PO Box 1743 | Melrose, FL 32666 | (352)473-3605

puppyhill@hotmail.com

Kobie is a brindle pit bull mix that was taken into Puppy Hill Farm when he was just a puppy. He was adopted to a kind home, but unfortunately his owner developed severe cancer, and reluctantly had to be returned to Puppy Hill Farm because she could no longer care for him.

So, weekend after weekend and year after year, Kobie came to adoption events almost every week, but was not adopted. Puppy Hill Farm cared for him for nearly eight years. He became the mascot and poster child for our organization, and he even wrote a dog advice column in our annual newsletter!

We were beginning to think that the poor, gentle, and toy-loving guy would never be adopted until on March 3, 2008, after a long, detailed interview with his prospective foster parents, we are happy to say that Kobie has now found a good home. His new mom is a veterinary technician specializing in anesthesiology, and his new dad is earning his Ph.D. in chemistry. He is now united with his new family and new dog-pal where he can spend time lounging and receiving lots of attention and love.

All of us at Puppy Hill farm are thrilled that Kobie finally has found a home of his own, and Kobie, we wish you "Good Luck!" and "Stop back to visit!"

Dr. Mandi Schmidt, first year cardiology resident, and Dr. Natalie Isaza are shown with Bellamy during the dog’s follow-up visit to the VMC after successful surgery to remove a mass of heartworms from his tricuspid valve.

BY SARAH CAREY

For Bellamy, a Pomeranian crossbred dog that came to UF’s shelter medicine program in November for neutering, the thrill is gone — and that’s a good thing.

Soon after Bellamy’s arrival from Puppy Hill Farm, a rescue group, shelter veterinarian Dr. Natalie Isaza discerned that the dog had a heart murmur with a palpable thrill, or vibration caused by fluid passing through an incompetent heart valve.

“Because of this, we didn’t do surgery, but instead had the cardiology service examine Bellamy,” Isaza said. “They found that he had heartworms wrapped around the leaflets of his tricuspid valve, causing his murmur and the resulting thrill.”

Thanks to a generous donation from a donor in Kansas City, Bellamy was able to be admitted to UF’s Veterinary Medical Center, where he underwent a procedure to manually remove the worms from his heart.

“He is now doing very well,” Isaza said.

Dr. Amara Estrada said that over the years, the cardiology service has consulted on several cases of suspected heart disease in shelter animals.

“In a lot of situations, we suspect congenital heart disease since the patients are young,” Estrada said. “Some of these animals have been fostered by families or rescue groups who are sometimes willing to fix or try to treat the heart problem, usually requiring cardiac catheterization and interventional therapy.

“Everyone felt really, really good about what we did.”

“This has been an excellent learning and teaching situation for our students and residents and just an overall ‘feel good’ experience because we know that without our intervening, these animals would have been euthanized,” she added.

Shown are the heartworms that were manually extracted from Bellamy’s heart.

Estrada said that Bellamy’s disease was very serious, and that in fact many dogs affected by heartworms in that way will die.

“After the echocardiogram showed us the mass of heartworms wrapped around his tricuspid valve, Bellamy was anesthetized the next day,” Estrada said. “We then pulled the worms out with special forceps that are specifically made for extracting heartworms.”

The entire procedure took about an hour and students and residents from anesthesia, surgery and cardiology all were there to participate.

“By the next day, Bellamy looked like a million bucks,” Estrada said. “So everyone felt really, really good about what we did.”

The procedure of heartworm extraction usually costs somewhere between $2,000 and $2,500, Estrada said. Bellamy’s procedure was funded through a donation from a philanthropist interested in helping animals like Bellamy; animals that would otherwise not have a chance of survival.

“I hope Bellamy’s story encourages other donations for this type of treatment,” Isaza said, adding that the dog was now back at Puppy Hill Farm and would be available for adoption after being neutered and receiving drug therapy to kill any remaining heartworms.

[We are happy to say that Bellamy has recovered to be an energetic and beautiful dog, and is ready to be adopted to a good home!]

-Story adapted with permission from the December 2007 issue of The Veterinary Page
Copyright 2007 University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine