Please Help Mossy to Get Better

This is Mossy, my 11-year-old sweet companion that I adopted four years ago who has been by my side while I battle cancer and covid, keeping me sane and moving forward when otherwise I might have given up. She’s suffering from some severe health issues currently and could urgently use your help.

Almost four weeks ago she stopped eating and was having trouble defecating. In concern, after a weekend of waiting for the vet to be open, my daughter took her to the vet for me as my cancer keeps me from being on my feet long and I have no car to drive. After some basic bloodwork, they determined Mossy had early kidney disease. She had lost three pounds. They also thought that she might have some inflamed gastrointestinal tract issues but the diagnostic imaging and additional bloodwork tests to try and further confirm this or to determine other issues were well beyond what I could afford. I had needed help just to cover the costs of having her seen to begin with as the vet requires you to pay as you go. Resultantly, they gave her IV fluids, an injection of an anti-nausea med, and a prescription for steroids to try and reduce swelling.

This is the bill from that visit, not including the prescription for Prednisolone, which has been renewed twice (the initial cost was $42 as it was a liquid, but she has since moved to tablets which are $22 as shown in the attached receipt). As you can see, even for kitties, healthcare is expensive.

About two weeks after that, she was back to eating almost as she had previously and was urinating and defecating as she should be. Then last Wednesday night she brought up a hairball. It didn’t appear to be any sort of unusual hairball – it wasn’t very large, didn’t appear to have any blood, and was minor looking compared to past hairballs. However, she stopped eating again afterward. Almost a week later, she hadn’t improved and had obviously lost more weight, so I again contacted the vet.

The veterinarian wants me to bring her back in and do the imaging and bloodwork we didn’t do previously but again – I can’t afford it. Additionally, my daughter is now student teaching full time, and cannot take her to the vet for me. This is why I’ve created this GoFundMe. Mossy is too important for me not to try and do everything I can to help her get healthy, and the longer it takes to try, the more likely she is to pass the point of recovery. An immediate first step is to add a new medication that may help if nausea is a culprit. They are ready to fill that for me as soon as I can afford it, and my daughter can pick it up on the way home from work.

This fundraiser is looking to raise at least $1,000 to support the care Mossy needs from this point forward, including the cost of her new medication, additional diagnostic work, new prescriptions that may arise after the diagnostics are completed, and Lyfts for me to bring Mossy to the vet. I am posting this GFM to start raising funds now to get her in as soon as possible but not all costs are known yet.

Currently, known costs are (updated from estimate provided on Sept 14) --

Elura (new anti-nausea medication): $56 - OBTAINED

Recheck Exam: $56

Ultrasound: $440

Sedation 0-25# : $130

N Catheter (w / sedation): $0

Drug log: $0

Drug Injection Location(s) Complimentary Toe Nail Trim: $0

Cytology - 1 Site: $204

Ultrasound guided FNA: $169

Senior Screen w/proBNP,Fecal & FE Triple: $190

Two Lyfts to and from Vet’s office: $60

Unknown Costs being buffered by the GFM goal are –

Additional diagnostic work

Additional Medications

Additional Lyfts to and from Vet if needed

Cost of Kidney Disease Care Needs

What happens if the funds raised are not enough?

If it happens that there is more that needs to be covered then I will extend the goals of the GFM if, after evaluating Mossy’s chances with the veterinarian, it’s determined that continuing diagnostics is still appropriate.

What happens to the funds if the worst happens and Mossy passes?

If Mossy passes, the funds will be used for the appointment the state requires with the vet to determine the cause of death and then cremation. Any funds beyond that will be donated to the local humane society Mossy was adopted from.

Mossy is at the point that despite having multiple elevated dishes, this water dish is the only one she will drink from because it is next to my bed, and she'll only drink if I am with her. She will eat her pill pocket for her meds and an occasional treat but otherwise will only lightly lick her food and will not eat it. I desperately want to help her get better as she is the world to me and she's been such a sweet, loving companion I have to do what I can. Please help her.