Meet Zelda the German Shepherd puppy, our Salty Dog of the month for September.
Zelda
Zelda
Zelda is 10 weeks old weighing only 4.6lbs. That is normally the size of a 2-week-old shepherd puppy. She is not able to hold down food and will need emergency surgery to correct this.
X-rays show that she had a vascular ring anomaly causing her esophagus to be restricted. The condition is called Mega Esophagus. Usually, the condition is permanent, but in her case, it’s a secondary condition that surgery can correct. To make matters worse, she has also been diagnosed with a heart murmur – Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA).
Before a puppy is born there is a path between the right and left side of the heart where blood flows. Once the puppy is born and they take their first breath, the lungs inflate and that path closes. In her case, the path remained open, which is what is causing her murmur as well as an enlargement of the left side of the heart.
She now needs two surgeries to correct both deformities. Without the surgeries, her lifespan expectancy won’t be past 1 year.
The good news is since she is so young she has a very good chance of having a complete recovery and a normal life. We are asking for donations to cover her surgery costs and save her life.
UPDATE: Zelda’s surgeries were a success and she has been adopted just in time for the holidays!
Zleda the German Shepherd
Zleda the German Shepherd
Zleda the German Shepherd