A Heartbreaking Update
Gus had his second surgery, to clean the surgical site from Friday, this afternoon. Very sadly, his heart stopped while he was in recovery from the surgery. The veterinary staff did all they could to resuscitate him, but sadly they were not able to do so.
GusGus is now at the Rainbow Bridge ~ healthy, happy, pain-free and patrolling the perimeter fence. He will be able to keep tabs on his HOPMom Marilyn and gurlfurend Laverne from the Rainbow Bridge.
Thank-yous, hugs and sad ahroos to all our furends who have donated to Gus’s Guts Fund. We will post the total for all of Gus’s surgical and post-surgical care bills when we have the final total. Gus’s final illness and surgery has completely wiped out all of HOP’s operating funds . . . any donations you can make are greatly appreciated and will go to paying for Gus’s treatment.
Fly free, sweet Gus-Gus. We know you are enjoying meeting your brothers and sisters, like Rudolph, Fred and Katy, at the Bridge. Liz made her journey yesterday so we know she was the first to greet you. . . .
Update 4/24/2009 ~ Marilyn has now received the total bill for all of Gus's treatments, which comes to $6,200.00 so we have changed the fundraising target to reflect this new total. Gus's treatment more-than-wiped-out HOP's bank account. Gigantic thank-yous to everyone who has donated to The Gus Memorial Fund and please tell your friends and furends about the fund.
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HELP GET GUS'S GUTS OUT OF HOCK!
Gus Brazzle is one of the olddogs at House of Puddles. On April 14th, Gus quit eating and wasn't acting like himself. Usually he's very excited about his dinner, as are all bassets, and his "job" at House of Puddles is to patrol the yard by pacing the perimeter of the fence several times a day. Gus loves to be outside in his yard surveying his domain.
Marilyn took GusGus to the vet's on Friday, and they did emergency surgery to remove an obstruction from his intestines. They also removed his spleen because it was covered with nodules. HOP's vet, Green Valley Animal Hospital, doesn't have overnight staff so GusGus was moved to a 24-hour emergency vet hospital, Green Briar, late Friday night for monitoring. Big thank-you's to June Gravitte who generously transported Gus and monitored him all weekend while Marilyn was out-of-town at Boardwaddle, boardwaddlin' for Tri-State Basset Rescue. (June also HOP-sat the olddogs all weekend ~ what a champ!)
Gus came through the surgery fine but he's not recovering very well so far. He keeps having temperature spikes and the doctors are going to open him up again today, April 21, to debride the wound and try to figure out what's causing the infection.
Gus came to HOP from Tennessee and was treated for active heartworms after Marilyn was able to put a few pounds on this very skinny and neglected boy. GusGus went with Marilyn and his HOP ladyfriend Laverne to Boardwaddle last year. He's a very calm, affectionate basset who just wants to patrol the perimeter of his yard, cuddle with Marilyn, and steal kisses from his gurlfurend Laverne (and cookies from the other olddogs whenever he can!).
Gus's Story: http://houseofpuddles.org/gus_page.htm
At $5,000 and climbing, Gus's surgery and post-surgical care have emptied the HOP cookie jar. Can you help?
Marilyn
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Offline Donations
4/18/2009
June Gravitte - $500
4/21/2009
Jen Smith - $10 - "get better, Gus! we're all praying for you! :)"
Lisa & Mike Fagan (Boki, Calvin and Molly, too!) - $25 - "Get better, GusGus!"
Audrey Kaake - $25
Kathy Peacock - $20
4/22/2009
Jessica Howard - $100
Diane Ezell - $25
Thomas Woodward - $10
4/23/2009
Claire Caponigro - $50 - "RIP sweet Gus"
Laura Salmon - $100
4/24/2009
Kimberly Haines - $25
4/26/2009
Annika, Brian, Murphy & Polly Francis - $20 - "From Murphy's Bisquit Fund"
Kip & Gus Masset - $15 - From one Gus to another.
4/27/2009
Kim Golembeck - $10
Penny Johnson - $25
Susan Davenport - $20
Denise Manna - $25
4/28/2009
Alexandra Heckart - $25
Share Corporation - $50 "In memory of Irene Dropp"
4/29/2009
Douglas Dropp - $227.50 - in memory of his mother
Mary Gottfried - $100.00
4/30/2009
Brenda Waldrop - $333.50
Senior HoundsAbound - $100
Susan Thomas - $20
5/1/2009
Frances Randolph - $100
Douglas Dropp - $67 in memory of his mother
5/2/2009
Peter Roebuck & Monty Basset - $25 - in memory of Liz & Gus
5/3/2009
Kathy Peacock - $56
5/4/2009
Christine Covie - $20
Kelly Holland - $50
5/5/2009
Douglas Dropp - $37.50 - in memory of his mother
Pat Dill - $200
5/8/2009
Jeanne Wells - $25
5/11/2009
Kip Masset - $20
5/12/2009
Peggy - $35
Mr. & Mrs. Perry Hagensick - $50 - in memory of Irene Dropp
5/16/2009
Christine Williams - $25
6/8/2009
Christina Toney - $20