Urgent Surgery for Gus: A Loving Companion

Hello! My name is Makayla, and this fundraiser is for my dog, Gus. The short and sweet is that Gus has torn his CCL and will require a $6,000 surgery to rehabilitate him and improve his quality of life. Please continue reading below to understand our life and how you can help!

Gus is a three year old Saint Bernard-Lab Retriever mix who I adopted on April 16, 2022 from Old Dominion Humane Society in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Since the day I brought him home, he has been an integral part of my life. He is my Emotional Support Animal that has traveled with me from Delaware to Tennessee and everywhere in between. Gus is by far the sweetest dog I have ever met, who is calm, loving, and intuitive. I firmly believe that Gus is my "soulmate dog."

Now, it's time to answer the obvious question... how did he injure himself and what kind of surgery is he receiving? While Gus was outside playing in the backyard on one of Virginia's first warm days in March, I noticed that he came inside limping. After taking him to see his primary vet and taking scans to better understand what we're working with, it was discovered that Gus has torn his CCL in his rear left leg. The CCL is equivalent to an ACL in humans. The surgery that he requires is called a TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy). They "shave" down the tibial plateau so it's level and allows for more stabilization within the knee joint. Due to his size and the extensiveness of the surgery, the vet is estimating $6,000 in total costs, excluding consult visits, imaging, etc.

Why am I humbly asking for your donation? I am a 22-year-old college graduate, working at a chiropractor's office. Much like anyone else, bills, along with a small savings account, can make it hard to afford sudden and very expensive costs. Given that the surgery is necessary, and Gus is my baby, I will make this surgery happen regardless; however, any amount given would be GREATLY appreciated to help alleviate this unexpected situation.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,

Makayla + Gus