Dug The Pug's journey

Hi, my name is Jamie and I am trying to fundraise on behalf of our little Dug the Pug.

Our little Dug is honestly wonderful.

We have had him from a puppy and have had more fun with him and his silliness than I can remember off the top of my head! From his competitive snoring, to his air paddling, to his smelly trumps! Everybody absolutely adores him!

Our Dug went for castration on Monday 28th April 2025 with a suspected testicular tumour due to enlargement which was removed and thankfully nothing of much concern. When speaking to the vet prior to his operation, we asked if a small skin growth on his side could be removed as Dug had scratched at it and made it bleed and we didn’t want it to get infected. We had shown this to the vet when we noticed it around Christmas and they said it doesn’t look like anything of concern but to keep an eye on it for changes. It didn’t change.

It was removed and then testicles and side lump sent off for testing.

The lump on the side has come back as being a grade 3 Mass call tumour and we are absolutely heartbroken.

The removal was clean margin but only to 3mm when ideally it should have been 3-4cm.

It's not something we have ever heard of but apparently can be quite common for Pug's, albeit is very rare for it to be a stage 3 and usually is lower grade which can be treated.

Our poor boy has been extremely unlucky and we are devastated.

He is 9, almost 10, and up until now has been very lucky for a Pug health wise. They are known for breathing issues which he hasn't really had, and he eats healthy and loves his walks! Although he does also have use of a pushchair now just so that he doesn't overheat (same thing cant be said for his Mum when she's pushing him around!)

While there is no complete cure for Dug, we want to do as much for him and get him as much treatment as we can.

We know that some may question why we don't have pet insurance so I will be very honest and say we did have. We paid it from having Dug as a little pup, all the way up until he was almost 9, and due to his breed it wasn't cheap!

I won't name the insurance company but I will say we were treated extremely unfairly by them.

We had to take the matter to the Ombudsman which took quite a while in order to get the money back, but in the meantime we joined something called The Healthy Pet Club, completely forgot about insurance after it leaving a bitter taste in our mouths, and here we are.

So far Dug's costs are at £5000, and this doesn't include the chemotherapy that the oncologist has recommended.

We want to try our very very best for our boy. He's not just a dog, he is family, and anyone that knows us personally knows this. He is loved. I can't even begin to tell you how much he is loved, and this has completely shattered us.

Any donations we would be so grateful for, absolutely everything will be going towards paying off all of Dug's treatments, tests, appointments, anything needed, all of it.

Thank you very much for reading Dug's story Xxx