Hi, my name is Mia, and I’m raising funds to help the light of my life, my senior dog, Kitty, after a sudden and devastating heart failure episode that nearly took her life.

Last Friday, I took Kitty to urgent care because she had been having low energy for about a week. I thought it might be related to her leg issues — something she’s dealt with since a fairly young age — but instead, the vet ended up finding a new heart murmur, graded a “3 out of 6.” They recommended a heart echogram and scheduled an appointment for June 9th, as they didn’t consider it an immediate emergency.

Less than 24 hours later, on Saturday morning, Kitty began breathing abnormally — quick and shallow breaths. I rushed her to another urgent care, where I was told she had already gone into congestive heart failure. They said her lungs were filling with fluid, making it hard for her to breathe, and that she needed to see a cardiologist immediately. I was confused and terrified, as she seemed perfectly fine just two weeks ago. I couldn’t understand how things had escalated so quickly.

With no cardiologist available there, I transported her as quickly as possible to a specialty hospital with an on-call cardiologist. She was admitted into emergency care for oxygen therapy and intensive treatment. I was told there were two options: perform a heart echocardiogram to determine the cause and hope she could be brought into remission, though there was no guarantee — or humanely euthanize her.

They explained that with mitral valve disease, the damage is irreversible, but if stabilized, Kitty could still have a good quality of life for her remaining time. I wasn’t ready to give up. I knew I needed to do everything I could to give her another chance.

The echocardiogram later revealed that one of the tendons in her heart — a chordae tendineae — had suddenly ruptured, causing one of her heart valves to fail and sending her into rapid, life-threatening heart failure.

She was stabilized with oxygen, medications, and constant care. Miraculously, she made it through — but her condition is now permanent.

Kitty will now need to follow a strict lifelong schedule of heart medications and diuretics five times a day to keep her stable and comfortable. She will also require regular follow-ups with a cardiologist for the rest of her life.

Your support will help cover:

I’ve had Kitty since I was about 13 years old. She has been by my side through every chapter of my life — she is my best friend, my family, my constant. Losing her has always been my worst nightmare, and now, watching her health decline so suddenly has been the most heartbreaking experience of my life.

Thankfully, Kitty is still fighting. After days in the hospital, she’s now home — resting, eating, and showing me that she still wants to be here. She’s still full of love and light, as she’s always been.

I’m doing everything I can to give her the time, care, and comfort she deserves, but the unexpected financial strain is overwhelming.

If you're able to donate or even share her story, it would mean the world to us. Every bit helps give Kitty more time with the people who love her most.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for your kindness, generosity, and support during this difficult journey.

— Mia & Kitty