Polk City widow donates husband's pacemaker to save pets: 'It's heartwarming'

Pacemaker donated to veterinary clinic

A Polk City woman donated her late husband?s pacemaker to BluePearl Pet Hospital in Tampa. Jennifer Kveglis reports.

POLK CITY, Fla. - When Frederick Wolff passed away earlier this summer, his wife Dawn knew exactly how he would want to be remembered: by helping animals.

Courtesy: Dawn Wolff

What we know:

Last week, Dawn mailed his pacemaker to BluePearl Pet Hospital in Tampa, along with a note saying it was a donation "to help a fur baby in need."

Doctors there say the device could now extend the life of a dog and sometimes cats living with a heart condition.

Why you should care:

More than 3 million Americans live with pacemakers, according to the American Heart Association. 

While they regulate human heart rhythms, once a person passes away or chooses to upgrade their pacemaker, the device can sometimes be reused to restore an animal’s heartbeat.

Dr. Bradley Harris, a cardiologist and critical care specialist at BluePearl, said donations like the Wolffs’ are critical. 

He said, "At our facility, it’s actually the only way we can provide the surgery."

The backstory:

Pacemakers can treat atrioventricular blocks in pets, a condition where the heart’s top and bottom chambers stop communicating properly. 

Symptoms can range from fainting and collapsing to no signs at all.

The device is implanted in dogs and cats the same way it is in humans. 

Some pets have even lived long enough to need a second battery replacement.