When Buttermilk arrived at ADL, she was emaciated, heartworm positive, and had a severely broken leg. There was a large mass on her chest and another on her hind leg. She also had pyometra, a potentially fatal infection of the uterus that occurs in unspayed females.
Surgery was immediately performed to spay and remove the infected uterus along with the mass on her chest. Another surgery was completed to amputate her front left leg as it was too broken to be saved.
Lab results showed that the mass on her chest was cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, likely caused by chronic exposure to the sun. Animals with little pigment are prone to developing skin cancer in areas heavily exposed to the sun. The mass from her hind leg was diagnosed as a cancerous tumor and completely removed.
Poor Buttermilk also has a collapsed trachea! The rings of cartilage along the airway from her throat to lungs are weakened and can collapse causing her to cough in a way that sounds similar to a honking goose. Luckily the collapse is minimal and can be easily managed.
Buttermilk regained her weight, recovered from her surgeries, and is now heartworm free! She’s finally, for the first time in a long time, healthy.
Despite all she has been through Buttermilk might just be the happiest tripod you’ll ever meet! The pain and suffering she endured makes us want to cry, but her always wagging tail and big grin never fail to make us smile. Buttermilk has already won the heart of her new mom, and she now has a home of her own.
With your support, we can help save more pets like buttermilk by donating to our Roosevelt Fund!
Who is Roosevelt? Roosevelt was a fearful terrier mix who came into our care in June of 2012. Despite arthritis, mange, ear and eye infections, and internal parasites, Roosevelt began to warm-up to our staff. His strong-will and energy was an inspiration to all.
Years of living on the streets of San Antonio had taken a toll on his body, and he eventually passed peacefully in our hospital. We could not entirely fix Roosevelt, but we gave him a loving, safe space for his last days. In his honor, we created the Roosevelt Fund to give life and hope to the severe medical cases that come through our doors.
Donate to our Roosevelt Fund