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Millie's Medical Expenses

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I adopted Millie (Milton) from the Golden Valley Animal Rescue on 7/12/17. She was surrendered after 10 years with her family due to allergies. All I know about her story is that she doesn't like canned food, and that she had been living in their bathroom (quarantined due to the allergies).

Millie had a respiratory infection when I adopted her. I asked at the adoption desk for her to please be seen again and treated the day I brought her home. I was reassured that what she had was common, and would pass.

I brought Millie in on 7/15 as her respiratory symptoms were worsening. Her eyes were crusty, and at times, she was working harder than normal to breathe. She started oral antibiotics and topical erythromycin for her eyes. As a Labor and Delivery nurse, I am well-versed in applying eye ointment, but Millie puts up more of a fight than my other pint-sized patients.

Millie and I came back to the vet on 7/21; her symptoms weren't resolving despite meticulous medicating, and her eyes were so crusty. The vet stained her eyes and diagnosed an eye ulcer from the Feline Herpes. A new eye med, an antiretroviral and l-lysine were added to the medication docket.

7/24, Millie got her meds before I left for work at 6:20am. Millie didn't greet me at the door when I got home. She didn't yell when I ate without her. I found her under my bed, and could see that the ulcer had grown. She seemed painful and didn't want to be touched.

The vet stained her eye again this afternoon, and the ulcer has gotten markedly worse. The best treatment is surgery, which is quoted at $2,800-$3,800. We can try medications and take it day by day. She could eventually lose her beautiful little blue eye; removing it costs roughly $800.

The Animal Shelter provides 1 medical exam and 2 weeks worth of **some** meds.  Don't fret, I've called many times the past 11 days. 

I earn a decent income as a Registered Nurse, but things are tight with two degrees' worth of student loans and rent. 2016 and 2017 have been especially hard for me financially after being out of work for 7 weeks due to Allina's nursing strike. 

I've considered my options today. I can't afford the surgery on my own--that, I know. I could surrender Millie back to the shelter, but I sure don't want to. I think she'd lose her eye or be put down, if I had to guess. She is my little buddy, and is helping to heal my heart after I lost my kitty Cujo of 13.5 years last month. Part of the reason I can't provide Millie with heroic efforts financially is due to the large amount of medical bills I accrued with Cujo. 

I come to you as a desperate woman and animal lover; I feel ethically, morally and emotionally obligated to care for Millie. It would be so easy to give her back and wipe my hands clean of this disaster, but also so cruel. She is still trying to adapt to her new surroundings with me; meds, visits to the vet and pain aren't helping her. 

If if you're able, please consider donating towards Millie's medical expenses. Like a used car, adopted pets come with no warranties or guarantees. She deserves to be as happy and healthy as possible, and I want to help her get there.
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Donations 

  • Casey Koppes
    • $25 
    • 7 yrs
  • Secret Friend
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 7 yrs
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Organizer

Kellie Koppes
Organizer
Apple Valley, MN

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