The poor thing was unable to move, bark or eat.
She simply lay there, her limbs suffering from muscle rigidity.
A severe case of tetanus
In fact, Pickle was suffering from a severe case of tetanus, which explained her generalised stiffness and difficulty swallowing. It's important to know that in dogs, tetanus can prove fatal, with a mortality rate as high as 50% due to respiratory complications.
Tetanus can be treated in different ways: with antibiotics, muscle relaxants or sedation. However, for the treatments to work, it's vital that they're administered as soon as possible. Unfortunately, Pickle didn't receive the care she needed. She had suffered neglect at the hands of her previous owner.
Appropriate care
Fortunately, Pickle was able to be treated with antibiotics and had to be hospitalised for weeks. The rescuers did their best to help Pickle recover. They took turns moving her, feeding her, giving her medication, washing her and taking her for walks in a cart.
Slowly but surely, Pickle began to show signs of improvement. The stiffness that prevented her from moving began to ease. Then one day, something incredible happened when staff went to open Pickle's kennel door: she walked out on her own! All the rescuers were in shock.
New life
A month after arriving at the shelter, the brave dog is now able to run, jump and eat by herself. Pickle can also bark now, and she's discovered that she absolutely loves it!
Holly, one of the rescuers who cared for her during her recovery, realised she couldn't let Pickle go. She decided to adopt her forever!
