Hi all.

Normally I wouldn't ask for help if it was about me, but it's about my dog. He's fighting for his life. I'm not asking for money, just your time and energy. Please.

He's been through a lot and odds were against him several times throughout his life. His mom was hit by a car when he was less than a month old and he was written off at that point, but we took him in and from that point he showed he was a fighter. He grew up to be a playful dog who loved and was loved by everyone (except cats, pigeons and hedgehogs who routinely stole his food. With them, he was at war!).

Two years back, no one knows what exactly happened, but his front leg was paralyzed and his last legs weren't as strong. There are two theories: one he fell from the stairs (I find that tough to believe since he was always so sure walking/running up and down the stairs and it was a sunny and dry period) and the other one he was hit by someone with a lot of force and the nerve was severed (given how he always ran up to people and was always up for a cuddle, I fear this might be the case). None of us were at home when that happened, so he must have fell or got hit through the fence at that point. Vets didn't give him much chance at that point, since his condition got progressively worse with each passing day and soon he couldn't walk or get up at all, so they proposed we either do a surgery which had a high mortality rate with slim success chances or leave him as is, giving him 2-3 months tops.

I would have none of it and neither did my dog. In the following three months he was lying in home in a bed we made for him and we took care of him and took him to get some vitamin shots every now and then. It didn't matter if he called for us in 5pm or 5am, when he called we ran to him. After three months or so he called for us at 3-4am and when I ran to him, expecting I had to clean him up, I saw him standing on all four! Even making a few steps! The spark in his eyes was back, he was smiling and waggling his tail happily. That is one of the happiest moments I've ever experienced in life. Vets said that his recovery was nothing short of a miracle.

Soon enough, he started walking again. Granted he couldn't really run anymore, but he was walking fine! However, in the last few months his discuses in his back legs got progressively worse due to old age. And he walked less and less. As you all know, dogs need to walk in order to keep healthy and since he barely walked these last few weeks, coupled with the cold weather, he got pneumonia (even though he was inside the house most of the time). Apparently a really bad one.

Vets again are barely giving him any chances, but he's a fighter and he won't give up and neither will I. Today when I saw him I began to cry and he put his paw in my hand. He's stronger than I am.

This time I'm asking for your help as well. Please, if you could spare some of your time and energy and keep him in mind during this period and send some positive energy or a prayer for him, I would be immensely grateful. His name is Ari and he's a 12 year old German shepherd. He's not just a dog, he's part of our family and my dearest friend.