Many of us have rescued dogs (or raised puppies) that were suddenly stricken with a life-threatening illness and desperately needed medical treatment to keep them alive. Samantha De New’s Shiba Inu, Cudi, is the most important thing in her life, and right now she’s fighting to save his again.

This plea comes from Samantha:

I’m a recovering addict and have always had dogs growing up. I got sober and was trying to cope with the extreme feelings of loneliness. I decided to rescue a dog while living in a sober living house.

I got Cudi from Palm Beach Animal Care and Control. They told me he was a stray, they weren’t sure how old he was and he didn’t take well to people. Shibas are very independent. I immediately fell in love with him.

I was able to rescue him and things have been going great. On Monday, I went down to my car to go to work, and my car had been broken into. My wallet was stolen which had every dollar I had to my name in it because I do not have a bank account.

I went to work, came home, my power was off, and Cudi was stumbling around, walking into walls – falling all over.  I couldn’t figure out if I should call FPL or a vet first.

We thought he might have had a seizure or stroke by his symptoms. I was able to bring him to a vet today and they said it was kidney failure. He won’t eat or drink. I have to bring him back to the vet every day for the next few days for IV fluids. Then he needs to be on meds as well, and special food. It’s a lot for someone who just had had their money stolen from them. Cudi means the world to me. I would go without food and everything else to make sure he is ok and has what he needs.

I don’t have the money to get him all the treatment he needs and it can’t wait. He needs it now. Especially now he won’t eat or drink. He’s so weak and can barely stand. I tried to make him his favorite, scrambled eggs, and he just takes his nose and pushes it away.

All he wants to do is sleep. He has no energy and I know he’s extremely dehydrated. It’s causing me physical pain knowing, at the moment, I can’t provide for him the way I should be able to because of the circumstances that someone felt the need to break into my car and take everything I had!

Anyone who knows me knows that Cudi is my whole world, my child, the love of my life, my everything. Anything helps. I’m so grateful for everyone who’s even taking the time to read this. Thank you so much.   – Samantha De New