Molly, a chocolate lab, is herself again. Two weeks ago, however, she didn’t feel like playing or being petted. Her veterinarian believes she had a heart attack. Her pulse rate dropped dangerously low -– about half as fast as it should be -- and she needed emergency surgery.

“We really had no other option,” said Dr. Trey Schutruph, a cardiologist at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine.

Cardiologists here installed a donated pacemaker.

“It’s the same thing that goes into humans,” said Schutruph.

During the operation, surgeons set her pacemaker at 100 beats a minute. That way, both halves of her heart were communicating electrically again.

The prognosis is terrific.

“Her quality of life is excellent. She can go back to normal activities,” said Schutruph.

That would be at least another five years of search and rescue work with Newton County’s canine unit, after four weeks of vacation.

The reason the surgery is worth it is it can take about two years to train search dogs like Molly. Buying a fully trained, ready-to-go-to-work animal can cost up to $20,000. Pet lovers who heard about Molly's plight donated money to pay her medical bills.
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KSNJ-TV, Joplin, and the University of Missouri Extension Service contributed to this report.