Foster Puppy!!!!

Two weeks ago I took on a foster puppy that the director of my vet tech program needs to do surgery on. She is a 6 month old Tibetan spaniel puppy that has a patent ductus arteriosis. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a heart problem that occurs soon after birth in some mammal babies. In PDA, there is an abnormal circulation of blood between two of the major arteries near the heart. Before birth, the two major arteries—the aorta and the pulmonary artery—are normally connected by a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus, which is an essential part of the fetal circulation. After birth, the vessel is supposed to close within a few days as part of the normal changes occurring in the baby's circulation. In some mammal babies, however, the ductus arteriosus remains open (patent). You would never know that she is broken until you listen to her heart, which sounds like a washing machine. It is super fun to have a puppy and I can't wait until her surgery is scheduled. The opportunity to participate in a heart surgery will give me some really great experience. Milly is getting along with her pretty well and has even taught her how to chew on rawhide bones like a big girl.