A little over a week ago we brought home our tiny miniature dachshund, Penelope, and instantly fell in love with her. She’s only 9 weeks old, but she already has the sweetest little personality. She follows us everywhere, curls up in our laps to sleep, and somehow makes every bad day better. She’s become part of our family so much faster than we ever expected.
A few days ago, we got news that completely broke our hearts. After noticing Penelope getting tired easily and breathing a little strangely, we brought her to the vet thinking maybe she just needed medicine or extra monitoring. Instead, we found out she has a severe heart murmur caused by PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus), a congenital heart defect. Basically, there’s a blood vessel in her heart that never closed after birth like it was supposed to, and it’s putting a dangerous amount of strain on her tiny heart.
The hardest part is hearing that without surgery, this condition can become fatal. She is still just a baby. She hasn’t even gotten the chance to really live yet. She should be worrying about chewing shoes and playing with toys — not fighting for her life before she’s even a few months old.
The good news is that there is a surgery that can fix it and give her the chance to live a normal, healthy life. The bad news is that the surgery and medical care are going to cost around $10,000, which is far more than we can afford on our own.
We never imagined we would have to make something like this, but we are willing to do absolutely anything for her. Penelope is such a tiny dog, but she has brought so much love and happiness into our lives already. The thought of losing her this soon is unbearable.
If you’re able to donate, even a small amount helps more than you know. And if you can’t donate, sharing this means the world to us too. Every share gives Penelope a better chance at getting the surgery she needs.
Thank you for reading her story, supporting our little girl, and helping us fight for the life she deserves. We just want to give Penelope the chance to grow up healthy, happy, and loved for many years to come. ❤️