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This Sweet Rescue Dog Had Complications At Birth And Now He’s In Need Of Spinal Surgery Which His Family Hopes Will Help Him To Be Able To Swim Again

Warwick, Rhode Island. Laura Barlow and Kenneth Nardozza have organized a GoFundMe for their adorable English Bulldog, Felix.

Felix is just over one year old and suffered from various health issues after experiencing umbilical cord complications at birth.

“He was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his waist,” Barlow wrote, “He is a diapered dog who has some moderate incontinence. He also does not have feeling in or control over his back two legs.”

Felix uses a wheelchair and was first taken in by Opie’s Special Needs English Bulldog Rescue. “We adopted him from Opie’s and moved to Rhode Island in February of 2021,” Barlow said.

Felix is a happy boy who especially loves to swim. While most of his wounds from the umbilical cord complications had healed, though, there is still a wound above Felix’s spinal cord that is keeping him out of the water.

“Water can facilitate the movement of bacteria into the spinal cord,” Barlow said, “We would love for Felix to be able to swim again.”

GoFundMe; pictured above is Felix

The raised money would be allocated toward a spinal surgery for Felix. “Felix has an open wound on his dorsal midline,” Barlow said, “It was determined that the wound is open and there is communication between the skin surface and the spinal cord.”

The fundraising goal was set to nine thousand dollars and would cover Felix’s MRI and hemilaminectomy surgery- which would take place at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University. Felix received an outpouring of love on the GoFundMe, which has already surpassed the fundraising goal. Currently, Felix’s cause is just shy of ten thousand dollars.

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