Help Chloe the Pug Get Her Heart Surgery

Many of you know and love our sweet girl, Chloe the Pug. Chloe has lived in 7 cities, has had many loving roommates, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and a very annoying little brother, Blue (who she secretly loves a whole lot). Chloe is the essence of love. She is the cuddliest, cutest girl on the planet, and would absolutely win any food competition before it even started. She loves hiking, playing, chewing bones, chin resting on anyone and anything, and most of all, sleeping. In college, she was the life of every party and a clean-up (vacuuming) expert. Chloe is special. I cannot tell you how many people have said to us, "Well, I'm not a pug person...but there is just something about Chloe that's different." Well, it turns out her sweet, kind, perfect, loving little heart needs a whole lot of help.

On 9/18, Eric and I brought Chloe to the vet to get her checked out for complications with a UTI. This includes wetting the bed and seemingly lower back and leg pain. She was seen by an orthopedic surgeon, a neurologist, and finally a cardiologist all within the course of an hour (the team at C.A.R.E. is amazing). We thought we would come out with some new antibiotics and were instead given a diagnosis for a heart condition and were told Chloe needed a pacemaker. After extensive tests, we found out Chloe has 3rd Degree AV Block, which means the top of her heart is not communicating with the bottom of her heart. Dogs with this condition are at risk to die suddenly at any time. Some dogs live for days, some live 6 months after being diagnosed. She unfortunately did not respond to medical therapy and it has been determined a pacemaker is the only option we have, besides doing nothing (which is not an option for us).

The neurologist says she also needs an MRI, to rule out that a brain tumor is the cause of this as well as finding out what is going on with her spine and back legs. They cannot do an MRI until she has a pacemaker because her heart rate is 3-4 times lower than it should be and she cannot get anesthesia in that condition.

We paid $2,500 out of pocket on 9/18 for all of the tests, and were told the pacemaker surgery is anywhere from $5,500-$7,500. The MRI is $3,000-$4,000, and follow-up appointments after the surgery are $500 each. This is a total of $12,000-$15,000, and that does not include medicine or any other appointments for neurology or complications.

As you can imagine, we do not have this kind of money and they do not offer payment plans. I've been working 3 jobs for a while now to get a savings, and Eric has been working a lot to do the same. Even using all of our savings, including our wedding savings, does not cover this. But we have to do what we can. If you've met Chloe, you understand. We love Chloe with all of our hearts. She needs a piece of our hearts to help hers right now. We are asking for a portion to help cover the cost of the surgery only. If you cannot help right now, we understand (trust me) and are asking for love sent her way.

Chloe's pacemaker surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, 9/24. Her MRI will be 4-6 weeks later.

Please, if you were considering getting us a wedding gift, donate here in lieu of a gift. We thank you all so much for any support you can offer, including sharing this fundraiser. Chloe is 11 years old, but she still has so much more life to live and love to give.

Thank you, thank you, thank you,

Jess, Eric, Blue, and Chloe (pig, piggy, pigerella, pehg, the pug, chlo-bear, lois, that puuuuug, grandpug, puggles, frank, chlo chlo, my girl)