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Jyetara
Sargeant Major
Major was
born with a serious congenital condition called Pulmonic Stenosis
(causing a backflow of blood to
his heart) and we were
told by the Werribee Veterinary Hospital Heart Specialists that he
would likely die by the age of two unless we had immediate Surgery.
 
Ultrasound of a Pulmonic
Stenosis
A
Veterinarian told us that this was going to be a "Golden
Puppy"... Little then did we know, "Golden Puppy" was
definitely going to be the word for this guy!
Click To
Enlarge
Major grew
very well, and at his 2-week checkup the vet noticed a murmur, but
we all hoped it would disappear as they normally do. At 6
weeks it was still there and getting worse.
We then had some
more tests done that we couldn't afford, and it was then judged by a
Veterinary Heart Specialist that he had a severity of 9/10.
This meant he could never run, get too excited, and would likely die
before he was two. He would also stop growing and become
severely undersized.
He needed surgery
ASAP.
Major
& His Mummy
  
Various Pictures
We started
taking him up to the Werribee Vet. Clinic to Australia's leading
Heart Specialists to have him studied and tests taken over longer
periods of time. The Veterinarians started preparing for
surgery.
They were all amazed by his large size, as
most dogs with this condition are basically dwarfed because so much
blood is back-flowed and not enough oxygen is carried around the
body. They were extremely impressed with his fitness and size
and they told us we did a great job of raising him to that point and
he was glad we didn't listen to some other vets telling us to just
let him lay around!
The surgery consisted basically of cutting a huge
line down the side of Major, opening to his heart, then sewing on a
Teflon patch over the pulmonic valve. They a slit is cut
underneath the patch to allow the blood to pass around the
heart. The worst part about the surgery, was waiting outside,
knowing that if the patch didn't hold straight away, there was
nothing they could do, and Major would die on the operating table.
At this point there was no going back...
Pictures of
the actual surgery are awaiting...
Thankfully,
after a few hours of a stressful wait, Dr. Edwards came out and said
it was a success!
Major still
gets light-headed and passes out on his outings, but it has just
become another aspect of his illness that we must deal with
day-to-day.
Major After Heart
Surgery
We have been
allowed to pay off most of the costs, but they are still huge and
will likely take years to pay off.
THANK YOU!
From All Of Us At Jyetara GSDs
(Lj & Tina Boyd, Major,
Gypsy, Apachee, Dakoda, Sabrina, Angie, Biggles and the rest of the
family!)
Please email
us if you have donated, so we can personally thank
you
HOW YOU CAN
HELP
Update:
June 2003 - We Have Updated The Paypal Pay System & For
Those That It Wouldn't Work For, Can You Please Try Now And Let Us
Know If It Worked? Thanks!
The Easiest & Most
Helpful way to help is by Paypal Donations. It's very easy and you
just need to click the link, the amount you'd like to help with, and
fill in the next form. That's It! Please email when you
have donated.
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By Credit
Card, Cheque, Bank:
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By
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THANK YOU! |
Major c/o
Jyetara GSDs
16 Lochgreen
View
Cranbourne, VIC
3977
Australia |
Major's Costs To
Date: Total: AU$17,098 (US$12,500
approx)
We would like to thank everyone that has supported
us.
Your donations are greatly appreciated, and Major thanks you
all!
Please email
us if you have donated, so we can personally thank
you.
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Major & His Best Friend "Biggles"
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Free-Run
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