A Gentle Giant’s Recovery: Help Nick Receive Life-Changing Surgery And Stand Tall Again

Nick is a 3-year-old St. Bernard who, just days ago, was seen falling out of the back of a moving truck. He was terrified, injured, and alone. When Nick arrived at the shelter, his injuries were devastating. His back was broken and luxated, leaving him unable to stand for long, but his determination shone through. He still had feeling in his legs – a sign that there was hope.

The shelter reached out to several rescues, but no one could commit to helping this big, gentle giant. Without intervention, Nick would have faced the heartbreaking decision of euthanasia. But ThisIsHouston couldn’t turn their back on him. They decided to give Nick a fighting chance. He underwent surgery and Nick now has two plates and screws to stabilize his spine.

Nick’s injuries are just part of the story. He also has a ruptured anal gland, heartworms, and a severe flea infestation. He’s suffered from urine scalding and pressure sores. But his caring veterinary team is working tirelessly to manage his symptoms and provide him with the best care possible. Despite everything he’s been through, he remains a sweet, gentle giant.

He’s calm, loving, and ready to trust again. The road to recovery for Nick will be long and expensive. His surgery, medical care, and ongoing therapies are costly. But with your support, Nick has the chance he deserves to live a life full of love.

Update 1/22/2025:
Nick’s been at the vet for a month now; getting surgery, recovering, and then he had a cough which was diagnosed as k9 parainfluenza and streptococcus.

He’s been in isolation for a few weeks and recently recovered. He started physical therapy last Friday and is doing range of motion exercises as well as short standing exercises. With the motion and muscle tone he has in the back legs right now, the vet is hopeful that with strong tactile therapy & e-stim, there will be some pretty good results.

Nick should be discharged this weekend into foster care. Rehab is going to take some time and Nick has a long road ahead, but we’re all hopeful for a full recovery.

Update 1/24/2025:
Nick is on track to be discharged this weekend and head into his foster home! He’s currently fecal incontinent so that’s going to be a big challenge in addition to his size (he’s currently 121 lbs currently), but his fosters have not backed down from taking him in and helping him.

Nick will start physical therapy next week and in between PT sessions, he’ll get to use a TENS unit (as recommended by his current vet). He’s been standing lately, especially when he sees the techs get his harness out. He tries to “help” and get up and move.

His personality has been coming out a ton more and more each day. Lately he’s been trying to play and has even been slapping his techs with his paws when they leave; just generally wanting more attention which is a great sign!

Update 2/3/25:
Nick is holding steady, but unfortunately, he lost his foster home for a couple of reasons. While he was in foster care, we learned a lot about him—though he’s a bit stubborn, he’s an incredible boy with so much potential.

His weight is a major concern right now, as he weighs 121lbs. We knew this would be a factor when we committed to helping him, but we were hoping for the best. While we were told he had great anal tone, he is unfortunately fecal and urinary incontinent, which presents a huge challenge. He requires 3-4 people to bathe him, and he needs to stay clean throughout the day. He can stand, but not on his own, and he is still unable to walk.

Yesterday, Nick was taken back to NVC Nederland where he’ll be boarding and receiving physical therapy. While he had one hydrotherapy session in foster care, we were planning for weekly sessions. NVC will now manage his therapy, and they have the expertise and resources to provide him with the care he urgently needs.

We’re hopeful that physical therapy over the next few weeks will show positive results. To be transparent, as a team, we’ve agreed that without improvement, Nick's quality of life would be extremely limited, and finding someone capable of providing the care he requires would be nearly impossible. However, right now, we’re holding onto hope for some progress.

Update 3/4/25:
Nick is gradually gaining strength and making progress with his physical therapy. Overall, he's doing well, though he is still 'knuckling' on his back legs and has quite a journey ahead of him. But even slow progress is still progress!

Nick can be a bit stubborn with most of his techs, but he's formed a special bond with Brandi. He even stood up for her today and took a few steps!

In fact, he was strong enough to stand during his bath today!

Update 5/19/25:
This sweet, strong boy continues to amaze us every single day!

Earlier this month, Nick had his eyes tacked open — a big step forward — and we’re thrilled to share that they’re healing beautifully. He’s already seeing the world more clearly, and it’s making a huge difference in his confidence and awareness. Next month, he’ll return to the ophthalmologist for a check-up and to see if a second surgery might be needed.

Nick also has new bands for his feet that help build strength, guide his feet into the correct walking position, and encourage his toes to align properly (instead of knuckling under). These aren’t worn all day — he uses them 3 to 6 times daily as part of his therapy routine.

And the biggest joy to share? Nick is standing and walking so well! Watching his progress — his determination, resilience, and bright spirit — has been such a beautiful experiences.