This is Mars, my sweet little love, my incredibly loving baby, a soulmate of mine if ever there were one. He and I are in urgent need of financial mutual aid to continue his medical care.

Mars has had a very long and difficult health journey since this past October, when he was hospitalized and had to have an emergency surgery for a hairball blockage. I had hoped that his struggles were over after we added some new, vet-directed care to his routine, but then in January he displayed some symptoms of gastrointestinal upset. We went into the vet for an ultrasound, and they said that it was a food sensitivity or potentially allergies, and so we began the process of changing his foods for an allergy trial. Then in March, he had a new, very concerning gastrointestinal symptom and we went back to the vet. We did a full bloodwork panel, as well as a specialized GI panel. Unfortunately, none of these tests or experiences have provided a conclusive or clear diagnosis or answer, and so we have been directed to see an internal medicine specialist and told that the next step is likely to be an endoscopy with a biopsy to try to find the answers and the best course of treatment for Mars moving forward.

Mars’ appointment is on April 30th. We have been quoted $397 for the appointment, $800 for the ultrasound, and there will be additional costs for more bloodwork, for which we have not yet been quoted. The endoscopy with a biopsy that we have been told is the most likely next step after the initial specialist appointment has been quoted to be around $4000-$5000. Mars’ pet care insurance is claiming that he has a preexisting condition and is currently refusing to cover gastrointestinal care, and the appeal process with them will not be complete until long after his appointment.

We have done our best to pay for the thousands and thousands of dollars of medical care that Mars needs, but we haven’t been able to do any of it without the care, support, and financial mutual aid from our friends, family, community members, and people far and wide who have reached out and helped us. At this point, we don’t have nearly what we did to be able to cover as much as we have so far ourselves, and we do not qualify for Care Credit or any other kinds of loans, so I am making this gofundme to ask for support—even a small donation or sharing it would be so, so incredibly helpful and appreciated.

I am autistic and disabled, and Mars is my emotional support animal (and in the process of getting that legal title officially). It is imperative to his wellbeing, and my own, that we meet our goal so that he can receive care. It pains me so much that vet care is so expensive and that there is no leeway to work with pet parents when the cost is so exorbitantly high. He’s my baby, the light of my life, and a pillar of our family, and I just want to be a good pet parent, for my baby Mars to be well, and to make sure he’s getting the care he needs and deserves.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much to everyone who has supported Mars and our family throughout this difficult journey.