Hello everyone!
Many of us know that dogs aren’t just pets — they’re family. Frankie Gergits, a member of our Remote Insurance Team, is currently facing a heartbreaking situation with his young dog, Momo. After months of emergency care, testing, and specialist visits, Frankie and his family recently learned that Momo has a serious liver condition that cannot be corrected with surgery. As they focus on giving Momo the best care and quality of life possible, the veterinary bills have unfortunately grown very quickly.
Frankie’s dog, Momo, was diagnosed with an extrahepatic portosystemic shunt before his first birthday. Essentially, this means Momo’s liver is unable to properly filter toxins from his blood, causing those toxins to travel to his heart and brain. As a result, Momo began showing signs of hepatic encephalopathy, including difficulty walking, temporary blindness, and drooling.
He required multiple overnight stays in the ICU to stabilize him and was then placed on around-the-clock medications along with a prescribed diet. The veterinary team told Frankie’s family that surgery would likely be necessary.
An abdominal ultrasound confirmed the shunt, and a CT scan later showed that it was abnormally large. Unfortunately, the scan also revealed that Momo does not appear to have a portal vein that would make corrective surgery possible. Because of this, Frankie and his family were told that surgery is not an option and that Momo can only be medically managed. They were given the heartbreaking estimate that they may only have 2–3 years with him.
Between the emergency care, ICU stays, testing, imaging, and ongoing treatment, Frankie and his family have been left with significant veterinary medical bills.
As many of us know—and I’m sure the Breathe Free Family would agree—our dogs hold a very special place in our hearts. Going through something like this can be incredibly difficult. After hearing Frankie’s story, I wanted to see if we could come together to help ease some of the financial burden of these vet bills, or even just help provide a little extra for Momo’s care and comfort. Anything we can do to help make the time they have with their pup as worry-free and joyful as possible.
Frankie has been a longtime member of the Breathe Free Family, and several members of the team have already expressed interest in helping support him during this difficult time.
Anything is truly appreciated. Even if you’re not able to donate, sharing this or keeping Frankie and Momo in your thoughts would mean a great deal.
Thank you all!