Homeless Chihuahua Gets Life-Saving Surgery, Ready For Adoption

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Seymor, a Chihuahua mix, was found huddled on the door step of a home that was not his.

He was taken to Minneapolis animal control, and no one claimed him in five days. That's when Second Chance Animal Rescue took Seymor to one of their foster homes, and from there, things got interesting.

"When we brought him in for his routine exam, they listened to his heart, and they immediately said: 'Pup's got a serious problem,' they could hear like a continuous rushing of blood through his heart," said Margie Makredes of Second Chance Animal Rescue.

Seymor has patent ductus arteriosus – PDA for short – and it's a congenital defect, one of the most common ones in dogs. It's something that can be surgically corrected, said Rebecca Cervenec, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

"Without this corrective surgery, this guy won't make it to maybe even 1 years old," Makredes said. "The U is graciously doing this, for us, and we really appreciate it, it's awesome."

Over time, the left side chambers of the heart can be enlarged, and eventually the dog could develop congestive heart failure.

"It's considered a catheter procedure," Cervenec said. "We access one of the vessels on the inside of the leg, so he'll actually only end up with an incision that's a couple centimeters long, and we get down to the vessel, and we use a series of catheters and wires."

Seymor is going to be a normal dog, Cervenec said, and a great pet.

He's ready for adoption – and if you know of a good home, click here.

Chihuahua