Meet Smokey, a rambunctious 3 month old Toy Australian Shepherd who wriggled out of his big sister’s arms late one night shortly after Christmas. He went flying across the room, and when he hit the floor, he shrieked in pain. Smokey’s family knew they had to get him to a vet right away.
Smokey jumped out of his big sister’s arms and broke a hind leg.
Having this happen right after Christmas was just bad luck. Funds were short so Smokey’s mom, Shannon, started calling every emergency vet in the Pittsburgh area trying to find one that offered a payment plan.
She didn’t find any.
A kind receptionist finally told Shannon there was one vet hospital that might be willing to help, but it was an hour and half away.
Shannon didn’t care about the distance – she just wanted her puppy out of pain.
At 9:00 pm Shannon bundled Smokey and the family into the car and they headed for Cheat Lake Animal Hospital in Morgantown, WV.
Smokey was treated with TLC by the Cheat Lake team. They took X-rays, provided pain relief, and put him in a cast to stabilize his fracture.
By 1:00 am Smokey and the family were on their way back to Pittsburgh, arriving home around 3. Shannon still had to work the next day, but what mattered to her more than lack of sleep was that her puppy got the care he needed and was no longer in pain.
Smokey’s vet team hopes his cast will provide enough stability to allow his fracture to heal without surgery.
Please join us in sending good wishes to Smokey for a speedy and complete recovery. He has a bright future ahead of him as a therapy dog for Shannon’s husband, a disabled veteran who suffers from PTSD.
Said Shannon in her message to VetBilling®, “I’m so thankful Cheat Lake partnered with VetBilling to assist with payments. I just couldn’t afford to pay 100% all at once. I wish everyone had this option. It causes less stress for pet owners seeking medical attention for their furbaby.”
Shannon’s payment plan for Smokey:
Total treatment cost: $450.20
Down payment: $225.20 Payments:
6 monthly at $40.53