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When Tela was seven weeks old, she was abandoned at a West Virginia shelter with her littermates and then transported to the Animal Welfare Society in New Milford, CT. We were not planning to add another dog to our family last August, but from the moment I saw her speckled face and mischievous grin, I knew she was meant to come home with us. The sweet little spitfire had picked us out, and we loved her. |
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SURPRISE Tela was about four months old when our veterinarian detected a heart murmur severe enough to refer us to a cardiologist. We found out that our baby girl has Pulmonic Stenosis. Pulmonic Stenosis is something she was born with. Apparently her pulmonary valve, which carries blood from the right side of her heart to her lungs, is way too small and narrow. This means the right side of her heart has to work overtime as it tries to push enough blood through to her lungs. Tela's prognosis was mixed. Some dogs with this problem live out their lives showing no signs, but in severe cases Pulmonic Stenosis is fatal. We were shocked. How could our happy-go-lucky, high energy, ever-on-the-go puppy have a heart defect? |
IN LIMBO For the next five months, Tela continued to be an exuberant puppy, full of energy and excitement. She was smart as a whip and ever eager to learn new things. We called her our Energizer Bunny. No one would have guessed she had heart disease. It wasn’t until May that Tela became lethargic and wouldn't run around like she used to. We hoped it was due to the onset of summer temperatures, but by the beginning of June it was apparent there was something else going on. |
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BAD NEWS The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. On June 7th, we brought Tela back to the cardiologist. Her Pulmonic Stenosis had indeed gotten worse, and she was a candidate for a treatment called balloon valvuloplasty. In severe cases like Tela's it is sometimes possible to insert a balloon catheter through the jugular vein and into the pulmonary valve where it would be inflated to create a larger opening. Hopefully by eliminating the obstruction, her heart wouldn't have to work to hard to get blood to her lungs. We were referred to Tufts, where the balloon valvuloplasty could be performed if the cardiologists there believed it would help her. It was a week before we could get in for an appointment at Tufts, and in that short time Tela's clinical signs got worse. The doctors at Tufts confirmed that her heart disease had indeed progressed in just one week. |
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Won't you please |
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UPDATES: Tela had her surgery on Thursday, June 24th. The balloon valvuloplasty was more complicated than anticipated, and at two and a half hours in the doctors called to see if we wanted them to continue. Tela's heart was in danger because of prolonged anesthesia, but they hadn't made enough progress to call it a success. If they continued, her risk of dying on the table doubled. If they didn't continue, she would need to have the procedure repeated within a few years. With fingers crossed we told them to go ahead. SHE MADE IT! Even better, the procedure was a success. Tela's Pulmonic Stenosis was greatly improved. Her heart, however, was having a hard time adjusting, and they would need to monitor her very closely throughout the next twenty-four hours. No one was sure when she would be able to come home. GOOD NEWS! Tela was in good enough condition to come home Friday night! She needs to be kept very quiet over the weekend, and we're doing our best to keep her calm. Her Pulmonic Stenosis is much improved, but the right side of her heart is still very thickened and overly strong. It will take time for it to atrophy. Tela is still experiencing complications from her surgery. But she's a spunky little girl, and she will keep fighting. She's come this far, after all.
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