Lily, the Maltipoo puppy, reigns over the household in the morning, according to her humans, Sam and Joann. “She decides when to start the day, and if we were not awake, she would pounce on our faces and lick us till we are”.
Adopted at just four months old, Lily’s boundless energy and antics are a source of joy to her family. But beneath the cheerful exterior, a serious health condition lurked—one that threatened to cut short the life of this spirited puppy just as it was beginning.
Lily after her first hair cut
The Telltale Heartbeat
The first hint that something is not quite right is when Lily cuddles with Sam. “It felt a little off,” he recalled, the concern still evident in his voice. “Her heartbeat was very loud, and it had a racing tempo .”
Initially, they attributed Lily’s rapid heartbeat to her puppy energy—the natural exuberance of youth. However, during a routine checkup, Dr Natasha Snowden at Apex Veterinary Clinic detected a heart murmur. The family was referred to Beecroft Animal Specialist & Emergency Hospital when the murmur persisted at subsequent checkups.
Dr Anne-Claire Duchaussoy, Beecroft’s board-certified internal medicine specialist, attended to Lily.
After conducting diagnostics, Lily was pronounced to be born with Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA). This congenital heart defect results in oxygen-poor blood moving the wrong way, can weaken the heart muscle, and may lead to heart failure and other complications over time.
Lily’s life expectancy could be drastically shortened to one or two years without medical intervention. “It was kind of unexpected for us,” Joann shares, her voice softening. “You don’t expect your puppy to die in the next one or two years.”
A Family’s Choice
The diagnosis presented Lily’s family with a difficult decision. Their puppy appeared outwardly healthy—she habitually collected leaves to decorate her bed, arranged her toys on the couch like treasured possessions, and enthusiastically (if unsuccessfully) tried to kiss her more reserved canine brother Logan whenever she got the chance.
However, the signs of an overworked heart could not be ignored.
For Lily’s family, the treatment was non-negotiable as she has become central to their lives. “In the short time that she was with us, she brought so much joy that we felt like it would be heartbreaking if she were to leave us so early,” her owner explains. “After all, at five months old, this is only the beginning of her life.”
The Road to Treatment
The recommended treatment was a minimally invasive PDA occlusion using interventional closure. This technique avoids open-heart surgery. A small cut is made in the skin to access a blood vessel the jugular vein. A catheter is then inserted into into the blood vessel to deliver a tiny device resembling a small umbrella to close the abnormal opening in Lily’s heart via fluoroscopy guidance.
Fluoroscopic image of the thorax, showing the occlusion of the PDA with implant at the base of the heart.
“I was surprised by how advanced dog surgery has become. It is less intrusive than I imagined,” said Sam. “It also helped that the experience at Beecroft was excellent because everyone was very informative. The surgical team took the time to explain what was going on and how the surgery would work.”
A Resilient Spirit
Still, the prospect of heart surgery for their five-month-old puppy was understandably daunting, but those fears dissolved the moment Lily emerged from surgery. “As soon as she came out, she was just as energetic as always,” Joann recalls with laughter, “just, like, jumping up!”
Here is one of Lily in action, trying to ambush brother Logan with her kisses!
For the Beecroft veterinary team, Lily’s case highlights the power of combining advanced veterinary medicine with compassionate and thorough client communication.By taking the time to clearly explain medical details and supporting a worried family through a difficult diagnosis, they empowered Lily’s owners to make informed decision that offered their beloved puppy a chance of a full life.
Today, Lily continues her puppy adventures—chasing birds in the field, adding on to her leaf collection, and perhaps most importantly, continuing her quest to win over her more reserved brother, Logan, with enthusiastically trying kisses.
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