Kirby (Adopted)

Kirby is a young, male, blenheim puppy with pulmonary stenosis.  He has recently had surgery (valvuloplasty).  His post-surgery recovery has been somewhat up and down with arrhythmias and his release from the hospital was delayed several hours to allow him to stabilize.

Kirby will be on heart meds for life, need follow up cardiac consults with echocardiograms  (annually if not more frequently)  and most-likely Holter monitoring to ascertain heart function.  While his cardiac team is hopeful that some of his arrhythmias will resolve over time, there is no guarantee that they will. There is also a chance that he could need additional surgery in the future.

Aside from his medical challenges, Kirby is a typical, playful puppy.  He’s active, yet loves to snuggle in with his foster family.  He is teething, and his house-training is a work in progress.  He sleeps well in his crate at night, but is an early riser with the sun.  He travels well in a car (crated) and loves meeting new people.

 

The ideal family for Kirby is one who understands not only the breed and their typical challenges, but also willing to take on Kirby’s specific heart challenges.  We are looking for someone who has the skills to monitor his heart health and the finances to provide for his future cardiac care.  We know that special-needs pups are not inexpensive and want to see proper expectations for potential families. Cardiac consults with full diagnostics can range from $500-750 or more.

Ideally, Kirby would do best with another gentle dog for company and a fenced yard for him to play (supervised, of course).

Given his young age, Kirby will need to be neutered (with cardiologist input as to timing) and would benefit from obedience training.

If you live within a reasonable drive of Raleigh, NC and think you are a good match for this sweet boy, please complete the application on our site.