GINO is a 5-year-old CAIRN TERRIER in ELK GROVE, CA, who needs $1,700 for CHEMOTHERAPY.

There are times in our lives when we lose a loved one and then an angel comes down from heaven to help us cope with the loss. Our dog came into our lives when I lost my husband. my brother brought him home one day and Gino felt home right away. Gino helped the whole family heal and he helped us cope with the devastation that we all felt as a family after the death of my husband.

Gino has brought us hope and happiness. He loves to be cuddled and he enjoys his walks to the park. Whenever he sees any of us coming in through the front door, he jumps and he gets to excited to a point wheree it makes us feel he hasn't seen us in ages! That's how happy he gets when he sees us on a daily basis. Our family are really looking forward to spending more years with him.

Gino never fails to put a smile on our faces. He would go from one room to another every morning to let us know his presence. He can also be shy, if you give him a treat, he takes it, puts the treat on the floor and then looks at you as if waiting for our signal that it's ok for him to enjoy his treat.

We have been taking Gino to VCA Pet Hospital in Elk Grove. He recently had problems with slight blood spotting when he urinates, after his check up and his X ray and ultrasound. They found lumps, hence, the cancer diagnosis. If he does not undergo chemotherapy, we will only be able be with him several weeks. Heartbreaking and devastating. He was referred for treatment at VCA Vet Referral Oncology.

While we have been using credit cards to pay for his medical expenses, we are all maxing out on our resources. The Social Security disability income I receive is not even enough to cover all the expenses. Gino is a part of our family and extending his life is our goal.