Alameda man cashes out 401k pay for dog's life-saving surgery

ALAMEDA, Calif. (KTVU) - An Alameda man has gone to great lengths to save his dog's life, even cashing out his 401k to pay for medical expenses. 

Jason Garrett's dog Lola was recently diagnosed with Mitral Valve Disease, which has caused an enlarged heart that requires new and expensive groundbreaking surgery. 

He said his 12-year-old mini-schnauzer was given 8 to 9 months to live. 

However, an animal cardiologist from Japan, Dr. Masami Uechi, has developed a new open-heart surgery procedure that has an 85 to 90% success rate, Garrett said. But it will cost $45,000. 

He withdrew from his 401k, using all his life's savings to try and get Lola the help she needed, but it wasn't enough.

He then set up a GoFundMe in December to raise the $45,000 for her surgery. 

Since then, 1,500 people have donated to the cause and $49,000 has been raised for Lola.

Garrett said Lola has saved his life many times and she helped him overcome several bouts of depression, so it's only right he does everything in his power to repay her.