Caring for our dog - Trailhound Jimmy Brown

Aim

Jimmy has had a massive cancerous tumour on his spleen removed. We are asking for help to cover his vet's fees and ongoing care.

Jimmy Brown - Champion Trailhound and stealer of hearts - is 11 years old and retired in Norfolk, UK, where he loves to explore a flatter landscape than the Cumbrian Fells he grew up in.

Jimmy has always been an active hound, so it was heart-breaking to see him slowing down and appear to age almost overnight. His belly (normally slim) began to swell, yet weight was dropping off him everywhere else. A trip to the vet confirmed our fear, that he had an aggressive tumour growing in his abdomen, stealing his vitality and life.

Scans failed to pinpoint which organ was affected and time was short, so the decision was taken to operate, whilst Jimmy still had some strength. The vets needed to see exactly what they were dealing with; whether the tumour could be safely removed and Jimmy's life saved.

We said what we feared would be our last goodbyes, as Jimmy was led off to surgery, with no guarantee he would make it safely home... 

Later that day, word came through, that a 4.5kg tumour, on his spleen, had been removed and we were elated to hear the surgery had gone well. Joy, however, turned to worry, as hours passed and Jimmy did not come round from his sedation. A visit was made to see him, in case he slipped away under the anaesthetic, but once again, Jimmy's Champion spirit shone through, as he began to rouse and walked to meet us, though still very weak.

Jimmy's best chance of survival, was to transfer to an overnight vet, who would continue round the clock care and be able to give a blood transfusion, if Jimmy crashed due to blood loss. Thankfully, that proved unnecessary, although the hospital stay added several hundred pounds to costs which have exceeded £3,000.

The following morning saw Jimmy ready to be discharged into our care, with plenty of drugs to aid his recovery and several post-operative check-ups scheduled, for further blood tests and ongoing prescriptions.

Jimmy has been recuperating well, with 24 hour company and short walks, as well as the finest recovery diet known to Dog! Human care has been supplemented by Nurse Izzabella Trailhound and Doctor Goose Springer Spaniel (seen here taking a well-earned break!)

Jimmy has lost a lot of red blood cells and his weight is an issue, so we have been trying to build him back up, but it will be a journey measured in months before he is back to full health. The one thing we do know, is that this stoic hound will simply never give up. All of his hard work and our care, will see him return to fitness, so he can revisit his old home and meet up with his old trainer and friends in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District.

We appreciate, in these times of hardship for so many, that it is a tricky time to be asking for financial help. Any small amount will be very gratefully received and will help to cover bills which are likely to mount further still. Thank you for reading Jimmy's story - he really is a most wonderful dog and deserves all of our efforts to live out his final years in healthy, well-earned retirement. Anybody who would like further information about Trailhounds, please visit Lakeland Trailhound Welfare.

This project successfully funded on 3rd November 2022