My dog needs an operation I can’t afford. Should I try to find the money, or put him down?

‘It’s admirable you took on caring for this dog when your dad was no longer able to, and admirable you’ve been able to acknowledge something needs to change.’ Painting: A Man and His Dog, date unknown, attributed to Antonio Rotta Photograph: Alamy

My father has dementia, and when his cat was run over, he was absolutely distraught. A few months later, he asked for a dog as he couldn’t face having a cat to lose again. So I bought him a Labrador puppy. It took one, maybe two days, and he was done with it. So I took on the responsibility.

The puppy was expensive to begin with; and then his hip went when he was six months old and I had to pay $18k for an operation, of which insurance only paid less than half of it. Now his front leg elbows have gone and the vet says he’s got elbow dysplasia and needs an operation. He’s limping now. I feel so sorry for him as he’s such a beautiful, good-natured dog.