Help save Mille the Maltese

Hello,

My name is Jill and my 8 year old Maltese dog named Mille unfortunately is a one in a million dog with Cushings disease that has both the adrenal tumor as well as a pituitary tumor . It is usually one or the other. She will be needing brain surgery in April to remove a pituitary tumor causing her Cushings disease in order to prevent her death within a very shortened time frame along with severe neurological symptoms.

Cushings is a deadly disease with symptoms of constant urination, panting,increased abdominal distention with increased liver size and enzymes, ravenous appetite, and severe thirst and eventually death.

Since her mass was very large on her right adrenal gland and it was touching the vena cava to her heart, I had to first have the adrenal gland removed in order to immediately save her life before the mass would kill her. In order to not do surgery that would involve cutting open her abdomen, I had to fly from North Carolina to Davis Vet School in Davis , California last July where Dr Mayhew performed a cutting edge 3 dimensional adrenalectomy done laparoscopically.(14,000dollars for the surgery)( pre testing in NC was 11,000dollars) I had to spend three weeks in a hotel with Mille recovering once she left the hospital.

She had severe difficulty breathing after her surgery due to an elongated soft palate but survived.

I was hoping at the time that the Cushings disease was cured. But after waiting 8 weeks to recheck her hormone testing and another MRI, I was devastated to find out that Mille has a rare condition that involves her having both the pituitary tumor and and an adrenal tumor still causing the Cushings disease.

There is only one team of veterinary doctors and surgeons in the US that perform this very difficult surgery. It is done at Washington State. University by Dr Tina Owen( google pituitary surgery for dogs Dr Tina Owen WSU) and a team of doctors. It is a six hour surgery with two days of testing snd many exams prior as well as 5 to 7 days in ICU and spending four weeks in Pullman to have her checked daily . (20,000dollars for the surgery)

We went to see the doctors at WSU. in November of 2022 and they decided that she also needed a surgery (5000dollars) to remove her elongated soft palate so that she would be able to breathe for the pituitary surgery on April 5 th of 2023.

That surgery was a success snd again, I had to spend three weeks in Pullman Wa after flying to Seattle snd then taking a small plane with Mille on my lap to Pullman.

Mille is the love of my life and I am trying to save her life. The pituitary surgery is the only thing available to cure a dog with Cushings disease. This is especially important because she is so young ..Since she now has has only one adrenal gland the drugs can have long term detrimental effect on her remaining gland.

Medication will not cure her disease at all. Subsequently ,making the pituitary surgery necessary to save her life. The surgery is not always successful and some dogs do not survive the surgery and some have part of the tumor left behind and therefore remission of the disease and symptoms.

However, her tumor is small at this point in time and her pituitary is not enlarged making the chance of a good outcome much better. She is only 8 years old and is very strong so I am praying she will survive the surgery and be in the record books as the only dog with two tumors to be cured of Cushings disease by the pituitary team at WSU. A prayer would be greatly appreciated!

I am on my own and its been very difficult since the pandemic . While the insurance will cover some of this , my out of pocket expense will be about 45,000 after this next surgery . In addition, she will need MRIs, constant testing and medication etc which will be a life long continued expense daily, monthly and yearly. She will need a one month ,six month and ongoing yearly MRI’s as well as testing and medication to regulate her hormones.

If you are reading this and feel as though you are able to help, no amount is too small. I would greatly appreciate your help in forwarding this to any of your contacts/ friends and posting it anywhere you see fit such as facebook or anywhere else. I would be grateful beyond words. Prayers are also appreciated. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And Mille thanks you ,too!!