Help Gus Walk Again…Again

Hi, I’m Laura, and Gus is my 4 year old rescue dog. He needs your help so that he can walk again…again.

Gus is an absolute joy. He is friendly - so friendly, in fact, that everyone in my condo complex knows Gus (even if I’m pretty sure they forget my name). He is the unofficial mascot at a local store.

Gus has had a very rough 14 months. In June 2021, he was diagnosed with a luxating patella, grade 3 - basically, his back leg joint was permanently out of socket, causing pain and arthritis. We had surgery, with a 2 month recovery.

In November 2021, he had an Intervertebral Disc Herniation, which caused him to be paralyzed. He needed an emergency hemilaminectomy to walk again - basically, spinal surgery.

Gus hasn’t wanted to walk recently (like, at all), and he is now hunching over, shaking and crying if not on pain meds. He is putting a lot of pressure on his front legs and barely putting pressure on his back legs. He is now suffering from Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD), specifically thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease, which is basically a disc herniation and is a precursor to another disc rupture like he suffered in November. This time, however, it is possible to prevent needing surgery (which is $5,000) if we do the following:

1. Pain control, including CarproChews and Methocarbamol. Gabapentin may be prescribed if he continues to have pain.

2. 4-6 weeks of Acupuncture 1x/week. Acupuncture has a local analgesia effect (helps the pain) and alters blood flow and encourages healing. My vet says she’s seen miraculous results with dogs with this condition who utilize acupuncture. Each season of acupuncture costs $52.

3. Photobiomodulation/laser therapy 3x/week. This increases blood flow, which increases healing and tissue relaxation. It decreases pain and inflammation. 8 sessions of laser therapy costs $240. We will need at least 3 bundles.

4. Supplements, including an Assisi Loop (the only FDA approved topical pain device to decrease inflammation; targeted pulsed electromagnetic field that blocks calcium channels and stops muscle spasms), Vetri Disc (helps to stabilize the spine), and Dasuquin Advanced (rx only, protects existing cartilage and prevents further deterioration. Blocks and prevents inflammatory cascade).

5. Rehabilitation exercises. This is something for the future (4-6 weeks) once his disc inflammation and pain decreases. Right now, we are doing a few home exercises to build up strength in his neck and back. Edit: we are doing water therapy. Intro is $26; going forward each session is $50 (at least 4 sessions).

So. Costs. They’re adding up.

1. Initial vet visit $323.12. $50 office visit, $240 laser therapy bundle of 8, $15.40 CarproChews, $17.72 methocarbamol.

2. Acupuncturist initial consult $185. This included a physical assessment, digital thermography (shows where he’s putting pressure/pain points), goniometric measurements (range of motion - due to his pain they did not do this, will do it later), strength assessment, and a treatment plan.

3. Acupuncturist Supplements and Treatments, $509.56. Assisi Loop $329, Vetri Disc $42.90, Dasuquin Advanced $65.66.

4. He will need 3-5 more acupuncture treatments ($225-$375 total).

UPDATE 9/30 acupuncturist visit $92

UPDATE 10/7: another acupuncturist visit $72 (plus intro to water therapy; see below)

UPDATE 10/13: Boarding, acupuncture, and water therapy $144.

Update 10/21: acupuncture, water therapy, ground therapy $161.

Update 10/28: acupuncture, physical therapy $161.

5. He will need 1-2 more bundles of laser therapy ($240-$480).

UPDATE 10/5: second bundle purchased ($240)

10/26 second bundle purchased.

6. Medication refills (CarproChews $15.40 for 10 days, Methocarbamol $17.72 for 10 days). Estimating 30 days of pain meds is $99.36. Possibly more if needed.

Update 9/24: methocarbamol refilled, $17.72

UPDATE 10/3: methocarbamol refilled ($17.72)

Update 10/14 Methocarbamol refilled, $17.72

Update 10/19 CarproChews refilled for one month, $16.50

7. Possibility for physical therapy. No idea what this would cost.

UPDATE 10/8: intro to water therapy begun. Water therapy going forward will be $50 per session (at least an additional 4 more sessions ($200)).

GOAL UPDATE 10/28:

I’ve spent $2,243.34 thus far on Gus’s care. We have a recheck (w/acupuncture and physical therapy, which is running about $161) on 11/4. I think we will be done at that point.

UPDATE 11/4: recheck, acupuncture and shockwave $345. Total spent on care $2588.34.

I’ll be honest: I’m devastated. Gus is my best friend and I just want him to live a pain free life where he can walk. I can’t believe we’ve had such bad luck in the past 14 months. I’ve tried so hard to keep him happy and healthy - I even moved into a fully carpeted, 1 story condo so that his disc issue wouldn’t be aggravated (wood floors - slipping and sliding - bad. Stairs - bad), and this still happened. I got pet insurance after his latest incident but it won’t cover any of this because his disc issue is considered a preexisting condition. I hate that we’re in this position again and that I have to ask for help. But here I am. Please help me help Gus feel better.