I have bad news about my Golden Retriever, Daisy. But first some back story, to get those of you that don't know about her condition, up to speed.
Daisy was born with a congenital heart defect called sub-aortic stenosis. Basically, her aorta, which brings blood to the entire body, is narrowed. This narrowing, over time, causes the heart to have to work much harder than it normally would. This leads to heart failure, and possibly sudden death.
Dogs with mild stenosis can lead normal lives. Dogs with moderate to severe stenosis have much shorter lives. Survival times are from <3 years to 4-7 years.
Daisy had an echocardiogram (i.e. an ultrasound done on the heart. It's called an "echo" for short.) done today, to measure her status. And the news isn't good. It's in the very severe range.
It was tough to remain composed during the echo. I'm very sad.
But, this was part of the deal, and I knew that when I got her. She's one of the sweetest dogs that I've ever seen, and that's not just me being biased.
So, I'll continue to be happy for every day that I have her. She has been a huge blessing in my life and I'm extremely thankful for her.
Here's to you Daisy.
Keep on keepin' on.
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