Paws Across Pittsburgh helping tiny puppy with broken heart heal this Valentine's Day: Furry Tails
UPDATE (March 1, 2023) -- Paws Across Pittsburgh provided a one-week update on little Rosita.
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UPDATE (Feb. 23, 2023) -- After Rosita's appearance on PTL, a very generous PTL viewer called Paws Across Pittsburgh and donated the money needed for her surgery.
The donor wanted to stay anonymous after giving $8,000 for the pup's heart procedure.
Paws Across Pittsburgh has now raised more than $11,000 and they said that welcoming her on PTL made that possible.
Rosita had her surgery on Wednesday, Feb. 22.
Paws Across Pittsburgh said Rosita did need a blood transfusion, but she pulled through the surgery and is now on the mend.
It's all thanks to that PTL viewer - Rosita's guardian angel!
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Paws Across Pittsburgh, a local animal rescue group, wants to heal the heart of a tiny puppy for Valentine's Day.
The foster-based rescue group saved Rosita, her littermates and their mother about a month ago from "irresponsible pet owners" in West Virginia. There were 10 puppies in all.
Rosita, a border collie mix, is the runt of the litter and has a congenital heart defect.
She has a condition called Patent Ductus Arteriosus, or PDA, with congestive heart failure, according to Paws Across Pittsburgh. The condition, defined by the Mayo Clinic, is "a persistent opening between the two major blood vessels leading from the heart."
Despite this life-threatening condition, Rosita is a spunky and playful puppy.
"She plays hard for a few minutes and then she rests for a long time," Vicki Thomas, of Paws Across Pittsburgh, said. Once the surgery is done and the healing process and recover is over, she can be a normal, healthy, loving pet."
A veterinarian specializing in cardiology at Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center, or PVSEC, is treating little Rosita. Thomas said Rosita is going back to the vet on Thursday.
However, heart surgery doesn't come cheap. The rescue is expecting costs up to $10,000 – including the surgery, X-rays, echocardiograms, medicine, recovery and more. Without it though, Rosita's life expectancy is only about a month or two.
The surgery has about a 90% success rate, Paws Across Pittsburgh said. Then, Rosita can be a family pet with a couch to lay on, a bowl full of treats, a leash for walks and all the pets and belly rubs she can handle. She does love belly rubs.
All of her littermates have found homes. Once she has the surgery, Thomas said Rosita will need about six weeks recovery. She will eventually be up for adoption through the rescue. However, she has a long road ahead.
Paws Across Pittsburgh has several fundraising events coming up for people who want to donate to help Rosita and other animals like her receive the critical care they need.
They will be holding a virtual Cash Bash live on Facebook on March 18, 2023. The rescue also has a Bingo event planned for April 14, 2023. It will be in person at the Manchester Room in Trafford.
For other ways to help Paws Across Pittsburgh rescue animals in need, visit their website and follow their Facebook page. They have plenty of dogs and cats that need forever homes.
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Stay tuned animal lovers for more Furry Tails! You can follow me on Twitter at @HeatherLang24.
