Lady Gaga's dog walker says when doctors were working on him after he was shot, blood was spurting out of his chest as he lay on the operating table, and doctors feared he would die.
Ryan Fischer told Gayle King on "CBS Mornings" ... when the dognappers confronted him with a gun as he walked 3 of Lady Gaga's dogs, he knew he was going to get shot. Nevertheless, he felt it was his mission to fight for the safety of the canines.
He says the bullet went through his clavicle near his neck and exited through his shoulder blade, piercing his lung on the way out. Once in surgery, as doctors frantically tried inserting a chest tube, blood started spurting all over the place and his blood pressure dropped to a crisis level.
The good news ... he says Gaga was an angel and went above and beyond to help him in his recovery. She flew his family out to L.A. and he stayed at her house for months where he had family, friends and security around him.
Ryan has really been through it ... he tried walking dogs for a short time after he recovered physically, but couldn't handle the emotional trauma and went on a cross-country trip to find peace. He says he's still struggling.
TMZ broke the story ... the robbers drove up behind Ryan as he walked Gaga's French bulldogs, and after a struggle they shot him and made off with 2 of the dogs. They were later found unharmed and the LAPD arrested 5 suspects for attempted murder and robbery.