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33k poly count is not too much for complex and detailed model prepared for 3D printing. It might be a lot if you still need to do some editing as, apparently, you need.
It's hard to say anything helpful without seeing the model and knowing the task.
Is it possible to contact the author of model? Maybe he can provide you model from earlier phase of development so you can edit it easier. Also, maybe he can prepare the model for 3D printing...
