UPDATE—ABBY’S SURGERY WAS A SUCCESS!

Hello, my name is Allyson, and I am Abby’s Mom. Abby is an adorable Miniature Schnauzer that has been the light of my life and faithful companion since she was 3 months old.

Many of you in the New England detecting circles are familiar with Abby as she is a popular mascot of sorts, accompanying me for years as I have covered metal detecting events for American Digger Magazine.

About a year and a half ago Abby got pancreatitis and almost died. It was a heart wrenching few weeks, but she’s a fighter and made it through, eventually bouncing back to her normal, healthy self.

A few months later I became concerned about her extreme hunger & thirst and made an appointment with the vet. After some testing, I was told she had developed diabetes as a result of the pancreatitis, and would need twice daily insulin injections.

It was hard for me to give her insulin shots, knowing it hurt her and she didn’t understand, but after the initial uneasiness they just became part of our routine.

I thought the worst had passed, and then suddenly this past December, I noticed her right eye was a bit hazy. I made an appointment at the vet, and within days, her eye had turned almost completely white. The vet said it was a cataract and that eventually she would go blind in that eye. He referred me to an animal eye specialist, who confirmed the diagnosis, and that she also had a cataract and limited vision in the other eye as well, and that without surgery she would soon be totally blind.

I opted for the surgery, which comes with a cost of $6000.00. It’s breaking my heart watching her frightened and confused, walking into walls, and losing interest in most people & things.

I’ve already spent close to $5k since January on blood tests, eye tests and doctors visits to get her diabetes regulated for surgery. She’s officially been cleared for the surgery, but the money I had when I elected to go forward has run out due to all the additional testing and office visits.

In the meantime, her right eye became inflamed and is no longer a candidate. They can only fix the left eye, which was disappointing, but with sight restored to only one eye, she can still maintain an excellent quality of life.

I don’t want Abby to go blind—I’m asking for your help to restore her sight. Whatever financial contribution you can make will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.