My dog needs emergency surgery...

Otie, our 9 yr. old bishon needs to have surgery for a knee replacement on his left back leg.  My husband was recently laid off from his job and I have not been employed since I was disabled from a auto accident back in 1993.  We recently reclocated to St. Petersburg from Asheville, NC after my husband lost his job so that we could be close to our daughter and gr'sons.  
Otie was diagnosed with a weak knee joint that will eventually become weaker and slip completely our of joint.  He needs to have some kind of repair very soon.  In the past few weeks, we can see that he limps much more and the knee seems to be very painful for him to use.  We would love to have his knee replacement done as soon as possible but, unfortunately, cannot afford to pay for it to be done until my husband finds a new job. Can anyone refer us to an emergency veteranarian clinic or surgeon that would be willing to do the surgery asap in exchange for any electrical service (my husband was an electrician for over 25 yrs.)  Otherwise, we could make very small payments and when my husband becomes employed again we would be in a position to pay off the loan.  
We love our dog, he is a part of our family and it is so painful to see him limping and in so much pain.  Any help would be so much appreciated.  Thanks so much!

[dodie51]

We got the news from our vet that Moe our Bision mix.That he also has the same problem.I know how hard it is to see them in pain.Our vet gave us some numbers to call to see if they  would help.But they either don't answer the phone(won't take message)or it is busy.I don't think we will ever get hold of them I try all the time.
  I also am diabled.And live with my son who is also ill.His only job is being my caregiver.And the state doesn't pay well for this.
  I wish you luck on finding someone to help

[Misfits4Me]

Hello, My Bichon ,8 yr. old female, also has the same problem. Her Holistic Vet did not recommend surgery, as it is at a level 2 grade.
Please, check out Carecredit.com. This is a credit card with little or no interest made specifically for medical bills for humans and Veterinary Bills for animals.
Alot of Vets and Hospitals accept this form of payment. Your balance is paid back to the card company over a period of time. This would be worth checking out....Good luck, Karla

[Myown]

Maybe if you go to www.petfinder.com and find rescue organizations in your area. Tell them about your situation and see if they can help you thru the donations they receive and that you will pay them back when your job situation changes...

good luck