A couple has raised £8,500 to help fund an operation for their beloved pet dog who has been given only months to live.
Jaxson the Spaniel was born with a genetic condition affecting his mobility in his front elbows.
His owners, Bekki Woolnough and Eren Mustafa, from Beccles, took him to several local vets and discovered he would need life-changing bilateral elbow arthrodesis surgery, which can only be done at a specialist referral practice and would cost them £20,000.
@jaxson_the_spaniel “What’s up with Jaxson’s legs?” is a common question we get 🤎 #spanielsoftiktok #spanielpuppy #spaniellife ♬ original sound - Jaxson the Spaniel
Due to the specialist nature of the surgery, their pet insurance does not cover the high fee.
Bekki Woolnough and her partner bought Jaxson from a breeder in Norwich as a puppy, and only started to notice he was having mobility issues as he grew older.
Jaxson, a Cocker Spaniel, is now one and a half years old, and vets have said he will be lucky to see past his second birthday if he doesn't get the urgent surgery in time.
Jaxson on the beach as a puppy (Image: Bekki Woolnough)
Ms Woolnough, a 41-year-old nail technician from Beccles, said: "As he grows and gets older his elbows are going to carry on deteriorating and it's going to get to the stage where it becomes too painful for him to move at all.
"At the moment he's on anti-inflammatories and pain killers which he has to take every day, and that's only just keeping him going until we manage to get him the surgery."
Jaxson is on pain medication to reduce inflammation in his joints which is easing some of the discomfort and has also been given a dog wheelchair by the charity Winston's Wheels. He can now go outside and get fresh air for the first time, although he needs the surgery as a permanent long-term fix for his health issues.
@jaxson_the_spaniel Learning to use my new wheels! This is only temporary until i can get my life saving surgery ❤️🐾 #spanielsoftiktok ♬ Better Half of Me (Acoustic) - Tom Walker
The couple has raised £8,500 of their goal so far and still need help to achieve the £20,000 target.
You can donate to Jaxson's gofundme here.
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