Support Hala in her fight against IMHA

This is Hala. She also goes by Little, Hala Bear, Helena, Hell Child, and Crazy Pants. I’m Hala’s mom, Jessica. Hala was dropped into my lap by the Universe in November 2020. She is a red-tri, mini Australian Shepherd (a big mini at 40 lbs) that probably should have lived her life on a farm but here we are… a millennial and her fur-child. Her former and first owner needed to rehome her due to having a baby, so she became my baby. It’s also notable that Hala came to me knowing basic commands but was high anxiety with fear based aggression. She has done tremendous work to overcome triggers and behavior to show that she has an amazing personality and is a big goof. She loves her walks in the wash (even though she hasn’t been able to go lately) and she is the prettiest “cutie with a bootie” when she is strutting. If you’ve seen my Stories, you’ve seen her derrière plenty. 

December 2022, we ran a blood panel to prepare for her to have a dental appointment but had to pause that because Hala is anemic. Hala’s vet started testing and eventually came to the diagnosis of IMHA, Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. Basically her body eats up her red blood cells. One of the medications for her treatment alone is about $260 a month. I managed it and we had a couple relapses while figuring things out but overall she responds well to the medications. 

Now the hard part…. Unfortunately, Hala’s regular vet disappeared and she ended up cold turkey off her meds for longer than it should have been. We finally got a new vet and her back on them but her blood count numbers weren’t improving so I was forced to take her to the only vet in town that does blood transfusions and that is an emergency vet. She got her transfusion and came home a couple days later and seemed to be doing ok. Huge surprise - her neck began swelling and I had to take her back in. She got new meds (we’re at nine now) and I took her home. The swelling started going down and then, boom, it’s huge again. Back she goes and I finally get transferred to a specialist who adds a different antibiotic and sends us home. The swelling at this point has moved up into Hala’s face causing her eye to be half closed but fluid has started to drain from her neck so back she goes. Add in a CT to look for tumors and foreign objects but nothing is found. We are now going with the last ditch antibiotic that is not the best for those with IMHA but if this infection is resistant, it’s her best shot. 

We all know emergency vets and specialists are expensive… Hala is worth it and she is otherwise eating, drinking, being mostly herself and bloodwork is good considering everything so I am highly optimistic, as is the vet. I am at a point where I have to choose between me or my Hala. I do not like asking for help (it’s giving oldest daughter vibes..) This is my child and she came to me at a difficult point in my life. I am here, putting my pride aside, and we are asking for help so that we are not crushed by these vet bills. I will make my payments but I know that I don’t make enough to pay for them all in the short time frame. Hala’s vet bills with the emergency vet and the specialist have now surpassed $10k. Any amount that is donated is a tremendous help that will go toward Hala. This also helps with affordability for continued management of her IMHA condition.

If you’ve read through all that.. I want to share a deep, heartfelt thank you from Hala and I for even just reading her story. An even deeper thank you if you choose to donate and help a crazy but sweet doggo and her mom.

With Love,

Hala and Jessica