Dog With Rare Heart Condition Gets a Second Chance Thanks to His Community

Moka, a beloved brown dog living on Maui, needed a pacemaker after veterinarians discovered a rare heart condition that was causing frightening seizures. His family wanted to give him every possible chance, but the treatment was expensive, and getting him to the right hospital meant traveling thousands of miles across the Pacific. For Geoffrey and Carla Wood, Moka was much more than a pet. He had been part of their family since puppyhood, sharing their home with his brother Meeko. When his health began to deteriorate, they faced the possibility of losing him. But with help from friends, veterinary professionals, and their island community, Moka would eventually return to the activities he loved. Credit: YouTube A Beloved Dog Faces a Frightening Diagnosis Moka joined the Wood family after Carla discovered a nearby litter of puppies advertised on Craigslist. She fell for Meeko, while Geoffrey chose Moka, a brown puppy whose name carried special meaning. Moka was named partly for his coffee-colored coat and partly for a valley in Trinidad and Tobago that Geoffrey remembered fondly from his school years. The two even shared the same birthday, October 8. For the first couple of years, M...