Vera is a 10-year-old Golden Retriever in Zephyrhills, FL, who needs $1,200 for liver support and maintenance care.

We had an 11 year old therapy dog who had just beat his first fight with cancer. Our vet suggested a new puppy to keep him busy and exercised. That’s when Vera came into our lives. The older retriever taught her everything he knew! She was such a smart girl, she exceeded even his lessons. Both dogs alerted to seizures in our child and blood sugar fluctuations.

Vera is, by all accounts, a spoiled but undeniably loving dog. She follows mama all over the house, and simply adores “bye bye in the car.” She has her own seat in the van now that “her” kiddos have grown up and moved out. When I tease her about being excited about a car ride, she huffs at me in disgust. When excited, her upper lip catches on her teeth - hilarious!

I am a special education teacher in Hillsborough County, Florida. My husband has recently returned to work after a year on workman’s comp due to a ruptured bicep tendon. Both of us suffer from chronic autoimmune diseases. We can’t do it alone.

Until two weeks ago, Vera was a super healthy dog! We made the mistake of allowing her to have dog treats from Rural King in Zephyrhills Florida, and come to find out those treats were made by the Sportmix brand. She was poisoned by Aflatoxin. Her regular vet was too busy to see her, so we made the excellent choice to bring her to Zephyrhills Veterinary Clinic. Her liver has been damaged.

Vera and our cat, a Russian Blue mix rescue named Jasper, have a love/hate relationship. They look guilty when I find them curled up together in her dog bed. Vera has a small collection of “babies” and her favorite among them changes from time to time. She will gather them up in her bed to give them all a bath. When she doesn’t want someone to leave, she tugs on their sleeve.