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March 18, 2008

With a knick knack paddy whack ...

Viagra.jpgThe British media reports today that the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra has been credited with saving the life of a 3-year-old border collie with heart problems.

The dog, named Talisker, had developed heart problems after suffering from a lung infection and would lose consciousness when he got excited because his blood could not pump fast enough, the Sun reported, and the Telegraph re-reported.

Vets warned Talisker would die from the condition but suggested as a last resort that his owner give the dog Viagra, as the pill improves blood flow to the heart.

Lesley Strong, a former pub landlady, of Yardley Hastings, Northants, said she was "shocked" by the vet's advice but the little blue pills had given Talisker a "new lease of life." She gave the dog the medicine in his food.

The Telegraph presented the story with the kind of British decorum you might expect, under the headline, "Viagra cures dog's heart condition."

The Sun (again this is London's, not Baltimore's) had a little more fun with it.

To see it, and Talisker, click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 3:15 PM | | Comments (2)
        

Comments

This is so not new that my writing partner Dr. Marty Becker and I wrote about Viagra for canine heart problems in our syndicated newspaper pet-care column a few years ago -- and mentioned it in "Why Do Dogs Drink Out of the Toilet?", our book that came out in fall of 2006.

I enjoy your blog! It has been added to the blogroll at PetConnection.com.

I do really like your blog. Something seem a little confusing for me though. During my researches on Viagra, I came across an article that men with heart problems are not advised to take Viagra. Using tthe same to treat a canine with heart disease seem a bit confusing.

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About Jill Rosen
Jill Rosen is a reporter at The Baltimore Sun. During her nearly 20 years in journalism, she has covered news and features — including a surprising number of stories that involved animals. There were the dog Christmas carolers in State College, Pa. There were the hounds who toured with a production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The story of a preschool teacher at Baltimore’s Father Kolbe School who had to replace her class guinea pig, who died over the winter holiday. A harrowing tale of what it was like to make homemade pet food ...

Though her clean freak of a mother refused to allow her to get a dog, she has had a number of pets through the years, including goldfish named Bob and Fingle, a betta fish named Ichabod, a wild rat terrier named Wendel, who she shared with a roommate, and, currently, sweet, sweet kitties named Leo Sesame and Milo Pumpkin and a little rescued pup named Teddy Bean. She, Leo, Pumpkin and Teddy Bean live in Baltimore.
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