Our Family's Best Friend, Bear, Needs Your Help

We're reaching out today with heavy hearts and a difficult ask. Our sweet, playful, and loving dog, Bear, is in urgent need of a major surgery, and we're humbly asking for your help to cover the costs. For those who know us, you know we're not usually the type to ask for money—it’s incredibly hard for us to be in this position. But we're willing to do whatever it takes to give our boy the care he deserves.

Bear is so much more than a pet; he's our first child, our best friend, and our constant companion. We got him when we were 18, and now, at 27, he's been by our side through every major milestone and all of life's ups and downs. He's been one of the biggest reasons we've pushed ourselves to pursue our degrees in technology and medicine. Our biggest motivation has always been to give him the best life possible, and in doing so, we've built a better life for ourselves, too.

A Pomsky with a Heart of Gold

Bear is a Pomsky—75% Pomeranian and 25% Husky—and a born adventurer. He was the last puppy in his litter, and when we first met him in 2016, it was love at first sight. He jumped right into our laps and hasn't left our side since. Bear loves exploring new hiking trails, running wild in grassy fields, and splashing along the tide pools at the beach. He loves to go fishing with us too, he will lie in the water and excitedly look at the fish when we reel it in for a photo. He truly is man’s best friend. He's also the most gentle, loving big brother to our rescued cat, Koda, who we found in a storm drain two years ago. Their playful, sometimes chaotic, bond is the most heartwarming thing we've ever witnessed.

A Terrifying Turn of Events

Bear has always been a picture of health, but that changed suddenly this June. He became lethargic and seemed to be in constant pain. A visit to our local vet revealed his liver enzymes were at a terrifying 1100, when the normal range is just 100. We immediately changed his diet and started him on a liver medication, Denamarin. For a while, he was back to his playful self; he was even doing some things we hadn’t seen him do since he was a puppy. The sight of him lying on his back, kicking his feet like a happy bunny with a toy on his belly, was pure joy.

But things took a terrifying turn on his ninth birthday, August 31st, 2025. He seemed fine during his slumber party with his best friend Mossberg, but later that night, he started whining and panting with a look of fear in his eyes. We rushed him to the emergency vet on September 1st, where an ultrasound revealed a lot of mucus buildup in his gallbladder. The doctors referred us to a specialist, but the earliest appointment they had was September 25th.

As the day progressed on September 2nd, Bear got worse. He started panting hard again and seemed confused. He started standing in front of the wall, just staring blankly ahead. When we called him, he wouldn’t come to us, which is very unlike him. We knew at that moment we couldn’t wait—we would lose our boy if we didn't act now.

The Road to Recovery

The next day, September 3rd, we found out his liver values were even worse (1300). We didn’t care what it would cost; we just wanted our baby to be healthy again. We rushed him to UC Davis Veterinary Emergency, where they took him in immediately. Today, they informed us that Bear is in critical condition. He has a fever of 103.9 and needs to be monitored overnight. This is the first time he's ever been away from us, and it was incredibly emotional.

The initial procedures alone, including hospitalization, blood tests, and imaging, are estimated to cost $3,000 to $6,000. The doctor also discovered a low-grade heart murmur, which could complicate surgery. If the tests show he is close to a gallbladder rupture or leak—which is highly likely—the total cost will jump to $10,000 to $12,000. Our family has generously helped with the initial down payment, but we simply don't have the funds to cover the rest.

We don’t know where we would be without him by our side. Asking for money is not who we are, but we are not ready to give up on him. Your contribution, no matter how small, will help us get Bear the surgery he desperately needs.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story. We will be posting updates as we get more information.