My name is Kristen and 2 months ago, my friends Jamie and Ryan rescued their dog, Milo, from Mississippi. I was lucky enough to provide them with a reference to the pet rescue and instantly he fit right in with their family. Even their first dog, Ivy, was so happy to have such a lovable dog as a new brother and the 2 became fast friends.

Unfortunately, 2 days ago the unthinkable happened and Milo was rushed to the Weymouth VCA for difficulty breathing and extreme lethargy. After a day of waiting in agony with lots of scans and tests - they discovered that Milo had air filling up in his chest and an infection in his abdomen.

Jamie and Ryan had to make a decision they never thought they would be faced with: go forward with a risky surgery or say goodbye to Milo. Due to the emergent nature of the situation and knowing how determined little Milo is, they moved forward with surgery. They had the opportunity to see Milo for 5 minutes before the procedure and despite his current situation, his tail was wagging and he was covering them with kisses.

The surgery was a success and the great veterinary medical team at the VCA in Weymouth, MA removed a foreign substance stuck to his diaphragm and chest wall, likely from the infection. Milo has been making a slow and steady recovery, he is eating, drinking and wagging his tail to whoever comes close to him. He still has chest tubes that are helping to remove excess air from his chest, but we have been told that the amount of air is starting to decrease. We are all hopeful that the chest tubes will be removed tomorrow morning and that leaking air will continue to decrease.

Jamie and Ryan are 24 years old. Ryan works full-time and is in the process of taking courses part time to work towards his graduate degree. Jamie is my friend from our physical therapy program and I’ve had the opportunity to watch this lovely young couple embark on their life together. While part of life’s journey is being faced with difficult decisions, the financial burden that is coupled with making these choices can be extremely debilitating.

So far the total cost of Milo’s veterinary bills totals over $12,000 - a large amount for anyone but especially for a young couple in Jamie and Ryan’s situation. I wanted to put together a GoFundMe for $5,000 to help cover at least part of their vet bills. Any amount that anyone is able to contribute is so appreciated by Jamie, Ryan, Ivy, and of course, Milo.

I will be sure to continue to provide updates on Milo’s condition via the GoFundMe page. Thank you so much for any consideration and your immense generosity during this challenging time.