Help Frankie the Dachshund Fight Heart Disease

Frankie is a two-year-old dachshund who means the world to me, my boyfriend, family, and everyone who knows him- including our other family fur babies. He's the funniest, most adventurous boy, and his big personality brings joy to us, our family, friends, and even strangers. Frankie was a gift from my boyfriend and is our first dachshund- he truly is our heart in a dog's body. We take him everywhere we can, and he is so loved by everyone around him. His third birthday is comping up in just a week, and we want nothing more than to celebrate it with him.

For a long time, I dreamed of having a dachshund because of their funny, dramatic, and sassy personalities, and of course, their long bodies. I've loved animals my whole life, but wanting a weenie dog was a long life dream. Early in my relationship with Frankie's dad, I kept mentioning how much I wanted a dachshund and how cute they are. On a trip to NYC just three months into dating, we kept seeing dachshunds everywhere, and I fell in love with them even more. My boyfriend started searching for a dachshund puppy, and months before we found Frankie, I had already chosen his name. When we finally found him we immediately knew he was the one-our son, our baby. Frankie was the runt of the litter, the littles boy but the loudest and most vocal. The day we picked him up was the happiest day of my life. He is the most beautiful boy with a unique split face-one side is light brown, the other dark brown-and his personality is just as special. He's my partner in crime, my favorite coffee run buddy (he LOVES pupcups!), my snuggle buddy, and the best part of coming home. He is my everything.

Yesterday, April 2nd, 2026, while I was in class, Frankie's dad informed me that Frankie was not being his usual self. He was coughing, breathing rapid while resting, making crackling sounds when exhaling, fatigues, and had no appetite. We thought it might be kennel cough as we had just gone on our first roadtrip ever with him, so we rushed him to the emergency hospital. What we though would be a simple diagnosis and a prescription for antibiotics turned into our worst nightmare. We were told that he had left-side heart failure at just two years old. His heart is abnormally large, and the heart muscles are stretched out and unable to properly contract, causing blood to back up into his lungs. His oxygen levels were low, and the vet highly recommended that Frankie stay overnight so the cardiologist could see him immediately the next morning, rather than waiting weeks for an appointment. This news shattered our hearts.

Today, Friday April 3rd, 2026, the cardiologist performed another chest x-ray and an EKG to check his heart and informed us that he has Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). Frankie is being treated and looked after in the ICU for the second day in a row along with the cardiologist. While we were hoping for him to come home today, the cardiologist said she did not feel comfortable discharging him due to his condition. We had to approve a second overnight stay so he could continue receiving the proper treatment, care, and oxygen, in hopes he stabilizes and his lungs can be drained of the fluid buildup. This has added to the already overwhelming bill.

The prognosis is uncertain, and he will nee ongoing check-ups with the cardiologist, EKGs, and X-rays to monitor his heart and lungs. As a senior in college working part-time, I'm struggling to keep up. My credit card is nearly maxed out from the two days of treatment. While Frankie's dad and I are doing everything we can, the costs are more than we can handle alone. We want to give Frankie the best life possible for as long as we have him, and makes sure he gets back to his silly, playful self.

Frankie is not just a dog to us-he is our son and our family. We would be so grateful for any help possible or any sharing of our GoFundMe! Your support will help us with the ICU bill, ongoing treatment, and specialist visits, giving Frankie the chance to keep adventuring and bring joy to us and everyone he meets. Thank you for helping us give our best boy the life he deserves!