My name is Smuckers and I am a double dapple mini dachshund. I was born with a deformed spine, but my mom says it just makes me special and adds character.

Right now I'm not doing so well. I have what is called a portosystemic shunt (or pss). If you would like to know what that is, here is a very helpful link that can explain it better than my mom can BOL! http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/pss.html Basically what happeneds is there is a shunt that keeps my blood from going into my liver to be filtered. So I have bacteria and infections in my body.  This condition causes me to be very confused, and I sometimes I just lay there for hours drooling with my tongue hanging out. Or I will just wander around with a blank look on my little face. But since we have just gotten a diagnosis of my condition, I have started meds and a special diet and so my spells of confusion are already happening less often. I was real sick before we found out what was wrong, and I actually completely stopped breathing, but my mom says I came back to her because I am such a fighter. My mom had to leave me in the doggy ER overnight and she was extreemely heartbroken because of that. I guess she didn't realize that she would have to leave me there all on my own. But she did it, and she knew I was in great hands.

Unfortunately I will have to have expensive surgery to correct this...But because my mom has had to put me in the doggy ER, and all of the tests that she had to pay for, we just don't have the money for the surgery. My mom is 21 years old and lives off of a very low income that she gets from the state (because of disability). But she has ALWAYS been able to pay for all of my vet expenses and care. But this is going to cost a lot and there is just no way that my mom can come up with it on her own.

When I am not sick, I enjoy running and playing. I love toys! I follow my mom EVERYWHERE she goes, even when she is in the bathroom BOL. I just recently went on my very first camping trip (before I got sick) and I had a ton of fun! I am learning new tricks right now, and so far I know how to sit, lay down, and I've almost got down the whole shake thing. I used to love going to my grandma Sues house cuz she has a farm, but since I have been sick I kinda just stay home with my mom. I really love buggin' my big brother Skippy. I love to play with him! And sometimes we even like to cuddle

My mom says that I am a huge part of many peoples' lives. Everyone that meets me says how special I am, and that I am a lucky guy. My grandparents are all very close to me too. And everyone is very attatched to me no matter where I go. I am so very loved by so many and my mom thanks GOD that she still has me even though I have been through so much.

We made this webpage to make friends, but if you would like to donate at all please do so. Every penny counts to us!

To donate: Call Bethany Condit at 503-496-3062. She is the woman who handles all of our donations at our vet office. All of the money donated goes DIRECTLY to the vet offices.

If you can not afford to donate, we understand. We know the economy is bad right now. But I would like to ask people to keep little Smuckers in their thoughts and prayers. The prayers mean just as much to us as donations do.