Sally arrived at our Wingletang Centre, near Tavistock, Devon, in November 2012. She was found straying on Dartmoor.

 

From the outset, Sally was a very confident, social girl who loves life. She was checked by Westmoor Vets, who discovered that she had a severe heart murmur.   

 

We had to find out what had caused this heart murmur before we could re-home her, so a date was booked with Cardiologist – Jo Harris of Heart Vets.  Jo listened and  scanned the heart and it was discovered that Sally had Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA).

 

The ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel that connects the two main arteries of the body - the aorta and the pulmonary artery.

 

This blood vessel is normal in the foetus, but shortly after birth, it should close. When the ductus arteriosus remains open after birth, extra volumes of blood flow into the lungs, causing difficulties for the lungs to function properly. This leads to heart failure.

 

 

If untreated, about 60 percent of affected dogs die within a year of diagnosis from congestive  heart failure. 

 

When caught early, and following treatment with successful closure of the PDA, most dogs live a normal life. Unless there are complications from other heart defects or heart failure has already developed, there is rarely any future need for medication.

 

Sally will need an operation to correct this defect, otherwise there is no future for her. This fun, loving dog deserves a future!

 

The preferred operation for us would be a technique performed by Mike Martin at Martin Referrals at Kenilworth. It could cost up to £4,000.

 

The operation involves accessing the duct through a tube (catheter) passed in through a larger blood vessel in her groin and passing a coil through this in such a way that it will be placed in the PDA and block it off.  (We are all aware of treatment in humans to open up blocked arteries in the heart by placing a stent in the vessel to keep it open, well this would be the opposite of this).  The operation is far less invasive and, all being well, Sally will be home within 48 hrs.

 

Of course, like any operation, it is not without risk. However, without it, Sally will almost certainly die. 

 We will give Sally the operation she needs in order to live the life she deserves. Please help us by donating to her appeal.

If we are lucky enough to exceed the cost, all further donations will, as always, go directly towards the welfare of other animals that desperately need care.