My name is Lorrie and Chuck is the son to my Frenchies, Prudence and Justice. He was handpicked and loved many months before he was even conceived by his dad, Will Houston. He has been his sidekick from day one and is his dad’s once-in-a-lifetime companion. They work, sleep, and play together.

Will came home from work on Wednesday, November 27, and could immediately tell something terrible had happened to Chuck. He took him to the vet’s office; he had suffered an injury to his back and was in a great deal of pain. He was prescribed pain meds, anti-inflammatory meds, and muscle relaxers. On Thanksgiving Day, he continued to show no improvement and continued to go downhill. During the night, he lost all use of his back legs. They returned to the vet’s office and were told to go to West Vet and see their Neurological team. En route, Chuck started suffering breathing issues and on arrival was taken immediately and intubated. Diagnosed with a disc hitting his spinal cord and material from the middle of the disc on his spinal cord, they performed surgery successfully, but when they attempted to remove his breathing tube, he began to have difficulty breathing. He had to be intubated again. This continued to happen a few times, so they made the decision to stitch his soft palate up away from his tongue to give him more room to breathe when he pants and the throat doesn’t get so inflamed. He was extubated and has been off oxygen since that time. Roxanne and Will have not been able to visit to keep his anxiety low and not excite him when it is time to leave, but they were able to take a few of his favorite toys that held the scent of family and furry family members. He should be released today. The doctors are still unsure of his neurological deficits or if he will have any. He must be on constant kennel rest, only allowed to stand and walk in a sling, and will have to have his bladder manually emptied with pressure for the next 1-2 months.

Thank goodness Will and Roxanne have insurance for Chuck, but his total is over $13,000 at this point. Insurance covers a little over half, but will still leave a substantial balance for the family. They have not asked for assistance, but I know it would be greatly appreciated. They will continue to accrue costs and any help would be appreciated. I understand if you are unable to donate, but could you please share? What a great time of year for a miracle for Chuck and some financial relief for his family. Thank you, I will keep you updated.