10/24/2026
🐾❤️ Cedar’s First Vet Appointment — We Have a Game Plan! ❤️🐾
Today was a big day for our sweet senior boy, Cedar! While we have quite a road ahead of us, I’m so thankful that we’re finally getting some answers and putting together a plan to help him feel better. ❤️
First, I have to tell you how proud I am of this little guy! Cedar was such a good boy at his appointment. He received his rabies vaccine like a champ, let the veterinarian examine him, and even cooperated while Matthew helped lift his gums so she could get a good look at his teeth.
For a little guy who has been through so much, he really is such a sweetheart. 🥹❤️
❤️ Cedar’s Heart — Our Biggest Concern
Unfortunately, Cedar’s heart is our biggest medical concern right now.
His heart murmur was graded a 4 on the left side and a 3 on the right. Our veterinarian would like him evaluated by a veterinary cardiologist before we consider putting him under anesthesia.
At this point, we don’t know whether his heart can safely handle procedures like his dental or neuter.
The cardiologist will help us understand what’s going on, whether he needs heart medication, and what we need to do to hopefully get him stable enough to move forward with his other medical needs.
This is our number one priority.
🐾 His Skin — Getting This Sweet Boy Comfortable
Another major concern is Cedar’s chronic skin issues.
Unfortunately, his skin has suffered from what appears to be years of neglect and previous flea infestations. He has areas of darkened, almost black skin, which may be related to chronic inflammation and irritation.
He’s also started itching along his flanks, and we’re still trying to figure out exactly what’s causing that discomfort.
Our veterinarian has recommended a treatment plan that includes:
🐾 Medicated baths twice a week
🐾 Medicated mousse applied between baths
🐾 Starting Apoquel to help control his itching
We’re really hoping this combination will give him some much-needed relief.
I can’t imagine how uncomfortable he must have been for so long. All I want is for him to finally feel good in his own skin, without constantly itching and being irritated. ❤️
🐾 His Back Legs and Wobbliness — Another Concern
One thing our veterinarian was also concerned about is Cedar’s back end and how wobbly he still is.
We’ve noticed that he’s unsteady on his back legs, and unfortunately, we still don’t know exactly what’s causing it.
Our veterinarian mentioned that there could potentially be something neurological going on. We’re also wondering whether he may have significant arthritis or another issue involving his spine that’s contributing to his instability.
This is another area we’re going to need to investigate.
One of the benefits of the VCA care plan we’re considering is that X-rays would be covered under the plan. That would allow us to get a better look at his spine and check for significant arthritis or other visible abnormalities that might explain why he’s so wobbly.
Depending on what those images show, he may need additional testing to evaluate possible neurological causes.
It’s heartbreaking watching him struggle with his back legs, especially when he still has so much personality and wants to get out and enjoy life.
For now, we’re keeping him comfortable, helping him when he needs it, and taking things at his pace. Once we get his more urgent medical concerns addressed, we’ll be looking into his back and mobility issues more closely.
We want him to be able to enjoy his golden years without unnecessary pain or discomfort. ❤️
👀 Some Encouraging News About His Eyes!
The veterinarian actually felt Cedar’s eyes looked pretty decent overall!
He may have some cataracts developing, but they don’t appear to be causing significant problems right now, and he’s still able to see.
We’ll continue monitoring them, but for now, we want to focus on getting his heart evaluated, his skin comfortable, and eventually addressing his dental needs, neuter, and mobility concerns.
One thing at a time. ❤️
🩺 The Rest of Cedar’s Medical Plan
Cedar received his rabies vaccine today, and we’ll be getting his remaining vaccinations updated shortly.
Once we have his cardiology results, we’ll have a better understanding of what comes next.
We also discussed enrolling him in a VCA care plan for approximately $260 per month, which would help cover many of his planned veterinary services, including f***l testing, vaccinations, X-rays, dental care, and neutering, depending on the plan’s coverage.
The alternative is paying for everything individually, and unfortunately, those upfront expenses add up very quickly.
❤️ Why We Chose VCA
We’ve been taking our animals to VCA for approximately eight years, and I cannot express how much we value the relationship we’ve built with their doctors and veterinary technicians.
They know us, they know our animals, and they genuinely care.
We’ve had veterinarians call us after hours, follow up on our animals, and go out of their way to help us when we’ve needed them.
They’re also only about 10 minutes from our home, which is incredibly important when caring for so many animals, especially seniors with ongoing medical needs.
Having a veterinary team we trust is priceless.
💰 We’re Going to Need Some Help With Cedar’s Cardiology Appointment
I’m going to be sharing a separate post with the estimate for Cedar’s cardiology appointment and starting a fundraiser to help cover that expense.
I wish we could just schedule everything and pay for it without having to ask for help, but the reality of rescue is that sometimes we simply can’t do it alone.
With colder weather arriving, our animals are eating more, we’re going through additional bedding, and the everyday expenses of grooming, flea prevention, food, and veterinary care continue to add up.
We’re stretched pretty thin right now, but Cedar deserves this chance, and we’re determined to do everything we can for him.
❤️ Would You Like to Help Cedar? Here’s How!
For anyone who would like to contribute toward Cedar’s medical expenses, we have several ways to donate. We understand that everyone has different preferences, and we want to make it as easy as possible for those who would like to help.
🐾 Donate Directly to VCA: You can call our veterinary clinic and ask about making a donation toward Cedar’s medical care under Happy Hearts Animal Rescue and Sanctuary. This is a wonderful option for anyone who prefers to contribute directly toward his veterinary expenses.
🐾 Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/HappyHeartsFarmandSanctuary
🐾 Checks by Mail: If you prefer to send a check, please message us privately for our mailing address. Checks can be made payable to Happy Hearts Animal Rescue and Sanctuary.
Please include “Cedar’s Medical Fund” with your donation so we know it’s intended for his care.
Every donation, whether it’s $5, $10, $25, or more, helps us get one step closer to getting Cedar the medical attention he needs.
And if donating isn’t possible, please don’t feel obligated. Sharing his story, sending encouragement, and helping us reach more people means just as much. ❤️
❤️ To Everyone Who Has Sponsored and Supported Cedar — THANK YOU!
Whether you’ve donated toward his care, become a sponsor, shared his story, or simply sent him love, please know how much it means to us.
This little old man has already captured so many hearts, including mine.
He doesn’t know what a cardiologist is. He doesn’t understand why he needs medicated baths, why his back legs don’t always cooperate, or why we’re taking him to all these appointments.
He just knows that he’s loved, that he gets to go on little adventures, and that there are people who care about him.
And that’s exactly how I want his golden years to be. Filled with love, comfort, happiness, and as many little adventures as we can give him. 🥹❤️
We’re not trying to give Cedar a perfect life. We’re trying to give him the comfortable, happy, love-filled life he should have had all along.
One day, one appointment, and one little victory at a time.
Thank you for walking this journey with us. ❤️🐾
❤️ Happy Hearts Animal Rescue and Sanctuary
