Willow

About the Campaign

Help End Willow’s Ear Pain!

Willow is a 9-year-old Beagle who lives in constant, grinding ear pain—and the only way to stop it now is a Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA). After three years of infections, a polyp, and failed treatments, her ear canal is essentially closed and keeps getting reinfected. The smell is unbearable, the pain is daily, and Willow spends her time shaking her head, scratching until she bleeds, rubbing her ears on anything she can find, and crying from discomfort.

This didn’t have to get this bad. About three years ago, Patty noticed a polyp in Willow’s ear and took her to the same vet she’d trusted for 20 years. He prescribed drops and kept insisting that was enough, even as Patty begged for more help. The infections never really went away. Willow scratched until there was blood around the house. A nail trim appointment finally sounded the alarm—the groomer told Patty Willow’s ears were “really infected.” At the last visit, the old clinic staff were rude and dismissive, so Patty walked out and found a new vet.

The new veterinarian took one look and gave her the hard truth: Willow’s ear canal is basically closed from chronic infection and inflammation. At this point, the only way to stop the pain and recurring infections is TECA surgery, which removes the diseased ear canal and, along with it, the source of Willow’s constant suffering. Patty didn’t want to put Willow through such a big surgery, but there are no other options left if she wants her dog to have a pain-free life.

Patty rescued her 9 years ago through SOS Beagle Rescue after Willow was found as a stray in Tennessee and brought to New Jersey. At the time, Patty still had her other Beagle, Daisy Duke, who had been saved from a dog-fighting ring. Patty adopted Willow as a playmate for Daisy when the dog park got too dangerous. She didn’t yet know her husband had Alzheimer’s. Over the next decade, she cared for Daisy—giving at-home IV fluids when Daisy’s kidneys failed—and for her husband as his disease progressed. Daisy had to be put down about a year ago. Patty’s husband passed in January 2024.

Now it’s just Patty and Willow, and Willow is the one seeing her through grief. But watching Willow suffer is breaking her heart. On walks, Willow sometimes cries from the pain in her ears—loud enough that neighbors come out of their houses to ask if Patty is okay.

Financially, Patty is stuck. She has lupus, which is painful but never stopped her from working; she has had a job since she was 14 and spent 22 years as a waitress at the same place. This is the first time in her life she hasn’t been able to work. She lives in New Jersey and survives on widow’s benefits, just enough to cover the mortgage and the electric bill. She applied for Care Credit to pay for Willow’s surgery but was declined.

Willow still eats, still wants to walk, and still tries to be the good, loving dog she’s always been. But her ear pain is constant, and TECA surgery is the only real way out. Your donation will help Patty give Willow the operation she needs to finally end the infections, the smell, and the agony—and let her enjoy the years she has left without suffering. This is an urgent one, it’s been too long! Check the estimate below and let’s get Willow funded and helped ASAP: