Gainesville, FL – The first dog to undergo life-saving open heart surgery in the U.S. is expected to live, after receiving the inaugural operation at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine. The 12-year-old miniature poodle, named George, spent seven hours on the operation table and a week in the intensive care unit.
The good boy has already progressed to taking two 45-minute walks a day and is expected to make a full recovery within three months, never needing treatment for canine degenerative mitral valve disease again.
In June, commercial real estate attorney Kimberely David of Seattle was caught in a standstill, left without options to save her dying dog. David’s world came crashing down when George’s veterinarian diagnosed her pride and joy with mitral valve degeneration (MVD), a condition that gave the small pup no longer than nine months to live.
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