Help Sam Before His Tiny Heart Gives Out
Sam is only five months old — a tiny, happy Morkie puppy who doesn’t yet know that his little heart is fighting for its life. You certainly can’t tell by looking at him; he zooms around, playing joyfully with dogs ten times his size. Beneath that adorable energy, however, a silent threat is looming.
Sam came to us after his rescue from a commercial breeder, where his condition had gone undetected. Dogs and puppies in the hands of commercial breeders are not provided with thorough medical care, let alone basic needs like grooming or even a tender touch.
During Sam’s initial checkup at our Pet Health Centers, our veterinarians heard something troubling: a significant heart murmur. Further testing confirmed the diagnosis — patent ductus arteriosus. It’s a congenital condition where a fetal heart vessel that should have closed at birth remains open. Left untreated, Sam’s heart will work itself to exhaustion. In a few short years, this defect would lead to congestive heart failure. Animal League America Senior Veterinarian Dr. Gerard Laheney explained: “This is one of the reasons why veterinary care is important, because we do find things that you might not see any symptoms of but would be life-threatening later on.”
Because of Sam’s diminutive size, he’ll likely require a more invasive, open chest procedure to close the vessel, resulting in a longer recovery time. Right now, Sam is in foster care, being showered with love as he awaits surgery. Sam can have a full life ahead — one where he runs, plays and grows up without his heart holding him back. But he can’t do it alone.
Will you help save Sam’s life today? Your gift to our Help Me Heal Program will fund Sam’s surgery, recovery and all the care he needs to get better. Sam may be small, but with your compassion, his future will be big and bright. Together, we can heal his tiny heart…and give him the future he deserves.
