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Smidgen is a 6 month old rescue pup. She had a rough life in her first few months, born in a backyard breeding situation, having her ears cut off and never seeing a veterinarian. On her first vet visit after I got her, they discovered she had a grade 4 heart murmur. Being such a young puppy I was very concerned so I made an appointment to see the cardiologist at the University of Florida in Gainesville. She spent the day there getting an echocardiogram and a bubble test. The results were devastating.
They found she has two heart conditions and she could go into cardiac arrest at any moment. First, she has severe pulmonic stenosis. Dogs with resting pressure gradients greater than 80 mm Hg are considered severe and may be at increased risk for sudden death due to arrhythmias, and have a limited life-span when compared to normal dogs and dogs with mild and moderate forms of pulmonic stenosis. Smidgen's resting pressure gradient is off the charts at 115 mm Hg. Balloon valvuloplasty is usually recommended for these dogs. This procedure involves placement of a catheter into the right side of the heart to reach the pulmonary valve. Fluoroscopy (live x-ray) is used to position and monitor the balloon dilation catheter across the valve. Once the balloon is in position at the level of the pulmonic valve, it is inflated and then removed. The goal is to use the balloon to open the valve so that it is able to open more freely and allow blood to flow into the lungs more easily.
Furthermore, Smidgen has a concurrent congenital heart defect called patent foramen ovale (PFO). In the normal fetus, the foramen ovale allows blood to pass from the right to the left atrial cavities. After birth, when lung circulation begins and left atrial pressure increases and right atrial pressure decreases, this shunt should normally close. In Smidgen the presence of pulmonic stenosis has kept right atrial pressures elevated and this shunt is still patent. If Smidgen undergoes a successful procedure, this may help decrease right atrial pressures and help decrease the amount of right- to-left shunting.
The estimate for this surgery is $5000. Smidgen is scheduled for surgery on March 30th and I am hoping to raise the money before then. She is an absolute sweetheart and so full of life and love, and is the happiest dog I have ever known. Everyone she meets falls in love with her and I want her to live a long, healthy, and happy life. She deserves this chance at life and it would kill me if I lost her at this young age. I will gladly donate any extra funds that should remain after covering her costs to a Pitbull rescue group so more lives can be saved.
I will be so grateful for any donations at all, no matter what the amount. Your kindness will be very much appreciated and will not go unnoticed. I realize the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us but I am pleading for any help at all. Thank you so much for reading about Smidgen.
They found she has two heart conditions and she could go into cardiac arrest at any moment. First, she has severe pulmonic stenosis. Dogs with resting pressure gradients greater than 80 mm Hg are considered severe and may be at increased risk for sudden death due to arrhythmias, and have a limited life-span when compared to normal dogs and dogs with mild and moderate forms of pulmonic stenosis. Smidgen's resting pressure gradient is off the charts at 115 mm Hg. Balloon valvuloplasty is usually recommended for these dogs. This procedure involves placement of a catheter into the right side of the heart to reach the pulmonary valve. Fluoroscopy (live x-ray) is used to position and monitor the balloon dilation catheter across the valve. Once the balloon is in position at the level of the pulmonic valve, it is inflated and then removed. The goal is to use the balloon to open the valve so that it is able to open more freely and allow blood to flow into the lungs more easily.
Furthermore, Smidgen has a concurrent congenital heart defect called patent foramen ovale (PFO). In the normal fetus, the foramen ovale allows blood to pass from the right to the left atrial cavities. After birth, when lung circulation begins and left atrial pressure increases and right atrial pressure decreases, this shunt should normally close. In Smidgen the presence of pulmonic stenosis has kept right atrial pressures elevated and this shunt is still patent. If Smidgen undergoes a successful procedure, this may help decrease right atrial pressures and help decrease the amount of right- to-left shunting.
The estimate for this surgery is $5000. Smidgen is scheduled for surgery on March 30th and I am hoping to raise the money before then. She is an absolute sweetheart and so full of life and love, and is the happiest dog I have ever known. Everyone she meets falls in love with her and I want her to live a long, healthy, and happy life. She deserves this chance at life and it would kill me if I lost her at this young age. I will gladly donate any extra funds that should remain after covering her costs to a Pitbull rescue group so more lives can be saved.
I will be so grateful for any donations at all, no matter what the amount. Your kindness will be very much appreciated and will not go unnoticed. I realize the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us but I am pleading for any help at all. Thank you so much for reading about Smidgen.