Emily, I hope it all turns out well for you after you speak with the specialist. I have two dogs myself and they are pretty much my children. My oldest contracted Parvo when she was a pup and I thought we were going to lose her. It was so hard hearing the options put forth to me by the vet, but like you said, no matter the cost I wanted to give her every chance at life. So, a couple grand later she made a full recovery and is great to this day. I have faith that the specialist will do everything in their power to fix up your dog and give it a further lease on a longer life. Good luck to you and your dog.