Harry's Happy Ending.
Harry was rescued in March, advertised for just £200 on a well known selling site. He had been used as a stud dog, and kept outside. We were told that he was being sold due to the owners leaving the country. We also rescued his sister Venus.
In Foster
Poor Harry was quite thin and scared, as he was not used to being in the house.
He wasn't keen to eat, and seemed a bit lethargic. This isn't uncommon in rescue dogs who become a bit unsettled and withdrawn when they are first moved .With a bit of coaxing he soon settled , but he wasn't quite right.
He also needed to be neutered, surgery to widen his nares and had an ear polyp that was causing some irritation.
AT THE VETS
During a routine check up at the vet's, we discovered the awful truth. Harry had something wrong with his heart.
An urgent appointment with a Cardiologist for an ECG and scan, revealed that he had pulmonic stenosis.
Pulmonic stenosis is a congenital heart defect characterized by the narrowing and obstruction of blood through the heart's pulmonary valve, which connects the pulmonary artery to the right ventricle (one of the heart's four chambers).
It is a life limiting condition, and we were referred to the Davies Cardiology team in Hitchin. Now we just needed to raise the £4,000 for his procedure.
HElp mend harry's heart
Harry was placed on medication and limited exercise, while Team FLOOF swung into action.
We launched Help Mend Harry's Heart in early May, and in less than two weeks we'd raised the funds.
One wonderful supporter made a donation of £1,000, the rest was raised by donations from a huge number of supporters and the proceeds from a couple of bumper online auctions. It was literally all hands to the pump, at a time when the rescue was incredibly busy with new surrenders
We cannot thank these people enough.
Unlike regular dog owners, we have no pet insurance to fall back on, and we rely on the public's generosity and our teams hard work and dedication.
SURGERY
Harry had a balloon valvuloplasty on the 2nd July at Davies Cardiology in Hitchen. His pulmonic valve was badly constricted and fused, but Dr Pedro Oliveira (pictured below with Harry) managed to dilate the valve from 9mm to 14mm.
We would like to say a huge thank you to the Davies Cardiology team for their outstanding care, and generosity with Harry's fees. He is a lucky boy to be treated at one of the leading cardiology practices in the world.
THE FUTURE
Harry will require careful monitoring , but his prognosis for a near normal life is excellent. So far his vet's bills have totalled an eye popping £5,500. Without treatment, he faced a short life on medication, with little chance to behave like a normal dog. He is still only 4 years old.
The future is bright for Harry, although he takes everything in his stride. Good boy Harry
UPDATE.
A final piece of good news to complete Harry's saga, he has now been formally adopted by his foster family. It's been a tough time for them too, and Team FLOOF are delighted for them,