u/snozzybear15

First of all, thank you. Sincerely, THANK YOU to everyone who has voted, shared, liked, commented and genuinely smiled at this guy. Jack has crossed 500 votes and is closing in on first place. I've had a few messages asking about Jack and his condition, what to look out for, what his treatment protocol is, etc.

So here's Jack, properly introduced with his full cardiac condition laid out. I hope no one ever has to experience what I did, but here's his journey, along with a carousel of photos to brighten your day (and yes, that is a mini Trader Joe's bag).

Jack is a 9 year old Havanese who had a known heart murmur and had been on heart medication (pimobenden) for four years. On April 5th, Easter weekend, I took him for a walk and he was not interested in walking - more than just laziness, something was wrong. I ended up carrying him most of the way home. When we got back home, his stomach looked distended and his breathing was shallow and laboured. My first thought was GDV, a life threatening condition where the stomach twists on itself. I rushed him to emergency.

It wasn't GDV. It was congestive heart failure. A tiny string holding his mitral heart valve in place, called a chordae tendineae, had snapped without warning. The valve became floppy and unstable, blood backed up into his lungs, and fluid filled the spaces that should have been full of air. His oxygen levels were dropping. He went straight into an ICU oxygen tank (where he was still smiling!) and we were in pulmonary edema territory.

That was the beginning of the hardest month of my life.

Over the next three weeks Jack was admitted to the ICU four times at the VEC in Toronto. There were nights I sat alone at midnight counting his breaths not knowing if he would make it to morning. There was a night his gums turned purple in the car on the way to the vet. There was a moment in a waiting room where a doctor asked me the DNR question nobody ever wants to answer about the animal they love most in this world.

Every single time, Jack came back.

He now takes five cardiac medications daily, including Potassium, Furosemide (diuretic), Spironolactone (another diuretic), Pimobenden, and our Hail Mary: Entresto, hidden in almond butter because he has standards. He sees a board certified cardiologist regularly. His heart murmur is the strongest she has ever felt in her career. Entresto, a human-grade medication so new to veterinary cardiology that his cardiologist called it a potential life saver for dogs like him, and has only recently been used in veterinary medicine.

And in between all of that he has been eating frozen mangos by the Costco bag, tending to his relationship with his stuffed caterpillar girlfriend, Humpy, running his condo building with an iron paw, and now on a crusade to become the face of a multi-national campaign. No sweat!

Today, Jack is happy, healthy, and back to his bossy-tongue-out-cheeky self, and every day we have together is a blessing.

He is 120 votes behind first place. The irony of a dog with his medical history representing pet insurance is the only punchline this story deserves and we are absolutely here for it.

Jack cannot have more time than his heart will give him. But he can have this. And for this to be his legacy would mean so much to me.

You can vote once a day until July 27th. It takes 30 seconds.

I'll drop the voting link in the comments. If it's giving you grief, toggle off your wifi.

This message is approved by Jack Lane. He knows what's at stake steak.

Sonnet 4.6

Jack is in the running to be the face of BMO's new pet insurance. He's currently in third and would love your vote.

Jack is a 9 year old Havanese who was recently diagnosed with a heart condition. In April his mitral valve chord snapped without warning. There were nights I sat alone counting his breaths not knowing if he would make it to morning. There were purple gums due to lack of oxygen. There were waiting rooms at midnight. There were tears. There were moments I do not have words for yet.

He came back every single time.

After four ICU admissions at the VEC in Toronto, he's finally on a stable medication protocol and THRIVING. Even while in the ICU his signature tongue and warm smile was all over his face, melting hearts of the whole, absolutely incredible, vet team.

The irony of a dog with his medical history representing pet insurance is the only punchline this story deserves.

You can vote once a day until July 27th. It takes 30 seconds.

Jack cannot have more time than his heart will give him. But he can have this. It would mean everything to me for this to be his legacy. I appreciate the community support. Thank you for your vote!

I’ll add the voting link in the comments. If the link gives you grief, toggle off your wifi.

Update from yesterday: we’ve gained about 100 votes and are about 200 behind the leader. Jack says thanks to all your support. Any additional votes are greatly appreciated 💕

These are some shots from his recent ICU visits at the VEC in Toronto. Even in turmoil, Jack still strikes a pose with his signature tongue 😋

I’ll stick the link in the comments again. Thank you again! This is a fun activity for our family after months of worry.

I’m asking for help from this wonderful community to help make Jack, my 9 year old Havanese from Toronto, the face of BMO’s new pet insurance.

Jack was recently diagnosed with a heart condition. After 4 ICU admissions, we are finally on the other side of it. It would mean the world to me and my family if this could be Jack’s legacy.

If you could kindly take 30 seconds to vote, I would deeply appreciate it. Thanks to this wonderful community!
I’ll drop the voting link in the comments.