Lexie is a 4-year-old Australian Cattle Dog in Farmington Hills, MI, who needs $2,000 for Total Ear Canal Ablation and Bulla Osteotomy.

Lexie has been a part of our family for nearly 4 years. As with all of our previous pets, they become part of the family and get as spoiled as your own children. She shares our home like she is one of us. In her usual downtime she enjoys resting on the couch blanket. Otherwise she used to be a very playful pup. With those times becoming fewer, we certainly miss them.

Lexie is a great and loyal companion for our family. Being a working/herding dog, she always needs to know where every one of us are in the house, and protective of the house itself. She loves sleeping with my daughter on her bed. When my other two kids come to visit, she is always the first one they go up to. She is a great family member.

Lexie loves swimming, going on hikes, playing fetch and tug, and just enjoys being active. There are times when she will just come up to you and, with a high-pitched play bark, let you know she wants to play. She has more facial and body expressions than I have seen in any animal. We almost know what she is thinking at all times... and she probably knows what we are thinking as well :)

Lexie developed a severe ear infection a few months ago that was continually treated by our long-time veterinarian at Plaza Vet. After several regimens of treatment for the infection, and ruptured eardrum as a result of the infection, she developed a head-tilt over the course of treatments. He then referred us to the MSU small animal clinic where they did a CT scan and found several anomalies.

At a time when we have college expenses, as well as just trying to get by due to the cost of inflation, this is an extraordinary expense that was not anticipated. I know a lot of people say "it is just a pet", but it is more than a pet. It is a family member.