Please Help Us Rekindle Bella's Hope-Heart Surgery
To the kind souls reading this, whether you be a lover of animals or have accidentally stumbled across our cry for help. Thank you from the bottom of not only my heart but my whole family. Every second spent reading this post is something I cannot thank you enough for, an action decided by you inadvertently meaning the world to another regardless of donation. Whoever is reading please allow me to delve into the lives of two dogs who stole my Heart.
Bella and Goldie, our beautiful maltese cavaliers came into our family's lives after my Mum and my Grandfather found them via the internet in Bordertown, South Australia. Unfortunately several weeks after picking out two scruffy looking little puppies he fell into a coma. Suffering from a one-in-a-million chance of anaphylaxis caused by an anaesthetic, used on him 6 times prior, the last time being for surgery of a slipped disc in his back. He died ten days later never meeting our beautiful puppies. When I was younger I didn't understand the ugly, inescapable, all-consuming darkness of grief or loss so whilst I was terribly upset at my Grandfather’s funeral I was unable to shed a tear regardless of trying.
Bella and Goldie arrived on the day my Grandfather fell into his coma so we had to sneak them into the hospital underneath a sweater so they could see him. I remember proposing the idea of putting them in a basket of goods because I didn't think they could fit under the same sweater.
The first time those two small balls of fluff arrived at our house they raced around the garden, although Bella was a bit hesitant at first, unsure as to who these strange new giants were. I picked the name Goldie and my brother picked the name Bella. At the beginning I remember wanting to play primarily with Goldie but when I lifted both of them onto my bed and put a blanket next to me, Bella slowly walked up to sit next to me on the blanket, she seemed tentative in her approach and it was almost like she was asking permission so I patted next to me. Little did I know I was setting a habit for life.
Although arriving as dogs, Bella and Goldie grew to be so much more. Two inseparable little shining rays of light running around our household rain or shine, an unbreakable relationship evolving and maturing over the long years of trust and compassion, despair and desperation, hope and hopelessness.
The inescapable cloud of Anxiety that hovers over so many, acts as a constant ball and chain on Bella's spirit and yet she loves life back with all of her being. Whilst Goldie would run around when new people would be introduced to the household Bella would cower underneath furniture, and yet if you lowered your fingers you'd be greeted by the warmth of a small and tentative lick on the palm. Crouching down even further, two warm and hopeful eyes marked by white indicating her constant fight with severe anxiety would greet you. To this day that which means the most to me is when I see those eyes without fear, something through the years I have come to rely on time and time again.
In the past 4 weeks Bella has been suffering from severely poor health. Prior to this she would run around on walks, amongst nature as the happiest little doggy. After being in the ICU for a week at our local specialist veterinary hospital, we've found out that she has a heart disease called mitral valve disease. Not only that but she has now also been diagnosed with ruptured chordae tendineae. She recovered enough to come home for a few days. Yesterday we had to rush Bella back to the vet as she was struggling to breath. Moments before she had jumped up into her comfort spot underneath the television, staring around with despair yet still hopeful eyes, trusting her family to look after her.
If Bella was human, she would have gone straight into surgery for a heart valve transplant or repair. Yesterday, we were told this surgery is not available for dogs in Australia and euthanasia is our only option for Bella.
Her brother Goldie went to the vet with her the first time and when we arrived at home without her, he proceeded to utter the most gut-wrenching howls for hours and hours. My Mum, Benjamin and I feel absolutely devastated. That feeling inside is like a hot iron thrust through your chest, and you glance upwards in hope, only to see darkness ahead.
We want to do what is best for Bella but this is all too sudden. Bella still has her incredible zest for life regardless of the ups, downs and silence ahead. It does not feel like her time yet. Only yesterday morning she was still her lovely little doggy self, following us around everywhere, begging for treats, sitting on the front porch watching the world go by.
She has no infection or fever, no disease like cancer, no problem with her brain and other organs. The rest of her is functioning normally. She just has this mechanical leaky valve problem in her heart.
Today we contacted Dr. Brunel from the University of Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital, who is performing successful heart valve surgery on dogs. Dr Brunel is using the same techniques developed by a pioneering team of veterinary surgeons in Japan who have had a 94% success rate with hundreds of patients, adding years to doggy lives.
We know the risks but wouldn’t it be better to give Bella a chance with this surgery rather than put her down this weekend? There are significant costs but this ground-breaking surgery for Bella would add to the advancement of veterinary medicine science in Australia.
I know we are a small country. It would be easier and more affordable for Bella to have this surgery if we lived overseas in places like the UK, France or Japan. During these hard times with COVID-19 when everything seems depressing, please help us give our little dog this one last chance.
If we can raise the funds for Bella’s surgery, we can give Dr Brunel the go-ahead to try to save Bella’s life.