‘Life-threatening infection’ would have killed stray dog — but surgeon had other plans
A very loving and playful pup is back to doing circle zoomies in a brand new home after a shelter in Illinois refused to let a life-threatening infection get the best of her.
At first, Wanda, a little terrier mix, looked like a tiny matted mess with her once-fluffy ebony fur morphing into an uncomfortable ball of chaos when she was discovered as a stray pup. But, it turns out, her fur was the least of her problems, PAWS Chicago said in a Feb. 5 Instagram post.
“She was extremely matted, weak, running a high fever, and had symptoms of pyometra, a life-threatening infection of the uterus that requires immediate treatment,” the shelter noted in a post that featured photos of Wanda after she was just brought in, then after she was treated.
Unfortunately, the shelter’s surgeon had already clocked out when Wanda was found.
“It was the end of the day, and our surgeon was on her way home, but Wanda didn’t have time to wait,” the shelter said. “While Wanda was rushed over to our Medical Center, our surgeon rushed back to perform her emergency surgery that evening.”
Not only did the surgery expose that sepsis was raging through her body, but she also had other big issues.
“Once in surgery, we discovered Wanda was septic, meaning the infection had entered her bloodstream and was now circulating through her whole body. Getting through surgery was only half the battle - she was also dehydrated, hypoglycemic, had a respiratory infection, a heart arrhythmia, and cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), all while still having to overcome sepsis,” the shelter said.
“It took a week in critical care to get Wanda back on her feet. Antibiotics fought off the infection, her blood sugar levels balanced, and her respiratory infection cleared up - then our focus turned to her heart. Our hope was that the arrhythmia and cardiomegaly were reactions to the sepsis, and could clear up with time and TLC.”
Despite going down a rough road, Wanda was able to pull through and start a new chapter in her life — one that includes a warm home and love.
“After a break in foster care, we brought in a cardiologist who confirmed - Wanda’s heart was back in great shape! It had been a long battle for this little survivor, and just hours after she arrived at our Adoption Center, Wanda found a family to catch her up on a lifetime of spoiling. Welcome home, Wanda!” the shelter said.
For more information on other adoptable pets, visit the shelter’s website.
This story was originally published February 10, 2025 at 11:27 AM with the headline "‘Life-threatening infection’ would have killed stray dog — but surgeon had other plans."