Baby, yes that is her name, was adopted from a shelter about one year ago by a nice family. She shared her life with a couple of children and a canine friend. Everyone lived happily, or at least appeared so on the surface, when just before Thanksgiving, the larger dog attacked the little one in the backyard. No one witnessed the assault, but the 13 year old daughter who was at home, was able to separate the two dogs with great difficulty. By then the damage inflicted on the little dog was horrific.
Baby was rushed to a veterinary clinic. When she arrived, she was covered in mud. She was in shock. She had multiple puncture wounds and gashes to her face, head and ears. Both her eyes were extremely damaged. The vet, Ms. Carey, explained “that in brachycephalic breeds such as Pugs, Boston Terriers, Shih Tzus and Pekingese the eye orbits are shallow and can proptose (pushed out of the orbit) more easily than with other breeds. Poor Baby had both eyes proptosed and neither of them was viable. She had suffered too much trauma to the eyes that they would never see again.” (Photos of the eye injuries are so graphic that they were not included in this story.) The family has a special needs child in their home who requires much medical care; therefore, could not afford Baby’s additional medical bills. It was with great sadness that they signed the little dog over to a rescue group who offered to care for her.
Apparently this little girl touched the hearts of many at the clinic. The staff had the genuine desire to make the best decision possible for Baby’s future. They pondered over questions like: “Will she adjust to losing her sight? Will she be able to recover emotionally from such a brutal assault? Will she be capable to trust another dog? Well guess who helped make the decision? Baby did. As terrified and in as much pain as she was, becoming suddenly blind, she trusted the people who cared for her. She would come to the person when spoken to, seeking comfort. So the rescue organization and the veterinary staff agreed to give Baby the chance to give it a good fight. She deserved it.
Medical orders were put into action. She was given pain medication. X-rays were taken of her face and skull which confirmed Baby did not have any broken bones, but a lot of swelling. An IV was started to hydrate her and her wounds were cleaned. She had pre-op labs drawn and given antibiotic injections. Baby with her sweet disposition never as much as growled, bared her teeth or displayed any signs of aggression. Under anesthesia, Baby had a bilateral enucleation, which means that both her eyes were removed. Her eyelids were permanently sutured closed and she will always look like she is in dream land.
Since her surgery Baby has adjusted phenomenally well to her new environment. (She is in foster care recovering.) At first she was anxious about her surroundings, but now she knows her way in the house. She has a hearty appetite. She plays well with a friend smaller than she is. She can even jump up on the couch to take naps with still another companion. The veterinarian explained that a dog’s primary senses are of smell and hearing to make his way through life. Blindness is tragic, but a dog is so resilient that it tends to adjust to the loss of sight more easily than humans.
In a matter of hours, this poor dog’s life changed forever! She was attacked by a trusted friend, became sightless and lost the only family she knew and loved. This rescue agreed to take her in their program because they could not bear the thought of this precious creature being euthanized. The cost of her care has been well worth it because so far Baby has bounced back from this tragic event with much curiosity for the new chapter in her life. She has not let her handicap prevent her from enjoying the moment. This is the reward all rescuers hope for. It is such a joy to see Baby overcome the adversities she experienced as pure in character as before her tragedy.
Baby’s emergency treatments and recovery care have cost this small volunteer rescue group far more than they can afford. Their account with the clinic must be cleared before they can access those services again. Please make your donation in remembrance of a little dog whose spirit could not be broken here.