Donate for Gus Gus

Hi, my name is Chrissy and I'm asking for your help for my fur baby Gus Gus.

My husband Kevin & I welcomed Gus into our family in December of 2018. Gus has been our rock from the very moment we each held him. With him right by my side, I graduated from nursing school and started my dream job in an ICU. Shortly after, our worlds started to turn upside down and continued to do so for a while after. We found out Kevin was being deployed in the Spring of 2019. Shortly thereafter, with Gus Gus by our side, we were engaged and married. While navigating a deployment as newlyweds, the world was turned upside down by COVID. As a new ICU nurse working with COVID patients, and with my husband overseas, I was struggling to navigate through life. While my world felt like it was falling apart, Gus held me together. As most dogs do, he was by my side through it all. He kept a light on for me in a very dark part of my life.

At the same time he helped me, he also forged a special bond with my dad, his "Grandpaw". When I was working the long 12-hour ICU shifts, Grandpaw would pick up Gus (so "Gus wouldn't get lonely"), and they would go for the best rides of their lives. He spent countless hours at Home Depot walking the aisles and bringing smiles to people's faces. But, Grandpaw has health issues and spends a lot of time in the hospital, too. At Grandpaw's worst times, when we thought he was going to lose his second leg to amputation, Gus would visit him and give him the strength he needed to get well enough to go home. Gus has a special way of making you feel loved and exponentially important with one simple look or cuddle. That ability carries weight and helps people through their toughest times.

Life did as life does, and started to move forward. Kevin came home, we bought a house, and welcomed another Frenchie, Gary, into our family. Gus has been by our side through it all.

About 8 months ago, Gus started showing signs of pain and discomfort. He wasn't walking normally and seemed like he couldn't put weight on his back left leg. Being so uncomfortable, he started hyperventilating. At that time we took him to an emergency vet and they gave him medications to keep him comfortable. We were sent home with anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers, and pain medications. We were told he would need strict crate rest for a month but should recover to his baseline, which he did. Fast forward to now and Gus seemed to have a "flare-up". We took him to the emergency vet again, but this time wasn't so straightforward. After stabilizing him and making sure he was comfortable, the vet sat us down to discuss options. Ultimately, we were referred and transferred to see a Neurologist this morning. After a night of no sleep, and another painful morning for Gus, it was decided that Gus needs surgery on his back. The vet explained that he has congenital narrowing of his spine and needs decompression of a ruptured disc spreading across 4 vertebrae in his spine.

To do so, Gus needs imaging with anesthesia and observation in the ICU for a few days after spinal surgery. We have a long road of recovery ahead of us and will need all of the help and support we could get through these next few months. Updates will be posted for following along our journey. Any and all help is so greatly appreciated.