One Little Cavalier – One Big Chance at Life

Sometimes rescue means finding a dog a new home. And sometimes, it means giving a dog a chance at a future she may never have had otherwise.

Sweet Feenie is just 3 years old. During her initial veterinary care with Cavalier Rescue USA, a significant heart murmur was discovered.

We scheduled an echocardiogram to find out what was happening with her heart. The results brought news we certainly didn’t hope for: Feenie has severe valvular pulmonic stenosis, a congenital heart condition that causes a serious obstruction to blood flowing from the heart to the lungs.

But they also brought us something very important — hope.

Feenie very likely is  a candidate for a procedure called balloon valvuloplasty, which can open the narrowed valve and reduce the tremendous workload on her heart.

We have an appointment scheduled for November 3rd with a cardiac surgeon who will confirm whether she is a candidate for the procedure. If she is, it will happen on the 4th. The estimated cost of her care is approximately $6,000–$8,000.

That is a lot of money for one little dog. But when you meet Feenie, it is impossible not to believe she is worth every bit of it. She is an incredibly sweet, affectionate little girl who absolutely loves to cuddle. She has no idea that there is anything unusual about her heart or that an entire team of people is working behind the scenes to give her the best future possible. She simply knows that she is safe, she is loved, and there is almost always a lap nearby waiting for her.

This is what rescue looks like.

It is taking in a dog without knowing what her veterinary care may uncover. It is doing the echocardiogram when you hear the murmur. It is seeking out specialists when the results aren’t what you hoped. And it is being willing to pursue an expensive procedure because a 3-year-old little Cavalier deserves every opportunity we can give her to live a long, happy life.

We are very hopeful that this procedure will give her heart — and this wonderful little girl — the second chance she deserves.

This is the work your support makes possible.

Every donation to Cavalier Rescue USA helps us say yes to dogs like Feenie — yes to the diagnostic testing, yes to the specialists, yes to advanced veterinary care, and most importantly, yes to hope.

Learn more about our work at Cavalier Rescue USA

Special thanks to Paw Prints Photography for donating their time and talent to capture these lovely photographs of Feenie.