Our beautiful girl Lilah, a 7-year-old Border Collie, went from being completely healthy, happy and her usual food-obsessed self to critically ill within a matter of hours.

On Sunday 17th May, Lilah suddenly stopped eating, became very quiet and just wasn’t herself. We took her to our regular vet where she was given antibiotics and sent home, but later that night things took a terrifying turn. She began frothing at the mouth, regurgitating jelly-like bile, and then developed severe bloody diarrhoea. We rushed her to the emergency animal hospital where she was originally diagnosed with Acute Hemorrhagic Diarrhoea Syndrome (AHDS).

After 24 hours on constant IV fluids for nausea and pain relief as well as close monitoring, the vets noticed bruising appearing on her abdomen. Further blood tests revealed that it was more serious than initially suspected and she has now been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia (IMTP), where her immune system is attacking and destroying her own blood platelets. Her platelet count is 1 as of her most recent test when it should be around 200.

We have been told Lilah now urgently needs intensive treatment including steroid injections, ongoing hospital care, and low-dose chemotherapy to try and stimulate platelet production to help stop any bleeding and save her life. There is also a possibility she may require multiple blood transfusions if her platelet levels continue to remain severely low.

We have been told the estimated vet bills are likely to be around $15,000 but if she doesn’t respond well to treatment and improve quickly and has to be in hospital for 2 weeks it could increase to around $50,000.

We never expected to be in this position. We unfortunately don’t have pet insurance as our finances have always been focused on managing my own health battles with cystic fibrosis and preparing for a future transplant. Asking for help is incredibly hard, but right now we will do absolutely anything we can to give Lilah the chance she deserves.

Lilah is the sweetest, happiest dog and such a huge part of our family and we just want to get her back home. If you’re able to donate, share, or even keep her in your thoughts, we would be endlessly grateful.

Thank you so much for supporting our girl.