Smile

Paralyzed Pup Was Able To Walk And Run Again, Thanks To Her Vet Who Is Now Her Mom [Video]

Published

4 years ago

July 20, 2020

She Who Makes You Smile

When Bunny was rushed to Ali’s emergency room, she was only a 13-week-old puppy who had tetanus.
Her body was stiff and she had a locked jaw which made it hard for her to eat and drink.
Ali took on the challenge and persevered to help Bunny recover and now, the pup can walk and run again.

She thought her day couldn’t get any tougher until a 13-week-old puppy was rushed into the emergency room.

Ali Thompson, a veterinarian from Bradenton, Florida, attended to Bunny, a pit bull that was already unmoving. She knew what was wrong with the poor pup and she’s resolved to save her.

The doctor explained Bunny had contracted tetanus and she was paralyzed. It is a very rare thing to happen in dogs and mostly don’t get to survive it. Bunny was stiff and couldn’t eat nor drink because of her locked jaw.

It would take weeks of intensive care, dropper feedings, and IVs in order to save the dog — and yet that’s only 50-70% rate of survival.

Unfortunately, Bunny’s owner cannot afford the needed treatment and it felt like a hopeless case. But there is something in the pup’s smile that made it so hard for Ali to just let it go.

“I decided in my head that I was gonna be a crazy person and try to take this on,” she said. “I’m gonna do everything I can to try and get her to survive.”

So she took it upon her shoulders and brought Bunny home. The stimulus had to be decreased for dogs with tetanus to prevent muscle spasms and seizures, so she kept Bunny in the dark and had her wear a sleeping mask for two weeks while Ali fed her with an eyedropper and administered IV to avoid dehydration. She also massaged and moved her muscles to keep her from getting bedsores.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bunny (@bravelikebunny) on Jul 3, 2020 at 8:16am PDT

“That first night was terrible,” Ali said. “As were many of the others that followed.

“I couldn’t get an hour of sleep in. She required constant care. And I mean constant. … In any other case scenario, this patient would have been at a specialty care hospital with teams of nurses and doctors overseeing the case 24/7 for what I’m sure could have easily exceeded $10-15,000. I had myself and a makeshift treatment room at my house.”

Ali persevered and never gave up. One day when she came home for a lunch break, Bunny suddenly started running in her direction as soon as she saw her. Her husband and the dog were outside that time to get some fresh air and it was a shocking and happy day.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bunny (@bravelikebunny) on Jun 13, 2020 at 1:11pm PDT

It was amazing how Bunny was able to gradually recover from her condition. She was brave and strong and the couple knew they couldn’t afford to give up Bunny anymore. She’s meant to be a part of their family forever.