This past summer, a Goochland resident came home from the beach to find a dog abandoned in a crate on her back deck. She had no access to food or water and that week was sweltering with temperatures in the high 90's. To say Tilly was not in great shape would be an understatement.
Thankfully, it wasn't too late for her. The kind citizen called Animal Protection who brought Tilly to VRCC in Manakin-Sabot, the closest emergency vet. Tilly was in shock, severely dehydrated, hypoglycemic, and had multiple systems failure. She had a high fever due to overheating and was severely matted with fecal material caked in her unkempt coat. There was also concern that she had a potentially fatal infection in her uterus.
The staff worked diligently to stabilize Tilly, getting her on supportive care with IV fluids, antibiotics, and a glucose drip. As her coat was in such poor condition and Tilly still very fragile, they cleaned her up gradually with short spa treatments, trimming out mats and giving partial baths. Eventually, Tilly started to resemble the adorable lady she is today. She began to feel better too and was able to be transported to the shelter for continued care.
Since there was still a concern that Tilly had a very serious infection in her uterus, Drs. Elliott and Ditzler performed an ovariohysterectomy (spay) on Tilly at the FLAG Spay & Neuter Clinic once she was stable enough. The surgery went well and she began to get stronger and happier every day with the love and care provided by the shelter staff and volunteers.
Tilly was eventually adopted by a retired woman whose dog had recently passed away. They seemed made for each other and they enjoy every day together. She has even made a new best friend in her mom's granddog, Major, a 150-pound Great Dane!
Thanks to the Dr. Lori L. Elliott Medical Fund, we were able to cover the cost of Tilly's intensive treatment, including hospitalization, medical grooming, and a spay procedure, giving her a second chance at life.
Strong partnerships are critical to Goochland Pet Lovers' ability to promote and achieve the mission of saving as many lives, like Tilly's, as possible. We are grateful for the support and partnership which enables these efforts.
Please consider donating so that we can continue to be a resource for pets like Tilly who need a little extra care before they can be adopted.