Longridge vets perform open heart surgery on Mapel the Labrador puppy

Mapel is doing well after her amazing procedure. Pic: Longridge Vets.

A 12-week-old chocolate Labrador puppy has been given a new lease of life after two amazing Longridge vets performed open heart surgery on her.

Vets Paul Thomas and Nigel White successfully performed the incredible procedure on Mapel at the end of last week at Longridge Vets, which is based in Preston Road.

In a statement on the firm’s Facebook page, there was undeniable pride in what Paul and Nigel had achieved.

It said: “We are incredibly proud of our super vets this weekend. They have successfully completed open heart surgery on a young puppy born with a rare heart defect called a patent ductus arteriosus. This is when a vessel on the heart, connecting the aorta and pulmonary artery, doesn’t close like it should after birth.

“The procedure isn’t without risk and involves closing the vessel on the heart whilst the heart is beating.

“With this surgery the puppy should grow into an adult dog living life happily and not being any the wiser. Without the surgery she would have likely gone into heart failure and died before reaching middle age, if not sooner.”

The veterinary practice told Blog Preston that Mapel was recovering well and seems ‘happy and content’.

According to Longridge Vets, this form of surgery was a procedure that Paul had watched when he worked in a university animal hospital and had performed two others nearly 20 years ago.

The statement added: “What’s more, the team of five all came in on their day off to do the surgery. We are hugely grateful to them for going above and beyond. It had to be timed well with Mapel’s growth and the size of the defect. We knew it would be a lengthy procedure.

“Fascinatingly, the abnormal heart sounds previously heard with a stethoscope are no longer there and her heart is beating normally.

“She will need time to recover and is being closely monitored and cared for but we really hope that this will continue to be a story with the most happy ending.”

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