I hear you. We have a 13-year-old Maltese, allergic to beef, antibiotics, and surgical sutures of all things. Tracheal collapse, two operations to fix a ripped cruciate ligament on his hind leg. First an OP to fix it, then he caught a sepsis (with nary an antibiotic to prescribe), then a second OP to reverse the first one and deal with the sepsis, in January OP #3 coming up.
But he's a happy camper through it all, and of course a family member. So daddy better be sure to always have deep pockets to pay the vets! I know the tracheal collapse is degenerative and I can't give him cartilage-building supplements (allergies) to drag it out. One day soon, he'll have uncontrollable breathing problems and will be gasping for air. On that day, daddy will have to send him home... I dread it!