Help Treat Cocoa from Nystagmus Rescue

COCOA

is a beautiful, loving and extremely caring Alaskan Malamute. I raised him since he was 2 months old with all the care and love I could possibly give. He's very friendly with friends and family as well as all kinds of pets which is surprising for a Malamute's temper and personality. But I guess this is what makes him so special.


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With all this, he's been through many unfortunate life events that were devastating for him physically and emotionally listed below:

1. One of his toes had to be cut off because of a severe infection at the age of 4 months
2. He was left for 2 weeks with what remained of his food to survive on in Lebanon customs for negligence from border customs during transfer from Jeddah to Beirut at the age of 18 months
3. He survived a vicious German Shepherd attack in the neighborhood at the age of 21 months and treatment took 3 weeks
4. After the attack, he went through depression which led to his entire body getting eczema which took 4 months to be treated as well
5. And at the age of 3 years he suddenly suffered from Nystagmus without any prior signs, it was literally overnight

Here in Lebanon, where I reside with my wife and Cocoa, there is no pet insurance and treatments are very expensive for pets. I recently lost my job and currently between jobs and with a major financial crisis I am unable to provide for Cocoa's treatment and it's frustrating to me that we don't know where to seek real financial support since everyone are already overwhelmed with their financial obligations as well. And it's killing me to see Cocoa getting worse day after day refusing to eat or take his medications at all.

I feel like I am losing my only true friend as each day passes by and the situation is only getting worse by the day and it's already been a month.

In the video below, you can clearly see that Cocoa has no balance or sense of direction whatsoever. Even when I call him he looks at a completely different direction, however, this doesn't stop him from alarming us when there's any suspicious activity around the house. I just love how loving and caring this dog is.



The video was taken at the end of November 2016 and my only wish for this upcoming new year 2017 is for him to be well and back to his full health, safe and sound. He's even in a worse shape now peeing and pooping all over the place and barely walking.

By helping us reach our cause's goal, Cocoa will be able to get the medical intensive care he needs including all tests and medications and monitoring needed for him to restore his health entirely even if it included surgical methods to remove any suspected tumor in his brain as the doctors say, which they clearly said it's very sad since he's too young to suffer from this at the age of 36 months!

Please help Cocoa and support us so we can have our family in the best shape again. You will be greatly appreciated wherever you are.
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Thank you!

Poor guy. This form of advertising or asking for donations isn't allowed here but I hope you get the care he needs.

Sad to say but if his health is deteriorating and only going to get worse then the kindest thing you can do for him is have him put to sleep. Prolonging his life whilst he is in this state is cruel.

I hate to say it but maybe think in future of the long term costs of acquiring a pedigree dog such as this.

He's had a toe amputated and has tried hard to help the dog through many issues over the years. His attachment to the dog is clearly evident. Maybe there's a chance with the right funds.

It's easy to say consider the costs of a dog. Financial status can change in an instant and you may not have the money YEARS later that you did when you got the dog. For an owner who seems to be trying hard to help his dog and not knowing the whole situation, telling him to consider the costs is really not that nice.

If the dog cannot control his bladder or bowel and cannot walk, it is probably worse than nystagmus. I really isn't okay to keep a dog alive in that state for any extended period of time, but I hope something can be done to help him soon. If not - euthanasia is truly probably kinder.

Sorry you and the boy are going through this.

It's not years later though is it Carole? The dog is only three years old. Why has he not been putting money to one side incase of an emergency like this? Especially as he knew pet insurance wasn't an option for this dog. It's not cruel what I suggested it's a reality check.

Three years IS years later last I checked. Years are years. I did not say a decade later. My name is not Carole, it is Myra. Some people still try to enjoy having a pet and trying to give a pet a home even with the inability to put money aside. The dog has had many problems and he's tried to help the dog through them and he's still trying.

This is a sad time for the OP and I stand by my statement that what you said was really not nice, definitely not helpful, not encouraging or compassionate, and not called for.

It's about being realistic. Obviously you prefer to pussyfoot around. I'm speaking in the best interest of the dog. This owner SHOULD have been putting money to one side especially giving the potential problems this breed can have. Not begging for money on the Internet. Not responsible AT ALL! I have compassion for the poor animal who's owner did not have the common sense to look at the bigger picture when taking on this pup in the first place. ESPECIALLY knowing insurance wasn't an option.

And I think to be honest if he wanted to enjoy a pet without having to put money aside. Then he should not have chosen a pedigree dog such as a Malamute. Highly irresponsible on his part.

Nic, whether you choose a pedigree dog or rescue a puppy of unknown background, such as my beloved Pereg [as in my avatar] - saying it is highly irresponsible is easy to say. But I could not get insurance for Pereg as there is no insurance here, and had no idea that she would develop epilepsy.

These thing happen. A pedigree dog or a mutt of no unknown origin develops something unexpected without insurance develops something unexpected - sometimes it does not matter if you have put money aside. Sometimes no matter how much you put aside it will not cure your beloved dog.

I did not have insurance for my beloved Pereg because there was no insurance for her, but somehow I did my best for her. And believe me, major blood tests every three months and a fortune-worth of medication with no insurance was not easy. But I did my best for her, until it was time to give her peace.



I promised her I would never let her suffer, and I did not. And I have promised my little Tikva that I will never let her suffer either, although I pray that the epi Monster never comes for her. And I have no insurance for her either, because there is no insurance here.

But just because there is no pet insurance in a particular area, does that mean than you should never have a dog as a pet? Because who knows what will happen to anyone's pet. Insurance or not.

Personally, I would not fund-raise for one of my own dogs, I took on the responsibility it is mine, that is how I was brought up.
I don’t know this person from Adam and there is so many ‘go fund me sites’ so how do I know it’s not another scam as many are.
It also worries me if the animals are suffering while owners try to raise the funds which could take a long time if at all.
I had my suspicions and Having looked him up this is NOT the first time he’s asked for money.
https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/cjlb

This is a message we received regarding Cocoa
Posted by Nader Al-Maleh on November 2nd, 2015
https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/cjlb/u/updates/135894

@GsdSlave - I had not checked previous requests from the OP so thank you for doing this for me.

I actually should have thought a bit more - living in the ME as I do, it is rarely that there is vet insurance here. There are not that many veterinarian surgeries and those that are want payment before treatment.

I am just lucky with my Vet, who has just been here to weight Tikva to give her the correct amount of Parkworm shot, and give her Drontal Plus for general worm pill.

Oh, and the skinny little rock-solid Tikva weighs now 5.5kg,

Well, detective Vee, there does seem to be a slight variation in those stories, doesn't there?
I have never taken out pet insurance, but that doesn't make me an irresponsible owner, they get whatever treatment is needed. I certainly would not expect anyone else to give money to treat my dog - and even less, a complete stranger. There are very few people who do not have access to some form of credit these days.

@CaroleC - I have been checking back where Pereg came from - it was a voluntary rescue which is no longer. This was during the Gulf War - Operation Desert Shield I think it was called, and we were asked for money to pay for food for the lions in the zoo in the Gaza Strip, while we were being blasted by rockets non stop.

No. They did not get any money from me but I found my Pereg and brought her home that day.

Check the news, and see about the rockets and missiles still being fired towards the north of my Country from his, and the OP wants money for his dog, who I am sure he loves. Just as we are still being having rockets fired from the Strip.

Sorry OP but you will not be getting a grush from me.

Thank you for your message. Though it's in no way a form of advertising and I honestly have no other choice but to post on forums for support.

Your message is exactly how I feel. Though what he said is "cruel" but I can't blame anyone since he is not in my shoes to experience this, especially that I have never ever been in this situation before! Ever! I am still looking for options and I am sure he will make it through but all I need is some support.

If raising funds is begging for money then I don't know how to communicate with you seriously. I had a very rough patch and with life's responsibilities and the complete absense of any pet insurance in my country this is all what's left to do. I'm buying his medications and food and keeping myself from having the food I need because Cocoa is the kid we never had (since we can't even have kids). So I'll just assume you don't really know what you're talking about and ignore all the false statements you wrote on this thread about me. And for the record, I paid a total of 3,759 USD so far from the fund I had saved for him and it's all gone.. What do you advise I should do? Keep him like this to die??

Yes but PETS in NEED from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Help Animals in Lebanon groups helped me alot instead of the general cyber world in both cases because every time I do this it fails online and once I was desperate and posted all over the place in hope of a miracle.. Thankfully the miracle came from where I am. I don't need to explain myself or claim my credibility. I am just doing what I have to do to keep him alive no matter what.

Remember, I make a living from social media and my integrity and credibility is all I have so I would not want to lose it over false threads. And thank you for reminding over the links above I should remove them since they did Cocoa no good.

Guys let me explain something. I am not expecting anyone to help me personally because this is not what I care about. All I need is for Cocoa to get better in a very bad financial situation I am going through with my family.

Everyone is entitled to think and act to whatever suits them and they find right. In my case, I think this is the last resort I can go for because I have been helped before from two non-profit organizations over several cases:
- One that was not financial (had to do with Lebanon customs)
- One was financial and had to do with the vet that cured Cocoa asking for ALOT of money before releasing him when I had a job that couldn't cover such costs

I am not expecting anyone to be in my shoes and I honestly thought this through before posting such a thing on any forum, however, I didn't expect such results. Anyway, Yesterday I posted an update on Cocoa and uploaded the video on Generosity cause page. Briefly he hasn't been eating fro 2 days now at all. He walked a bit finally but his ears are dropping and he can't lift his head up. And while sleeping he makes a very very loud pain sound which I'll also be sharing and it's killing us, but only when he sleeps for some reason.

Sorry, but I never asked anyone for financial help when my beloved Pereg needed help, and I am an old woman living on a pension, but she was my girl and I coped. But oh, have a look at my Profile and see where I am.

And you think I should give you money?

I do not believe one thing you have said.