Help Mend Mateo's Heart

July 14, 2026

Mateo was recently rescued from a local shelter after testing positive for heartworms. He also came to us with a serious wound on his back that required surgery to fix. Thankfully, he recovered well from that procedure. But now his heartworm disease is worsening.

He started by coughing up worms. Then over the weekend, he had a very scary collapsing episode, and yesterday his urine turned dark brown. These are all signs that he may have developed caval syndrome, a life-threatening complication of heartworm disease that requires immediate emergency care to save his life. He will be evaluated by the specialists at Texas A&M and will likely require emergency surgery to remove the worms from his heart.

Sweet Mateo has already overcome so much. We have to give him a chance—he deserves that much. This type of emergency care is incredibly expensive, and we need to raise approximately $8,000 to give Mateo the best chance at survival.

If you are able to donate, no gift is too small. Every dollar helps bring Mateo one step closer to the lifesaving care he desperately needs. If you can’t donate, please share his story. Your support means the world to Mateo and to all of us at Pug Rescue of Austin. Donations can be made via our website https://austinpugrescue.com/donate or via Venmo @PugRescueofAustin.

Update July 16, 2026: When little Mateo arrived at Texas A&M on Wednesday morning, he was immediately admitted by the emergency team. After their initial assessment, the cardiology team quickly confirmed what we feared: Mateo had developed caval syndrome, a life-threatening complication of heartworm disease in which the worms block the heart, preventing it from functioning normally. The only option was to get him into surgery immediately.

During surgery, more than 20 heartworms were removed. Heartworms can grow up to 12 inches in length, and having that many worms in the heart of such a tiny dog is almost unimaginable.

We’re relieved to share that Mateo made it through surgery. He remained hospitalized overnight and was released yesterday. While we’re so happy he’s back with his foster family, he still has a long road to recovery ahead of him.

We are so thankful to everyone who has donated, shared his story, or kept Mateo in your thoughts. Because of your support, he was able to receive the emergency care that saved his life.

Mateo has already overcome so much since the day he was rescued, and his emergency surgery and hospitalization have added to the extensive medical care he has needed. He had a severe wound when he was rescued that required surgery, and he has also undergone extensive lab work, chest X-rays, an echocardiogram (ECHO), treatment for a heavy intestinal parasite burden, and multiple medications. Once he’s strong enough, he will still need to undergo the full course of heartworm treatment. By the time everything is complete, his total veterinary costs are expected to be close to $10,000.

If you’re able to help, no donation is too small. Every dollar goes directly toward Mateo’s ongoing care and recovery. If donating isn’t possible, sharing his story is another meaningful way to help us give this sweet boy the future he deserves.

Donations can be made via our website https://austinpugrescue.com/donate or via Venmo @PugRescueofAustin.