4-Month-Old Female | Energetic, Playful, and Brave
Introducing Blintz, a dazzling 4-month-old ruby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy who is just beginning her journey in rescue and exploring all the wonders of her new world. Blintz is an energetic, playful girl who delights in romping around with her siblings and toys—she’s equally happy playing by herself or joining in with other pups. True to her puppy spirit, Blintz is curious and always ready for her next adventure!
Blintz stands out as the leader of her litter—she is confident, has no known fears, and brings a spark of courage wherever she goes. She’s still learning what it means to be a companion to humans, but she’s just beginning to enjoy snuggle time and loves being near her people, especially if there are toys involved. Meeting new people is a breeze for her—she’s friendly, adaptable, and even naps peacefully in the car.
Blintz is a special little pup, as she only has one eye. While we’re not yet sure what her long-term needs might be, she doesn’t let it hold her back one bit. Given her background—her mother has a heart condition and we were told Blintz is the result of a brother-to-sister breeding—our rescue took extra precautions by performing an echocardiogram and additional testing at intake.
Below are the echocardiogram notes:
Minimal pulmonic and mitral valve dysplasia - This is a malformation of the mitral valve and pulmonic valves that have been
present since birth. The defect allows a very small amount of leakage backward through the valves, and in severely
affected patients, can cause cardiac enlargement and congestive heart failure (fluid accumulation within the lungs leading
to cough, respiratory difficulties, exercise intolerance, or collapse). The degree of disease is minimal, however, and is
unlikely to progress or cause any difficulties in the future. Additionally, while her mother has severe pulmonic stenosis
(also from a dysplastic pulmonic valve) there is no stenosis for Blintz which is great news. No medications are warranted
and if we rechecked Blintz when she was full grown and there continued to be very minimal changes we may not need
long-term monitoring. If no murmur is present, an echocardiogram is unlikely to show significant changes but with the mild
dysplastic valves, the mild arrhythmia, etc. a recheck would be helpful.
Atrial premature complexes - These are early heart beats originating from the upper heart chambers. They often occur
when the atria are quite enlarged, which is not the case with her. Other potential causes include metabolic (oxygenation,
acid-base, electrolyte) disturbances, chest trauma, masses/tumors, myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation), certain
medications or excessive neurohormones, and severe systemic disease. Sometimes, this is purely an electrical
disturbance without any of these identifiable causes. We suspect this with Blintz. As single beats, they are not of great
concern. In some dogs, APCs sometimes progress to a sustained rapid and/or chaotic rhythm that can lead to clinical
signs (collapse or episodic weakness or disorientation). There was only a single APC seen today and no medications are
indicated for this. We can monitor for any change/progression in the future.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Medications: No cardiac medications are needed for the heart at this time.
Diet: No diet modifications are necessary at this time for the heart.
Exercise: No exercise modifications necessary at this time for the heart.
Anesthesia: There is no immediate cardiac contraindication to anesthesia, and associated procedures (whether
elective or necessary) can be pursued at this time. Proper anesthetic precautions should still be
instituted for any patient with any degree of heart disease, including the use of heart-friendly drugs
(avoid dexmedetomidine if possible) and close ECG, blood pressure, and respiratory status
monitoring during and after the procedure.
Monitor For: Cough, shortness of breath (fast or labored breathing), collapse, exercise intolerance, or
abdominal swelling. Please seek medical attention for Marcie if you notice any of these signs.
Reevaluation: I would recommend a recheck echocardiogram and ECG in 9-12 months (sooner if problems
arise). If changes remain minimal, long-term monitoring may not be necessary.
House manners and commands are all new to Blintz, as you’d expect from a puppy her age. She’s a blank slate, ready for a family to guide her as she grows and learns about the world. There are no known quirks or behavioral challenges; Blintz is, at heart, a joyful and loving puppy who simply needs the chance to blossom in her forever home.
At this time, we are not accepting applications for Blintz, as she still needs to complete her veterinary care. Please check back for updates—we’ll be sure to share more as she continues her journey with us and spends more time in our care.
