Kelsea Ballerini Asks for ‘Big Love and Prayers’ as Her Dog Faces Surgery amid Chase Stokes Split

The Grammy-nominated singer has been a dog mom to Dibs for roughly a decade

Kelsea Ballerini; Dibs.Credit : 

Kevin Mazur/Getty; kelsea ballerini/instagram

Kelsea Ballerini has a special request from her fans as she navigates a tough time.

On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the “Cowboys Cry Too” singer, 32, shared a post to her Instagram Stories asking for support as her dog Dibs underwent an unexpected surgery.

She previously revealed in August 2024 that the canine had “inoperable cancer in his heart.”

Kelsea Ballerini’s dog Dibs.kelsea ballerini/instagram

“Baby boy has a [surprise] surgery today. we would appreciate all of the big love and prayers and healing energy you can send his way. it’s gotten him this far,” Ballerini wrote over a photo of Dibs, adding a single red heart emoji.

The up-close image showed him sitting in front of the camera, looking up at the lens while on a leash.

News of his surprise surgery comes a little more than a week after PEOPLE confirmed Ballerini and Chase Stokes broke up after nearly three years together.

“They’re two adults who gave it their all and tried to do everything they could to make it work, but ultimately couldn’t. It happens,” sources close to the couple told PEOPLE exclusively in a Sept. 14 statement.

The Grammy-nominated artist and the Outer Banks star, 33, initially sparked dating rumors in January 2023 after Stokes shared a cuddly photo of them at the Georgia vs. TCU game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

Throughout their relationship, Stokes has also been there for Ballerini as she cared for Dibs amid his diagnosis.

Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini, November 2024 Netflix event.JC Olivera/Getty

“We’re just taking it day by day right now,” Stokes told PEOPLE exclusively in September 2024 of how they were dealing with Dibs’ health. “I mean, it’s one of those things that when it happens as fast as it does, you just try to do the next right thing.”

At the time, the Uglies actor added that between their busy schedules, he and Ballerini were doing their best to find time “to be as a unit as much as humanly possible.”

Before their split, the now-former couple had created a small family with their two dogs. Stokes adopted his pup, Milo, in 2020, while the “Love Me Like You Mean It” singer has been a mom to Dibs for roughly a decade.

Ballerini initially shared news of Dibs’ cancer diagnosis while promoting her album, Patterns.

Kelsea Ballerini and her dog Dibs.Kelsea Ballerini/Instagram

She admitted to feeling “pretty disingenuous promoting this album and tracklist reveal….without updating you on my sweet dibs.”

Ballerini explained that doctors discovered her dog has cancer in his heart. “He’s not in pain, and luckily it hasn’t spread further,” she wrote. “We’re going to start him on the ‘big’ meds to try to make sure he can have as many comfortable and happy days (weeks, months🙏) left as possible.”

She also referred to Stokes as the “greatest dog dad in the world.”