Woman who bought a one-eyed Pomeranian hit with a hefty bill for £ 24,000

One woman vowed never to buy a dog from a breeder again after her one-eyed Pomeranian nearly died in her arms and left her with a huge bill of £ 24,000 in veterinary bills.

Kimberly Freedman is an avid dog lover, trainer, and behaviorist who has saved thousands of dogs by grooming and has a soft spot for Pomeranian.

During the pandemic, when she was struggling with burnout and a traumatic breakup, she decided to buy her first Pomeranian for £ 800 after failing to find one in animal shelters.

Little did she know that the puppy was going to have several life-threatening complications.

Kimberly, who has six dogs, said, “I was addicted to the breed and wanted as many as possible.

“However, there was always a catch: I was a savior, and poms rarely came to the rescue. However, I was proud to be a savior.

“I grew up in a family where buying pedigree dogs or helping breeders was discouraged, and we always saved. It was exactly what we did. “

During the pandemic, Kimberly wasn’t afraid to admit she was having problems and started looking for another dog to welcome into her pack.

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She said, “I was not doing well living in isolation in the midst of a global pandemic. A combination of absolute burnout, a recent traumatic breakup, and prescribed medication took me to very dark places, and being shielded from the world led me on a path I deeply regret – buying my first dog from a breeder.

“At this point I already had four rescue poms and wanted to do another rescue. My last rescue was taken to be four years old, but it was at least 10 years old. I wanted a younger dog and had been on some rescue lists for months, sometimes years with no luck.

“It’s really good in some ways that there are hardly any Pomeranians left in the rescue, but it makes it frustrating for those who want one so they turn to breeders. I went against everything I stood up for and did the same. “

Little did she know, however, that the puppy she bought for £ 800 would almost die of her multiple times, cost her thousands of pounds in veterinary bills, and require lifelong treatment and medication.

The puppy only had one eye and was partially blind – but Kimberly was ready to take on the little pooch.

Kimberly added, “I asked for pictures of the pups and not many were sent. A photo of the mother’s face was sent and a heavily pixelated picture labeled “Dad”.

“Garbo was given to us outside in a stretcher with minimal accessories and two days of food.”

Kimberly immediately became concerned about Garbo’s leg – which was just the beginning of a downward spiral that would uncover more and more problems.

She said, “When Garbo arrived, it became very clear to me that something was wrong with her leg.

“Due to the pandemic, I was unable to get a vet appointment despite multiple attempts and with several vets. I even sent pictures and had video calls with Pomeranian experts and breeders. One immediately said the problem was with the kneecap as the kneecap was constantly outside.

“After constantly calling vets and specialists, I was finally able to get an appointment with a vet two hours away. After a long drive, the vet diagnosed either a knee or hip problem. It was impossible to say the exact details and severity without X-raying Garbo – something that was decided against because of her size. “

Less than a week later, Garbo nearly died in the arms of their owners.

“In a matter of hours, she transformed from a happy puppy who was running around and licking my face all the time to a standing puppy who had difficulty breathing and couldn’t move,” said Kimberly.

“I suspected hypoglycemia and smeared honey on her gum line while taking her to an emergency vet. Garbo was turned over to a vet nurse almost dead and told to wait outside in the car as there was a chance she would not be around due to her size and age.

“I was sitting on the phone with one of my best friends in tears and couldn’t understand what was happening.

“I collapsed. I was in love with this annoying, yapping puppy, and Garbo had cost me lots of sleep, money, and emotional turmoil. But I was invested. “

Garbo – now one and a half years old – has since been diagnosed with a hole in his skull, two swaying kneecaps, a totally misshapen hip, a hole in his stomach and a liver shunt weighing only 800 g.

Kimberly spent £ 24,000 on vet bills – half of which was covered by insurance – and hours of syringe feeding to keep the little pup alive.

She said: “Of course I still have Garbo with me. It has cost me thousands so far and will continue to cost me for the rest of its little life.

“It was a heartbreaking undertaking to buy my first dog. I will never buy another dog again and I will always be confident that after this experience, rescue is the only option for me. “