Sadie is not your typical cardiac patient.    

  But the three-month-old German Shepherd-Rottweiler mix has borderline congestive heart failure.

To make matters worse, Sadie doesn't have an owner to pay for the $4,200 operation that would repair her heart.

She's lived at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' western Quebec chapter since she was dropped off with her two siblings three-and-a-half weeks ago by a family (who didn't know about the heart condition) when they couldn't sell or give away all the puppies in a litter.

Now the SPCA of Western Quebec and the Alta Vista Animal Hospital are asking the public to help pay for the dog's surgery. The shelter has already paid $900 for the three drugs the animal is on, and for visits to a dog cardiologist. After the surgery, the playful puppy is expected to recover and then be adopted.

"It's not that difficult to adopt healthy three-month-old pups," said Sadie's foster father, Jim Walker. "But by getting her the surgery and a month-long recovery, we can give away a healthy four-month-old puppy."

Sadie's condition, which was discovered during a routine screening, is called patent ductus arteriosis, meaning she has a hole in her heart. While this is normal for puppy fetuses, the hole usually closes before birth. Sadie's didn't. Instead, she grew an extra vein that now carries unoxidized blood straight to her heart.

This makes Sadie's resting heart rate three times faster than the average puppy's and tires her out very quickly.

There are two options for surgery. One is to undergo open heart surgery to remove the vein, the other is arthroscopic and would seal either end of the extra vein, sending blood down the proper blood vessels.

"Both have a high probability of success," said Mr. Walker.

"But they're both expensive."

While Sadie waits for the money to pay for her surgery, she plays in five-minute spurts with her favourite Mickey Mouse toy.

And when she has energy, it's there in full force. The puppy leaps from the top of a living room chair and lands with her four paws on the floor.

"Though she's not supposed to get much exercise, she does on her own," Mr. Walker said.

But it's hard to keep her endurance up, he added. "After this, she'll be tired."

Sadie sleeps most of the time and spends her afternoons at the shelter for observation.

"She gets lots of attention here," said SPCA employee Jennifer Montague. "Everybody loves her."

Ms. Montague said the SPCA did not struggle with the decision to appeal to the public to help the dog, even though there are many humans who are in great need medically.

"We don't have an alternative to private medicine," she said of animal health care. "There is no government funding for animals."

In the case of people, at least in Canada, she said, "You can't pay a doctor to have heart surgery. You just can't facilitate that way."

Donations can be made by calling the Alta Vista Animal Hospital at 613-731-9911 or the SPCA of Western Quebec at 819-770-7722. Cheques will also be accepted by mail.

© The Ottawa Citizen 2007

Sadie the puppy will get her heart surgery late next week.

The Alta Vista Animal Hospital and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Western Quebec received "hundreds of calls" yesterday from Ottawa residents hoping to help the three-month-old puppy with the hole in her heart.

The $4,200 needed for the surgery was raised by noon.

"I cannot believe this, I feel like it's Christmas," said Jennifer Montague, who works at the SPCA.

Ms. Montague even received a call from a Calgary man who donated $250 after reading the story online.

"That was so touching," she said. "We are truly grateful."

The Gatineau shelter started turning away donors after collecting the operation money and an additional $800 for Sadie's follow-up appointment after surgery.

Sadie, a German shepherd-Rottweiler mix, has been living at the shelter since she was dropped off three and a half weeks ago by a family who couldn't sell or give away all the dogs in the litter.

Only after Sadie was at the shelter was it discovered that she has a heart condition, called patent ductus arteriosis -- a hole in the heart. The condition prevents blood from getting enough oxygen, causing extreme fatigue.

Sadie will receive a special valve to help her blood flow properly, said Ms. Montague.

The part will arrive in three or four days. Then Sadie will prepare for a four-hour arthroscopic procedure during which a surgeon will enter through her leg and seal off the extra vein that is causing improper blood flow.

Ms. Montague said the shelter was overwhelmed by the support. Now the next step is to find some parents for Sadie.

"We would really like to start a screening process to find a home for her," Ms. Montague said.

"If people have the interest, they're welcome to fill out the (adoption) questionnaire," she said, adding that potential parents cannot already have dogs at home, as Sadie cannot be over-stimulated due to her condition.

Despite the outpouring of support, Ms. Montague said she received a dozen calls from people who read about Sadie in the Citizen and who disapproved of the shelter's fundraising technique.

"We had people calling and saying 'How dare you ask for (money for) a dog that nobody even owns when there are people who are starving, who are homeless," she said.

In response, Ms. Montague said the shelter and animals like Sadie are her passion and her cause of choice.

"If people are upset and they have their own causes, well I really hope they're giving their time to that cause and not just coming down on us," she said. "The alternative would be what? Let her suffer? Euthanize her? We don't do that here."

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Western Quebec is still accepting donations for the post-operative care of Sadie, the puppy that is to undergo heart surgery next week. Incorrect information appeared in a story on page F3 yesterday.