Help Young Baloo Fight Rare Disease

Hi friends, my name is Gina. My husband Ken and I are sharing this on behalf of our rescue pup, a two-year-old Pit/Aussie/Cattle Dog mix named Baloo.

On Thursday, February 1st, we took Baloo to the vet for an ultrasound to see if we could determine the cause of some unusual blood panel results. The ultrasound revealed an enormous amount of fluid in Baloo’s chest cavity, putting his ability to breathe in jeopardy. Baloo underwent an emergency thoracocentesis procedure and a full liter of fluid was drained from his chest. Further X-rays indicated a strange mass in his chest. Our vet said it “looked like a second heart.” We were completely blindsided.

That same afternoon I carried a sedated Baloo in my arms as we rushed him to a veterinary surgeon for an emergency CT scan. Our vets were puzzled by what they saw, but were highly concerned that we were looking at a non-operable, incurable cancer. They were able to extract cell samples from the mass for testing, and we waited.

Good News and Bad News

On February 8th, we received the cytology results. So far, testing has shown no cancer cells. However, the results indicate that the mass is a type of terrible infection within his chest cavity. We are told the condition is called Pyothorax. Without treatment, it will continue to spread, potentially damaging vital organs and will continue to fill his chest with fluid. 

Unfortunately, treatment for this kind of severe infection can be difficult and costly. Medication alone can help, but we’re told surgery to try and remove as much infected tissue as possible may help increase the effectiveness of the medication and increase Baloo’s chances of reaching a cure. That said, we are also told that this surgery is risky and that complications could be fatal. Right now Ken and I are processing and trying to make the right decision for our Baloo’s treatment plan.

Why We Love Baloo

Baloo is a hyper-intelligent, hyper-athletic, goofy, and sensitive little guy. Raising him has not been without its challenges, but through it all we've grown extremely close as a family. We helped Baloo work through intense fearfulness and anxiety and learn that he is safe in our world. At just two years old, he has blossomed into an incredible young dog and we cherish him very, very much. He loves the outdoors, performing fancy tricks, and running after his red ball as hard as he can in true herding-dog fashion. Baloo has just begun to find his bravery, but now Ken and I have to face our biggest fear: losing him far too soon.

How Your Donation Can Help

The initial funding goal of $6,000 will cover the costs already incurred for Baloo’s life-saving thoracentesis procedure and diagnostic testing. Any additional funds raised will be reserved in an account dedicated to Baloo’s ongoing care in this fight. If we choose to go with surgery, it will be expensive. We plan to update this page with those numbers when we know more. As you can imagine, the cost of these diagnostic procedures has been extreme and sudden. But after having the fluid drained last week, he is feeling so much better. We want to do everything we can to keep him feeling that way.

This diagnosis comes after one of the toughest financial years in my (Gina's) eight years working as a film and television industry professional. The Hollywood labor strikes of 2023 have left many film crews without work for a painfully long time. As a result, my family needs your support. Baloo has been a great source of joy, laughter, love, and normalcy throughout a very difficult time. But now he needs us.

Whether or not you can donate at this time, we would be so grateful if you could share this link to help us spread the word. If you would like to follow Baloo's story, please check here or via Instagram for updates. Thank you so much for your care and support. Every kind word has meant the world to Ken and I as we put on our bravest faces for Baloo.