A Scots carer has issued a desperate plea after using her life savings to save her sick dog when he began vomiting 'black liquid'.
Kasia Wawrzyniak, 33, was left fearing for her beloved Staffordshire Bull Terrier Gonzo when he became gravely unwell on February 19.
The pair had returned from a walk on their usual route in Leith Links, near their home in Edinburgh, when Gonzo began vomiting.
Much to her horror, Kasia realised in the early hours of the Sunday morning that her five-year-old beloved pet was bringing up 'pure black' liquid.
And Gonzo's condition only got worse, as Kasia later noticed his faeces had also turned 'totally black'.
Kasia, who works as a carer, said: "He was vomiting in the house and it was pure black, then when he went to the toilet it turned totally black, too.
"It was really scary, there was just black liquid. I was thinking ‘is that black or am I just imagining that?’
"Before that happened, there weren't any symptoms that suggested something was seriously wrong."
Gonzo was rushed to Braid Vets Hospital where it was suggested that he could have eaten rat poison, or another toxic substance.
Despite undergoing tests, a heartbroken Kasia could see Gonzo's condition was not improving.
"We were told on the third day that he was still not doing any good. We thought they were asking us to go and see our dog for the last time", she recalls.
"His face was very swollen, it was double the size of what it looks like normally."
Kasia and her husband chose to move Gonzo to the specialist Dick Vet Hospital for Small Animals to try and find answers.
The couple knew they would face a hefty bill amounting to thousands but were determined to save their pet.
Tests established that Gonzo was suffering from an internal bleed and the five-year-old underwent a blood transfusion.
After a further three days in hospital, Gonzo was finally discharged.
Vets have since told his owners they suspected Gonzo's bleeding was due to damage to his stomach/intestinal lining.
It's believed he ingested a toxin or foreign object - but have not yet been able to rule out inflammation or cancer in the stomach or intestine lining.
Kasia has been left with a four-figure vet bill for Gonzo's countless tests and the treatment he received.
The Edinburgh carer, who doesn't have children and says Gonzo is her 'baby', paid out around £3,000 upfront and still has more to pay.
The cost has depleted the couple's savings, who have been left with no safety net.
Kasia said: "I’ve spent all my savings trying to save him. How many people can spend thousands in one day? I just wanted them to do whatever they had to do.
“It’s my dog's life, he’s nearly six, and we call him a puppy.
"We were just hoping they weren’t going to call us with bad news, I wasn't able to work because any time I thought about it I started to cry. It’s been horrible days and hours.”
The family has now launched a fundraiser to help with a portion of the cost.
Kasia admits she wishes she had insured Gonzo when she had the chance and not put it off.
"I’m punching myself for not getting insurance.
"We had meant to insure him but we couldn't decide on who to go with and we thought nothing will happen. That all changed very quickly", she said.
You can donate to the fundraiser here.
