Chilli

About the Campaign

The sweetest rescue dog,

Chilli has a heart problem!

She was a stray, hiding out at an vacant house in south Los Angeles, when James, out for a morning jog saw her. Talking with neighbors he found out that Chilli had been hanging around the house after it had been sold. No one had moved in yet, and the house was empty. A neighbor was bringing food and water over, but he could not take her.

She’s a happy, silly girl with a big (bad) heart!

UPDATE 5/21/2004: A 20% discount has been negotiated with the vet, the procedure is now $8000 down from $9900!!!

James and Samantha managed get Chilli to trust them, and they walked her to their home. Once safe and a little be relaxed they got her to the vet. She’s around two years old, had scratches, and what looked like some bruises, and she had recently had puppies. They and the neighbor searched the property and all around for puppies, but never found them. Of course we cannot know for sure, but it would be common that someone kept the puppies for sale and abandoned the mother.

Though it was expected that Chilli had been “dumped”, they did post lost dog flyers on the street and online, and got the rescue Ace of Hearts involved as well. Sam and James agreed to foster Chilli until a new home could be found and took her back to the vet for a second exam and to get her spayed. At this visit the doctor noticed a heart murmur, and recommended and EKG to determine what it was specifically. That led to a visit to the cardiologist and the discovery that Chilli actually had Pulmonic Stenosis. The short version: her heart valves are thickened and stuck together.

Guarding the door?

The great news is the cardiologist gives Chilli an excellent prognosis, to live a long and normal and healthy life with a procedure called “balloon valvuplasty”! In short, they run a ballon up into her heart and expand it, “unsticking” the valve. The doctor says that Chilli is a perfect candidate for this procedure and wants to do it right away. Now the bad news: It’s over $9000. Hearts aren’t cheap.

There is more good news though: Chilli has a lot of support! Sam and James are dedicated to getting her the money she needs. Ace of Hearts is a well established and highly regarded rescue organization that is helping. And there is you! The community of dog lovers who believe that abandoned dogs deserve the best too. If Chilli gets her heart procedure, then she can also be spayed, and Ace of Hearts will find her the perfect forever home. Your donation is specifically for Chilli, and paid only to VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital for her heart procedure. A copy of the estimate is below, please click/tap on it to enlarge: