Marvin Is A 2-Year-Old Bernese Mountain Dog Who Is Fighting An Uphill Battle In The ER
Chicago, Illinois. A young couple is asking for help as their beloved dog fights an uphill battle in the veterinary E.R.
Matt Meyer and his fiancé Victoria own Marvin, a precious 2-year-old Bernese Mountain dog. Ever since they adopted Marvin, he’s been a happy and healthy dog.
The only thing that ever seemed wrong with Marvin was a few G.I. issues.
However, on a day in February, Matt and Victoria noticed that Marvin was not looking too good. His eyes were red, cloudy, and swollen.
They immediately took him to their primary care vet, where they were advised to take him to an eye specialist.
Marvin’s condition only worsened, with bumps beginning to rise on his skin and a loss of appetite. Both his primary care and eye doctors ran a series of tests while Matt and Victoria waited for the results.
One day, they got a call from the doctor telling them that Marvin had histiocytes in his eyes, which prompted them to rush to the ER on March 16th.
Histiocytes can indicate inflammatory or infectious diseases, or even sarcoma, an aggressive cancer that is common in Bernese Mountain dogs.
GoFundMe; pictured above is Marvin
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Marvin ended up staying in the ER for days.
During his visit, he had a series of tests and biopsies taken on his kidneys, liver, skin, chest, etc. The next day, the tests showed small masses on his kidneys and a lesion in his heart.
Marvin’s health began rapidly declining, and he had to be moved to the ICU in critical condition multiple times. Thankfully, he fought through it.
Over the next couple of days, Marvin’s bloodwork came back, showing that he had an infection affiliated with a bacteria called serratia marcescens. The doctors were able to treat Marvin with a series of antibiotics, steroids, painkillers, and an appetite stimulant.
Thankfully on March 31st, Matt and Victoria were able to take Marvin home, just in time for his 2nd birthday. As he continues to heal at home, the couple has received more answers as to what is making him so sick.
Days after his initial ER stay, Marvin was diagnosed with two different lifelong conditions. He was first diagnosed with endocarditis, a disease that affects the heart.
He was also diagnosed with histiocytosis, a rare immune disease. He will receive immunosuppressants for it once he finishes fighting the infection he was previously diagnosed with.
Marvin will be living with these diseases for the rest of his life, but his journey does not end here. Matt and Victoria claim that ever since he’s returned home, he has been acting more like himself everyday.
Nick Mpistolarides, one of Victoria’s family members, has created a GoFundMe page for the couple, as this entire experience has cost them a massive amount of money. They will need to keep spending as they continue Marvin’s treatments from here on out.
On top of it all, Matt and Victoria will be having their wedding in August, with Marvin as their ring bearer. They have high hopes that he will make it down the aisle.
“We’re all hopeful and positive he will fight through this,” writes Nick.
To read more about Marvin’s journey, visit the link here.
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