Dr. Fossum had the vision and
drive to bring open-heart surgery for dogs to Texas A&M.
Coordinating the financing, constructing first class facilities,
and the gathering of an experienced surgical team has been an ongoing
passion for many years. Dr. Fossum's focus on the future has made these
dreams a reality.
Dr. Fossum heads the surgical team and works closely with the cardiology team in evaluating each potential case.
Dr. Fossum heads the surgical team and works closely with the cardiology team in evaluating each potential case.
Luke's immediate team included 15
hardworking members.
Luke (with his "mom" and his surgeon Dr. Thersa W. Fossum) was a three year old Golden Retriever that was diagnosed with subaortic stenosis when he was just a puppy. No treatment existed for his condition and he faced the likely hood of a very early death. In 2001 Texas A&M through the DeBakey Institute began offering a surgical alternative for dogs diagnosed with cardiac abnormalities. Luke underwent a lifesaving operation to allow blood to be pumped normally from his heart. He is shown on his fifth day post-operatively while a very happy "mom" visits (Luke is pretty happy too).
Luke had surgery in October of
2001 -- he continues to do well. He is now well beyond his life
expectancy had he not had the surgery. He's gained a few pounds since
then and leads a very active life. Luke, in many ways, symbolizes our
goals for canine heart surgery. Faced with almost certain death Luke's
mom made the decision to take the risks of surgery rather than the
certainty of his condition. What a great pay-off for all of us.
