Hi there. My name is Heidi and I am fundraising for surgery for Athena the 8 month old kitten. Enough people have contacted me and asked if there was a way they could donate to Athena's cause so here I am!

Athena has stomatitis. Her immune system is having a reaction to the plaque on her teeth which leaves her gums, mouth and throat swollen, angry and painful. She is unable to groom properly, swallowing hurts, eating hurts there is just too much hurt for such a young thing. We have tried many different treatments, in her short life, to try to resolve this issue. We are currently trying one last thing to see if we can find a solution that allows her to keep her teeth. There is a low chance of success. The final option is to have a full mouth extraction or euthanize. Luckily there is a fantastic surgeon in the area who has agreed to do the surgery which will save us a lot of money. If Dr. Meyer did not feel comfortable doing this surgery our only other option would be to travel to a specialist which would cost so much more with gas and hotel prices.

Although we have the good fortune of Dr. Shepherd-Maika helping us through this tough time with her constant communication and thorough treatment plan AND the benefit of a top phenom surgeon, Dr. Meyer, who has agreed to preform the surgery locally we still have a the matter of very large vet bills to pay. Between the pain management moving forward, the surgery and the after care it is a big bill. This is why we are reaching out looking for help from anyone who may be able to donate to save this sweet little girl's life. The cost is great but the pay off is a long and happy life for this special kitten. (I should mention that cat's can live perfectly normal and healthy lives without their teeth.)

If you are not comfortable with the go-fund-me platform I can provide you with my email address for a money transfer or I can also speak to the vet's office (Selkirk Veterinary Hospital) to see if there is a way to send money directly to them.

Thanks for your time! Much love, Heidi and Athena