kindness and up. Hamish's owners always give to good causes, help out charity, do what they can to help others - now it is our turn to give them some support and assistance. Help for Hamish 🙏🏻

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