A Little Help Could Save A Dog’s Life This Holiday Season

By Debra Forman

Animal lover Jill Goldman has always cared for stray and rescue dogs.

During the past 20 years, ten of these loving canines have filled her heart, and home, with great joy. From the moment she met Rex, an adorable standard poodle who came from a long line of trained therapy dogs, it was love at first sight.

This story started with a recent phone call from her niece saying that a local breeder had a dog with a heart murmur that was detected at eight weeks old. Since the dog could not be sold, he was going to be put down.

The breeder put out the word to see if anyone would take a very sick dog, and Goldman knew she had to come to Rex's rescue. "I immediately adopted Rex, expecting to give him medication, and love, for the rest of his life."

On October 17, she took five-month-old Rex in to the Elkins Park [PA] home she shares with her eight-year-old adopted son, Maxx, and made the first vet appointments to find out exactly what was wrong with Rex.

Goldman's first trip to the veterinarian did not go as expected. She took him first to her regular vetinarian for an exam and shots and was referred to Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital in Malvern, where he was examined by Dr. Marc Kraus, the head cardiologist.

Dr. Kraus heard the heart murmur but recommended that she take Rex to see a cardiologist to get an ECG (echocardiogram) and an ultrasound to identify the source of the problem. Goldman spent $1,000 on these tests, as well as shots and blood work.

The test results confirmed what the vet suspected, Rex's heart murmur was due to a closed heart valve and hole in his heart.

The vet said Rex has pulmonic stenosis, "a congenital or birth defect of the heart involving the right ventricle, pulmonic valve, and pulmonary artery."

Goldman was also told that without corrective surgery, Rex's prognosis was heart-breakingly grim: his chance of making it was zero percent.

Dr. Kraus is affiliated with PENN Veterinary Hospital in Philadelphia, where Rex is scheduled for his first surgery on January, 17, which will open the heart valve. A second surgery will take place in February to close a hole on the other side of the heart.

Dr. Kraus and several friends who know that Goldman -- a single mom and home organizer -- could not afford these vet bills to save Rex's life, also suggested that she start a GoFundMe page, in hopes that the holiday and New Year spirit will move dog lovers far and wide to help.

Link to Rex's Go Fund Me Page

"I'm not the kind of person who asks for money, but it's not for me, it's for a loving dog," says Goldman. "I want to save his life and have him fulfill his role as a therapy dog, going into hospitals to soothe children with heart maladies, so, I am making a plea to save Rex's life."

She envisions Rex getting $11,000 worth of life-saving medical attention for the two surgeries he needs, and being able to one day soon sit with children so they can see that a dog went through this traumatic experience and is now running around and playing. "They can pet him and love one another; this is what I wish for."

For Goldman, every dog that has come into her life, and the life of her young son, has been a gift.

In fact, she volunteers her spare time at two local rescue shelters: Bonnie's Ark in Hatboro and Harmony Retreat and Animal Rescue in Huntingdon Valley, helping to get food and donations for the sick animals there, and she is extremely hands-on with her help.

"By helping Rex, know that you are saving the life of a sweet boy who hasn't yet had a chance to fulfill his destiny of providing support and joy as a therapy dog," she says. "Rex really is the sweetest, gentlest, calmest, most affectionate dog I've ever had the privilege to know."

Goldman put it this way: "I am asking dog lovers, and anyone with a kind and caring heart to help me. If I can save this trained therapy dog and enable him to help sick children, he will reach his higher calling."

For further information, please contact Jill Goldman at: discoverjill@hotmail.com or call 215-813-5455. Donations are also accepted through the GoFundMe and through PENN Veterinary Hospital.