Category: Urgent Care

In recent weeks, Melissa’s beloved cat, Oliver, has not been feeling like himself. Despite trying changes to his diet, he still needs further testing to understand what is going on. Melissa is worried about her best friend and wants to make sure he receives the care he needs. 

Oliver has also been diagnosed with Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions (FORL), a painful dental disease affecting his back teeth. One tooth is broken and needs to be extracted, and he requires a full dental cleaning.

Before surgery, Oliver must have blood, urine, and pancreatic testing to rule out other health concerns. 

Oliver has been by Melissa’s side since he was born in a sock drawer and came home with her at just eight weeks old. “He is my best friend,” she told the VHS. “He is the only constant I have had in my life. I love him more than anything.” 

Melissa shared, “He drinks water only from a gently dripping bathtub tap. He follows me everywhere, even standing guard during showers. Doors are not allowed to be closed. He would be highly offended.” 

Living on a very limited income, Melissa was not prepared for these unexpected veterinary costs. 
With help from the Vancouver Humane Society’s McVitie Fund program, Oliver can receive the testing and dental surgery he needs. 

Will you donate today to help relieve Oliver’s pain and give him more healthy years with his best friend, Melissa?

A little black dog with a big personality, Bandit is facing some serious dental issues. He is in pain, having difficulty eating, and several of his teeth need to be extracted. Left untreated, his guardian is concerned the infection could spread from his mouth to other parts of his body.  

Bandit’s guardian Theresa is unable to work as she is living with Fibromyalgia and CPTSD. Theresa shared, “Bandit came into my life after completing my addiction treatment and he was instrumental in motivating me to stay clean. He is my emotional support dog and very important since I do not have any family support. There was a time when if not for him I probably would not have left the house, but since we get out for regular daily walks, my anxiety has greatly decreased, and my mental health has become stable.” 

“Little black Bandit is notorious for breaking hearts! He is a very well-mannered distinguished gentleman, especially when it comes to treats and back scratches, or both.” 

Right now, Theresa cannot cover the full cost of his dental surgery on her own. She told us, “Being able to get the help we need would mean the world to Bandit and me because it would ensure that we could stay together for many years to come.” 

With help from the Vancouver Humane Society’s McVitie program, Bandit will get the care he needs as soon as possible. 

Can you donate today toward the dental surgery that will help Bandit live pain-free again?

Adventurous Ghost the kitten was born with a partially developed hind leg. Though Ghost’s guardian, Destiny, delights in watching Ghost grow and discover all the wonders of life, it has become clear that Ghost’s back leg is making things challenging.
 
Ghost is struggling to move without splitting open the end of her back leg, which has prompted several visits to the vet to treat the wound. Vets have recommended that Ghost’s partial leg be fully amputated, or Ghost will continue to re-injure herself.
  
Destiny told the VHS that upon adopting Ghost, the pair instantly became best friends. It is heart-breaking for Destiny to see anything get in the way of her beloved Ghost’s joyful spirit, and she can’t bear to see her friend in pain. With amputation, Ghost will be free to move around on her other three legs without her partial leg getting in her way.
 
Trying to make everything work while living on a low income, Destiny has already spent all she can spare on Ghost’s previous vet visits. With help from the Vancouver Humane Society’s McVitie Fund program, Ghost began getting the care she needed right away and will have her surgery as soon as possible.

Can you donate towards Ghost’s care today?

Christine woke up to find her dog, Opi, lying on the floor, trembling and breathing unsteadily. His food and water bowls were untouched. When he did stand up, wobbling on his feet, he vomited. Christine rushed Opi to the vet.

There, x-rays found that Opi has swallowed a small bouncy ball that will need to be urgently removed from his intestines to save his life.

Christine lost both her partner and son within months of each other. Opi was Christine’s son’s dog and meant the world to him. Christine knew immediately that she would take Opi in as her own after her son passed away. It gives her comfort to be able to care for the dog her son loved so dearly.

“Opi is my life and the one thing I have left of my son. I can’t lose him too,” Christine told the VHS.

Christine is facing the immense challenge of grieving the loss of her family members while managing her recent cancer diagnosis. Though she’s relieved to learn Opi isn’t suffering from a serious illness too, Christine is devastated that she cannot afford the emergency surgery he needs to survive. Living on income assistance and unable to work, Christine has reached out the VHS for help.

With surgery, Opi is expected to quickly recover and go on to enjoy companionship with Christine for years to come.

Can you donate towards Opi’s life-saving care today?

Every night, Handsome the cat curls up in bed nose-to-nose with his guardian Marlena and purrs her to sleep. When Marlena wakes each morning, Handsome is snoring peacefully by her feet.

Handsome has been Marlena’s steady support since she left home due to difficult circumstances at 18 years old. She took sweet Handsome in from a relative who could no longer care for him five years ago and the pair have been inseparable since.

Recently, Marlena noticed Handsome was frantically grooming between his legs while sitting by the litter box. When she approached him, he growled at Marlena in pain. Terrified for her friend, Marlena rushed Handsome to the vet.

There, Handsome was treated through catheterization for a urinary blockage twice, but the procedures were unsuccessful. Now veterinary staff have recommended urgent PU (perineal urethrostomy) surgery for Handsome to save his life.

Marlena is distraught. Having already spent all she can spare on Handsome’s initial treatments, she cannot afford the estimated $3,500 his surgery will cost.

Marlena can’t imagine a life without her boy. “Coming home and not seeing him while he’s been in the emergency vet has been heartbreaking and I’m hoping he’s not too scared or stressed being there,” Marlena told the VHS.

Your gift today can help Handsome get the life-saving surgery he needs to return to his home with beloved Marlena.

Can you donate towards Handsome’s life-saving care today?