Animal-lovers are raising £4,000 for surgery to fix a puppy's broken heart.
Acorn, a 12-week-old Cavichon puppy, was taken in by animal rescuers in South Wales along with six other pups after a breeder had been unable to sell them.
However, rescuers quickly noticed that the pooch had a "pounding heart" and needed medical attention.
After examinations, tests revealed she had a hole in her heart which had failed to close at birth.
Vets at The Ralph Veterinary Hospital in Buckinghamshire say her best hope of survival is surgery that will cost £4,000 to complete.
They have raised half the money for the operation and are now calling on Animal Lovers to help out.
Eileen Jones, founder of the shelter said: "We knew immediately there was something seriously wrong with her heart and suspected a condition called PDA, Patent Ductus Arteriosis.
"This is also found in human babies and is when a small valve in the heart should close at birth but fails to.
"Without corrective surgery the pup would not survive so it is the only option.
"We have had pups with this condition previously and although it's expensive to repair each has made a full recovery and gone on to lead a normal life."
Vets suggest waiting until Acorn has grown until conducting the operation and have placed a catheter through a vein in her groin in the meantime.
Eileen said: "If her condition deteriorates they may have to open her chest cavity to do open heart surgery but of course this carries greater risks of infection and longer recovery time.
"The wonderful thing about this surgery is that once it's successfully completed and following a few months recuperating the pup will be fully recovered and can lead a normal life."
Acorn is living in a foster home at the moment and her temporary owners monitor her heart rate and breathing rate constantly.
