Dogs: Dalmatian baffles Southsea vets with illness resulting in the owner forking out thousands for answers

Harriet Charter, 29, has set up the fundraiser as a plea for help towards the vet bills which have already amounted to more than £7,000, and more investigative work needs to be done to help her precious dog.

Harper, the six-year-old dalmatian, began losing weight at the beginning of January but Harriet suspected it to be due to the extra walks that she had been taking her on during the Christmas period.

The 29-year-old took in a pup that was waiting to be rehomed and when the dog arrived it was vomiting. Harper began being sick and Harriet believed it to be a bug, but when her dog continued being unwell, she took her to Grove Vets.

Harper was put on antibiotics but there her weight loss and sickness continued which prompted the vets to get a specialist opinion on the matter.

She said: ‘Our vets were amazing and took such incredible care of us, putting Harper as their top priority as they really cared.’

They thought they had discovered a tumour in the stomach, but due to the positioning of the mass, it was predicted unlikely that Harper would survive surgery.

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The dog was seen at a hospital where she had x-rays, an endoscopy and samples taken to help the vets get a better understanding of everything. It was at this point that they confirmed that she did not have a tumour in her stomach but her oesophagus has distended blood vessels and her intestine looks to have pinpoint hemorrhages.

Specialists also conducted a scan on her heart, where it was found that she has a cluster of blood vessels attached to one side of her heart.

Harriet added: ‘The vets are quite fascinated by it so they want to do the scan. Nothing about Harper has been text book.’

The vets believe that there are two problems, the first being her sickness and weightloss and the second involving her heart, as well as the blood vessels on her oesophagus. Harriet said that the vets do not know how long the blood vessels have been on her heart or if it is operable meaning they need to conduct a CT scan on Harper to get a better picture of her heart.

The professionals are leaning towards her sickness being caused by inflammatory bowel disease, but this still needs to be confirmed.

In order to have a CT scan, Harriet has been told that this will cost an additional £5,500 on top of the thousands she has already paid.

Harriet desperately wants to get the scan done in the hope that it will solve the mystery of her dog’s illness, but she needs to find the funds.

She said: ‘I really do want to. It is just trying to find that further bit of money but I might get a loan out. People that aren’t dog supporters don’t get it.

‘It has been amazing. I couldn’t believe people would put that much in. I think someone put £500 in. It is just so lovely to see and I will be eternally grateful.’

To donate to help Harper, click the link.