Meet Sissy!  Sissy is a Prague Ratter (a small dog from the Czech Republic) and is a “Hearing Dog Extraordinaire”!  Her dad is deaf and Sissy is his service animal.  She and her brother, Seven, go everywhere with Dad and help alert him to sounds in his environment.  At home, it could be an alarm or a knock at the door.  Out in the world, Dad follows their big ears and head turns, and body movements to help inform him of sudden noises – providing valuable context and security for him.  He has come to rely on them greatly, and so when Sissy started vomiting, the family was very worried.  The team at SAGE Veterinary Centers Redwood City diagnosed Sissy with a gallbladder mucocele – essentially, the contents of the gallbladder get so thick, that it acts like it is blocked and it needs to be removed surgically.  With a grant from SAGE Compassion for Animals and a generous discount from the veterinary team, Sissy was able to get surgery and return home to put her ears to good use once again!