A mum-of-one was "devastated" after thinking she might lose her beloved dog, who has been left paralysed following a health battle, and she now faces a £8k vet bill to get him treated.
Simone Sloan, from Milngavie, has had five-year-old Champ in her life since the Shih Tzu and Bichon Frise mix was around eight-weeks-old.
He helped her while she was grieving the loss of her husband who died after being diagnosed with cancer, aged 34, a decade ago. But now, Champ has been left unable to move following his own health troubles.
READ MORE: Glasgow family devastated and facing £10k vet bill after dog 'mauled' outside home
Though it's not been confirmed, vets think he might have Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) and requires an MRI scan followed by surgery.
But 44-year-old classroom assistant Simone, who lives with her young son, says she has been quoted £3,500 for the MRI scan and £4,500 for surgery which will ultimately save Champ's life. He will then require physiotherapy as he recovers from the procedure.
She told Glasgow Live: "I had really bad anxiety after my husband passed away. It forced me to get out with my son and take him for walks and he brought a lot more joy in our lives.
"He rescued us because we were going through a hard time and has been a big support for us.
"He was fine the day before and then the next day he couldn’t go up and down the stairs. He was really bad on Monday (20th February) which was the 10th anniversary of my husband passing away and I thought please don’t let something bad happen today.
"By Wednesday (February 22) he was staggering everywhere and could hardly hold himself up. I took him back to the vets and they said to lift him up and down to go to the toilet. He got worse after that.
"I was devastated, he is part of the family and got us through so much. I had to be truthful and tell my son there’s a possibility Champ might not be here because he was in a lot of pain as well."
Her pet insurance covers just £7,000 a year and it's broken down to £2,000 per treatment. So her insurance does not cover the MRI or surgery.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by Simone's friends to help her raise the vital funds she needs to get Champ the life-changing treatment he requires.
Over the last few days, with him getting physiotherapy, his spirits have been "lifted".
Simone added: "His legs are paralysed at the back so he just drags them but he has managed to stand on all four paws for 20 seconds before he sits. The problem is he can’t go outside and do a toilet because his legs aren’t working properly so he’s just been in the house on puppy pads for the past couple of weeks.
"They said there’s no point getting money for the MRI unless you can do the surgery too. They said he would need surgery to fix him.
"It’s been a dire situation and we thought we were going to lose him but his spirit is back which is great.
"It (the support) restores your faith in humanity with people being so kind and caring so much. It’s been overwhelming in a very good way.
"Any help would be amazing, even if we could just keep up with the physio."
Support the fundraiser for Champ here.
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