By NOEL MURPHY
LARA’S Russell Langfield was so distraught when he learnt his darling girl, Kelly, had a cancerous lump on her lung that he was unable even to recall how old she was.
“Ten or 11 or 12 … I just can’t think,” he told Pet Medical Crisis Fund.
The fund’s Jennifer Hunt remembered the dog-lover choking back tears.
“Russell has two girls in his life. Kelly the kelpie and Cheeky, a blue heeler who’s going blind,” she told the Independent.
“They all came from Tasmania where the economic downturn meant Russell was struggling to get a job. He’s had a little more luck with working here but is on a low-income pension.”
When Kelly fell ill a little over a month ago – not eating and struggling to get out of bed – X-rays and other tests revealed cancer in both lungs.
Mr Langfield was shattered.
“The only option was to have the two affected lung lobes removed in two major operations but it was very expensive,” he said.
“It would just about break me but I couldn’t not help her. I know she would do the same for me if she could without a thought.”
Kelly faced euthanasia if Mr Langfield was unable to come up with the cash for her operations.
Then he heard about the Pet Medical Crisis Fund, which stumped up some of the money.
That was early November.
Kelly survived the two lung operations but was unable to breathe when her airway tube was removed. Vets diagnosed larangeal paralysis, requiring another operation.
This week Kelly returned home, almost her normal self again.
“I suspect the soreness from her op is dissipating and her coat is starting to grow back quite quickly,” Mr Langfield said.
“I’m learning to trust her eating and drinking adaption after her laryngeal tieback. She breathes so much easier now.”
Mr Langfield can’t speak highly enough about the Medical Pet Crisis Fund or the vets who saved his dog.
“I’ve had Kelly since she was a pup,” he said.
“It would have been devastating if I’d lost her – my dogs are my family.”
Ms Hunt established Pet Medical Crisis Fund in 2010 after paying for medical procedures to save her own dog from a life-threatening injury.
The charity helps pensioners and the disadvantaged avoid having to euthanise pets when unable to cover veterinary costs.
Ms Hunt said tax-deductible donations over $2 could be made online at petmedicalcrisisfund.com.au/donations.shtml or by mailing PMCF, PO Box 360, Hawthorn Rd, Caulfield South, 3162.
