"It's his will to live," said Dr. Chuck Miller of Triangle Veterinary Hospital.
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The dog was seriously abused and is fighting injuries. Miller believes someone either poured scalding water or chemicals along his spine. There are wounds along his back, legs and even tail.
"It just breaks your heart that someone would do something like this to an animal," said Miller. "He's always giving us kisses and he's so trusting."
The rescue organization Carolina Adopt-a-Bulls heard about his condition. Volunteers took him from a shelter near Concord and brought him to Durham to receive care.
"He just stole our hearts immediately,' said Miller.
He also arrived with a broken hip. Zeus is recovering after completing surgery on Monday.
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Zeus is on several antibiotics and painkillers. He's sedated then given hydrotherapy.
Some of his wounds are starting to heal, but Miller believes he will need skin grafting.
"He's going to have a long road ahead," he said. "He's going to require some surgeries to cover these areas."
Medical bills could hit $15,000.
Carolina Adopt-A-Bulls Rescue has launched a t-shirt fundraiser for Zeus. So far, they have raised $1,614.
You can check out the campaign here.