MoMo’s Emergency Surgery

Hi my name is Michele Allegretti, Kaylee’s mom. (MoMos Grammie)

MoMo as you all know from all the updates my daughter has posted, just under went surgery 7/12. It was for a giant cyst in her salivary gland, and another developing cyst under her tongue. Her primary veterinarian explained that this diagnosis and surgery were very rare and that there are only TWO surgeons that will do this type of surgery within driving distance. One being in Rochester and the other in Ithaca. The Rochester surgeon, she explained was booked out 6 months, and said that Mo could NOT wait that long. The cyst under her tongue would have blocked the airway in her throat, most likely happening while she was sleeping and die. So our only choice was to do the surgery out of Ithaca. The success rate for this type of surgery is very good, with a rare case that it’s not. Well, MoMo fell into that rare category ONCE again.

After the surgery, she had some complications with the incision site due to drainage that wouldn’t stop. So instead of her originally having to stay over night and be released the next day, She had to stay for a few more days. When they were finally ready to release her, everything was looking good, then they took her catheter out and a few moments later, the surgeon walked by to check on her and she was flat in the kennel unresponsive. They don’t know exactly what the reason was behind it but, she had a seizure/convulsion-like episode that lasted a little under a minute. So they kept her for another day and half to monitor her. Thankfully she hasn’t had another episode since.

Now the recovery process begins to start.

We brought her home to my house for the recovery period so that 1. I could help her and 2. because my house was easier without stairs. She has to be monitored 24hrs a day, because she can’t wear a cone due to the one incision site being on her neck. Given antibiotics, steroids, & paid medication all at different times. Then ice, then heat around the clock. Staying on this schedule is so important. So when I tell you sleep has not been a factor for the both of us, I truly I mean it.

Fast forward to Wed. Night 7/20, my daughter and I noticed she was a little more lethargic than she normally was being on the pain meds. She was struggling to eat, struggling to take her meds and wouldn’t drink water. Then Kaylee noticed she felt that she was warm, checked her temp., and she was running a low-grade fever. We contacted the hospital, and they said to just keep monitoring her and icing it. So A few hours later the fever was gone, but she was still lethargic and the swelling her in face seemed like it was getting bigger. We took pictures all week, that way we could reference back to see if she was getting better or not. Now comes last night 7/21, it felt like it was getting bigger by the hour. We rushed her to Ithaca at 11PM, got there at 1AM and was told that it was good we didn’t wait and that she has a infection. They aren’t sure why she got this infection because it could be from a multitude of things. the antibiotics might have not been working right, she could have been having an allergic reaction to the stitches, They just don’t know. But we did EVERYTHING TO A T, that we were told to do.

But was told she needed another surgery.

She was then admitted. They said they would keep her comfortable and try to drain some of the infection to give her some sort of relief until morning.

MoMo and my daughter haven’t had it easy. We noticed early on at about 6 months old, that she wasn’t gaining weight. She had issues with her digestive system due to her small intestine and not being able to retain the nutrients. She’s been on an up/down hill battle with her.

It’s unfortunately become unbearable now, financially. I myself can only help her so much. This dog has saved my daughter in more ways than none. & MoMo is her WHOLE world. She has been through so much and she’s not even 2 years old for gosh sakes!

Kaylee hates asking people for help. She is afraid to be a burden, and thinks that someone else needs help more than her. But I told her it is time.

We ask for your grace and compassion in helping Kaylee give the BEST care to MoMo. Any amount will help. If you can’t we completely understand, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the continuous prayers and contributions.