This abandoned dog had traumatic wounds and is missing 90% of her tongue (VIDEO)

Trixie, a three-year-old pit bull, was dumped at the shelter, underweight, filthy, and covered in horrendous wounds. Her rescuers were heartbroken to find out that the ‘sweet pup’ was also missing 90% of her tongue. Thanks to the ASPCA’s special care plan which included wet food and an ice-vest for walks, Trixie thrived and found a loving home.

Abandoned in horrifying conditions

Trixie was found dumped and tied to an Animal Care Centre's gatein a blistering cold in the middle of winter. The neglected pet was then taken to ASPCA Animal Recovery Center in Manhattan, New York.

The pup was underweight, dehydrated and had a dirty, foul-smelling coat. To rescue’s heartbreak, she also had multiple skin wounds on her face, chin, neck, front legs, the top of her head and underside of her lower jaw. All were in various stages of healing.

Sadly, Trixie also had traumatic oral cavity wounds and injuries consistent with painful dog bites. A medical examination revealed that she was missing approximately 90% of her tongue. It’s not clear how it had come to this.

Much-needed vet help

ASPCA Animal Hospital treated Trixie with intravenous fluids, pain killers, antibiotics, and anti-nausea and stomach protectant medication. Her nails were trimmed, her ears cleaned and she was bathed.

But the vets were still facing unique challenges to make this special needs pup's life as comfortable as possible. Dr Sarah Mantovani, Medical Supervisor, Canine Annex for Recovery and Enrichment (CARE), said:

The tongue in a dog serves a lot of purposes; obviously eating and drinking becomes much more challenging since the tongue is what’s used to get food to move to the back of the throat and swallow.

Living without a tongue

To accommodate Trixie’s special needs, she needed her feeding to be sorted.

Normal dog food was substituted with wet food formed into small meatballs and placed in a bowl at the level of her head so she could take and swallow them easily. To drink, Trixie dunks her snout in a deep pail of water, so she can take in as much water as she wants.

Handling the heat was another issue, as a dog’s tongue plays a key role in regulating the animal's body temperature, moving air through panting.

Trixie’s outdoor walks were limited to 10 minutes in the summer, with her wearing an ice vest with pockets for cooling packs. There was also a body thermometer on hand to make sure the cooling vest did its job.

As the ASPCA helped Trixie to adjust to her new normal, the pup was now ready for a loving home.

A loving home

Vanessa had just rescued a young, mixed-breed dog named Ella when she learned about Trixie. She said:

After hearing her story, I couldn’t say no.

Despite the owner’s worries, Ella and Trixie got along and even became BFFs. The special needs pup is the centre of attention in her new home. She is spoiled rotten by Vanessa’s three teenage daughters and husband.

The new doggy mama commented:

She is as sweet as pie. You’d never know she had a painful history. And she follows me everywhere. I like to think she found me.

Vanessa follows the ASPCA’s care plan for Trixie and though it requires extra effort, she doesn’t think twice about it. According to her, ‘once you have that bond, it just becomes part of your routine.’

Sources used:

- The ASPCA: 'Special Attention for a Sweet Dog with Special Needs'

Read more:

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⋙ A pup abandoned with horrendous untreated burns charmed his foster family

⋙ These bonded inseparable dogs were abandoned and are now looking for a new home