Koda is a 15-month old German Shepherd. He was given his name from the movie Brother Bear because he looked and acted just like the bear cub. Koda’s ‘mom’ describes him as the most friendly dog we've ever had. He’s made friends with the next door neighbor’s chicken, loves cats and always plays with the little dogs at the park. His only down fall is he eats anything and everything: roots, wood, toys, and balls. When he started randomly throwing up and losing interest in food, it was clear something was seriously wrong. His mom, Rene, took him to their regular veterinarian, Associate Member Aptos-Creekside Pet Hospital. Stomach X-rays revealed a foreign object in his stomach that he could not pass. He was transferred to Pacific Veterinary Specialists and Emergency, another BirchBark Associate Member hospital. The cost to treat Koda was way more than Rene could afford. That’s when she was referred to BirchBark. Thankfully, the Birchbark Foundation was able to step in and help us cover the costs we couldn't! They saved our baby, said Rene. Fortunately, Dr. Colleen Brady was able to remove the object through gastroscopy and major surgery was avoided. The vet pulled the object out successfully but his stomach was very torn up inside. This also led to the finding of him having an issue in his GI Tract. He is now on the mend with special food, vitamin B12 shots, and probiotics. His spirits are up and he loves being back at the local dog park. We have our Koda back and we couldn't be more grateful to BirchBark Foundation.—Koda’s mom, Rene