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Description:
Flower has been surrendered by her owner who was unable to provide
for her medical care. You see, Flower has PDA which is Patent
Ductus Arteriosis. The Ductus Arteriosis is a tube running from
the pulmonary artery to the aorta off the heart. The pulmonary
artery carries blood to the lungs and the aorta carries blood to the
rest of the body. The Ductus Arteriosis' purpose is to shunt some
blood away from the lungs and into the main blood stream for a fetus
because the fetus doesn't use the lungs to oxygenate their blood (they
get oxygen from the umbilical cord). This tube should close at
birth. Unfortunately sometimes this doesn't happen.
Flower has the same bloodstream as a fetus. Some of her blood
is diverted away from her lungs and into her main bloodstream.
Since she no longer has an umbilical cord, this blood is unoxygenated
and has no way of receiving oxygen. Although some blood will go
through the lungs and become oxygenated, she runs on low oxygen all the
time. This puts a terrible strain on her heart, which beats very
fast. This also puts a strain on all of her other organs as
well. If left untreated, she will eventually go into severe heart
failure and die.
There is good news. There is a surgery available at Texas
A&M University that is a cure. 95% of the puppies that have
this surgery go on to lead positively normal lives. For the 5%
that the surgery does not cure, they are no worse off than they would
have been without the surgery. The surgeons place something that
looks like a tiny pipe cleaner in the Ductus Arteriosis. Over the
next 4-6 weeks the implant will pick up clots and eventually will close
the Ductus Arteriosis. Once closed, all blood will go to the lungs
like it should.
According to one of our vets, "To not perform this surgery would
be doing this puppy a major disservice".
So, as you may well have guessed at this point, this surgery is not
cheap. We will be looking to acquire the necessary funds for
Flower to have this surgery. Can you find it in your heart to send
a few dollars to help?
Here is a picture of Flower at her Foster Family's Home: 
UPDATE
3-04-2008: Flower has her initial exam at Texas
A&M. The examining cardiologist thinks the problem sounds like
a "standard" PDA. This will be confirmed with an
echocardiogram with results in about 3 hours. If the PDA is
confirmed, she will be scheduled for surgery tomorrow.
2nd UPDATE
3-04-2008: The echocardiogram confirmed Flower's
PDA. Her pre-surgery blood work was good so she is on the
surgery schedule for tomorrow. The first half of the cost of the
surgery, $1,600.00, was paid today.
UPDATE
3-05-2008: Dr. Ashley Saunders at Texas A&M
performed Flower's surgery this morning. At the time of this
update, Flower is now awake and feeling fine. All the monitors
have been taken off and she is moving around slowly. She will be
fed about 1:30pm and will have another echocardiogram tomorrow morning
to see if the heart murmur is less pronounced. The surgery was
successful and we are hoping she can return to her foster family
tomorrow evening.
2nd UPDATE
3-05-2008: Dr. Saunders called and said that Flower
is eating them out of house and home! She is walking and playing
as if she did not just have surgery! She has even done both of her
businesses outside already. She will be returning to her foster
home early tomorrow, after her follow up echocardiogram!!!
UPDATE
3-06-2008: Flower is now back with her foster family
and doing very well. At this time there are only a few more items
left before Flower becomes adoptable. We must complete the 3rd
installment of her "puppy shots", she will be spayed and she
will have a follow up in about a month, just to confirm she had healed
completely. As promised, her expenses to date are $133.14 for vet
expenses before she got to Texas A&M and $3,103.13 for surgery and
test expenses at Texas A&M. We anticipate the remainder of her
expenses will total $300-$400 which includes shots, spaying and follow
up tests.
Now, for the best news, we have raised slightly more than what Flower
has required, meaning that all of her expenses have been covered!
Normally we do not discuss the financial specifics of a rescue or the
donations we receive. However, in this case the response was so
overwhelming we feel it is appropriate to share both what it cost to
Save Flower as well as give credit to the folks that helped to Save
Her!!! Here they are:
|
Name
|
City
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Jalinda
C.
|
Allen,
TX
|
|
Westie
Club SE MI
|
Troy,
MI
|
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Sheilah
K.
|
Houston,
TX
|
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Sharon
D.
|
Fort
Worth, TX
|
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Cari
B.
|
Galveston,
TX
|
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George
& Paula F.
|
Fort
Worth, TX
|
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Lezlie
B.
|
Arlington,
TX
|
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Loretta
N.
|
Rome,
OH
|
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David
& Ruth P.
|
Keller,
TX
|
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Phillip
& David M.
|
Decatur,
AL
|
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Mary
Ann K.
|
Bristow,
VA
|
|
Margaret
D.
|
Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada
|
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Susan
M.
|
Lewiston,
ME
|
|
Jacqueline
C.
|
Hartland,
MI
|
|
Barb
O.
|
Dartmouth,
Nova Scotia, Canada
|
|
Cathy
D.
|
Rochester
Hills, MI
|
|
Kimberly
B.
|
Gresham,
OR
|
|
Jacqueline
C.
|
Hartland,
MI
|
|
Peggy
W.
|
Dallas,
TX
|
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Felicity
S.
|
Houston,
TX
|
|
Vonnie
H.
|
Springfield,
IL
|
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Lucia
R.
|
Virginia
Beach, VA
|
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Mary
N.
|
Greensboro,
NC
|
|
Carole
B.
|
Plymouth,
MI
|
|
Robyn
M.
|
Winnipeg,
MB, Canada
|
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Mary
M.
|
Greenville,
MI
|
|
Carol
M.
|
Houston,
TX
|
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Debra
D.
|
Canton,
TX
|
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Linda
G.
|
Taylor,
MI
|
|
Maggie
L.
|
Hockley,
Essex, United Kingdom
|
|
James
F.
|
Pioche,
NV
|
|
Laura
H.
|
Cedar
Park, TX
|
|
BJ
R-G.
|
Manassas,
VA
|
|
James
J.
|
Dodge
City, KS
|
|
Wendy
O.
|
Burbank,
CA
|
|
Elizabeth
B.
|
Summit,
NJ
|
|
Janice
C.
|
Livonia,
MI
|
|
Emilie
P.
|
Concord,
CA
|
|
Heidi
N.
|
Staunton,
VA
|
|
Pam
L.
|
Olin,
IA
|
|
Kerri
C.
|
San
Antonio, TX
|
|
Jennifer
H.
|
Cincinnati,
OH
|
|
Theo
M.
|
Petrolia,
ON, Canada
|
|
Patricia
R.
|
Dallas,
TX
|
|
Rebecca
D.
|
Cedar
City, UT
|
|
Karen
C.
|
Carrollton,
TX
|
|
Debora
V.
|
Spring
Lake, MI
|
|
James
C.
|
St.
Charles, MO
|
|
Barbara
E.
|
Plymouth,
MI
|
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Denise
B.
|
Orlando,
FL
|
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Walter
& Janice K.
|
Fort
Worth, TX
|
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Kathleen
K.
|
Little
Elm, TX
|
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Barbara
& James H.
|
Flower
Mound, TX
|
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Lori
E.
|
Dallas,
TX
|
|
Patricia
E.
|
Plano,
TX
|
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Karen
C.
|
Rowlett,
TX
|
|
Sheila
C.
|
Fort
Worth, TX
|
|
Ann
& Scott D.
|
Oak
Point, TX
|
|
Howard
& Jenny C.
|
Dallas,
TX
|
|
Mr.
& Mrs. Jerry H.
|
Dallas,
TX
|
| Debbie
V. |
Flower
Mound, TX |
| Vincent
& Barbara E. |
Plymouth,
MI |
| Jane
H. |
Sun
City Center, FL |
| Linda
& Bob R. |
Wilmington,
NC |
| Westie
Rescue Inc. |
Bluemont,
VA |
And, here is a picture of Flower leaving Texas A&M on her way
back to her Foster Family:
Although she is not ready yet, if you are interested in adopting
Flower, please submit an application by clicking on the button
below. Flower may have come through surgery successfully, but she
will still need to find her Forever Home when she is ready!
UPDATE:
Flower has recovered from her surgery and is ready for her Forever
Home. She is a bundle of Westie energy. If you think you are
up to the challenge, please submit an Adoption Application today!
She just can't wait to meet you and you will fall in love with her the
minute you meet!
April 13, 2008: Flower has found her forever home with a family
that just adores her and will allow her to become the spoiled princess
we always knew she would be!! Here is a picture of the happy
family:
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