Hershey's Heart Hurts - Help Her Heal!

Hershey is a little dark-chocolate colored chihuahua that came to Wags & Walks after she was abandoned in a vacant apartment.  We noticed she was coughing and assumed she must have caught kennel cough but a visit to the vet revealed she has a heart murmur.  The murmur plus the cough were cause for concern so we took Hershey to see a cardiology specialist where she received an echocardiogram that confirmed a serious heart condition - degenerative mitral and tricuspid valve disease.  This is a progressive disease that will eventually lead to  heart failure but medication, careful monitoring, and restricted water intake will slow down the progression and hopefully will afford Hershey some years.  Currently little Hershey feels great - she doesn't seem to know there's anything wrong, and her cough is already improving with medication. 

Just as we were feeling good about Hershey's improvement with cardiac medication, we discovered a lump which could be a mammary tumor.  She will need to have surgery to remove and biopsy the lump (and spay at the same time.)  Anesthesia can be dangerous for a dog with a heart condition but now that Hershey is on medication, the cardiologist says she is ok for surgery.  Fingers crossed!