Monica

As Good as Gold has rescued four special-needs pups, two males and two females. They were born with subaortic stenosis (SAS), which is a narrowing at the aortic valve of the heart. When this valve is narrowed, the heart must work harder to force blood out through the valve. This additional work can lead to muscle failure. SAS is a hereditary condition. For more information on SAS, review the link at the end of this article.

Unfortunately, dogs with this condition have an average life span of about 3 years. A medication, atenolol, may add to the life expectancy of dogs with SAS. The cost averages about $10 per month.

The Special Needs adoption fee is $200.

Notes on all of the pups:

• All have heart murmurs, which coincides with SAS.
• Because they are young pups, having someone home with them most of the time is best. Pups need to relieve themselves more often, though this improves with time.
• Strenuous exercise should be avoided. No long and fast walks. Zooming and running in the yard should be curtailed.

I’m five-months old, like Chandler. Falling leaves interest me too! When the wind magically blows, I try to catch each leaf that flies by.  Sometimes I see little birds hopping in the yard. I try to catch them, but then watch in amazement as they put up their wings and go into the sky!

Foster mom says I’m “delightful!” She also describes me as “sweet natured, loving, happy, spunky, and a fun-loving girl.”

I liked jumping in the snow this past winter!  And, when I’m super happy, I can’t help but do zoomies! Yet not for long, as either I stop, or foster mom calms me down. She thinks it’s so sweet that I’m content to play with my toys quietly by myself, which is how I spend much of my day. One time, I couldn’t find my toys. I looked and looked! Finally foster mom brought them all to me. They didn’t have icky smells anymore! Another quiet thing I like to do is to watch TV, especially shows with barking dogs; Rocky Mountain Vet with Dr. Jeff is my favorite!

Getting petted is one of the best parts of life! When I see people during our short walks, I go up to them with a wagging tail hoping they’ll bend down to pet me. Sometimes I discover sticks during our short walks. When I do, I pick one up and carry it proudly with my head held high! Engaging with other dogs is certainly a pleasure too! I get to do this in our neighborhood and at the vet’s office.

I understand that my heart is worse than the other three, so I want to get lots of love and pack in plenty of fun in the next few years.

Info on Subaortic Stenosis:

https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952497