Little Guy (Raphael) is a 10-year-old Shetland Sheepdog in Martinsburg, WV, who needs $1,100 for surgery.

Little Guy is a 10 year old senior Shetland Sheepdog who is currently suffering from a large, unidentified cyst on his paw. It used to be an incredibly small zit on his paw that we assumed would go away, but it eventually grew larger and larger, until it popped a few days ago. We managed to take him to the vet once before this, but they told us it was unidentifiable and would require surgery.

Little Guy is Samantha's best friend; my 19 year old daughter. She has been with him ever since we adopted him as a puppy. When he first came home, he was scared of his new environment. Samantha slept near his crate and talked to him to calm him down, and from then on, a close bond grew. He always insists in sleeping in her room next to her bed, and always whines at her door when she's sleeping.

I am a 49 year old single mother struggling to live on $1600 from spousal support that will be ending soon. I've been struggling to find a job due to COVID, and our monthly bills, including groceries and lot rent, are too much for me to save up enough money for surgery.

The surgery required to remove the cyst (since it's not really an option to leave it untreated) will cost around $1100. Our vet is located in WV and is called Vets & Pets. They did give us a small antibiotic the first time we managed to take him to the vet, but it did not help with his injuries. Since Little Guy's cyst has popped and is now starting to detach from the skin, he requires surgery.

Little Guy and Samantha are inseparable together. Little Guy even knows Samantha's name as "mama" (a cute nickname we gave her considering how close she was with him.) He is obsessed with toys and loves to play with anyone. Little Guy is overall a very sweet, lovable, dog, and despite his age, still acts like a puppy. Little Guy has brightened up our world, and Samantha's world, in a major way.