Lawrenceville, GA, we received a plea to help an abandoned Yorkie mix who had apparently been hit by a car. Gwinnett County was begging for help for a 7-lb, roughly 5-year-old tiny pup with multiple fractures and an upper respiratory infection. When I saw the X-rays, I knew that if no one stepped up, they wouldn’t be able to hold her long given the severity of her injuries.
Pebbles — who we later renamed Sophia Loren — was quickly on the road to CVRC in Charleston.
Sophia suffered polytrauma, including a right distal femoral fracture and a left ilial fracture. How this tiny pup survived was incredible. The injuries were consistent with being hit by a car, though there was no road rash. We can only hope that’s truly what happened and that this was not intentional.
CVRC first had to stabilize Sophia before surgery. Based on muscle atrophy and her refusal to use her rear leg, it appeared she had been injured about a week before we received her. Once stable, she underwent surgery to repair both fractures. Dr. Racher Seibert performed her procedures, and thankfully, she did very well.
When I picked Sophia up, I was worried about her breathing. I brought her to our rehab facility but quickly realized she needed more care. Dr. Marikay at Port Royal agreed hospitalization was necessary. Sophia was developing pneumonia and was still in significant post-surgical pain.
She remained hospitalized for quite some time until her breathing improved and medications began controlling her pain and respiratory infection. Despite therapy, she still wouldn’t use her rear leg. When we returned to CVRC, imaging showed a screw that was slightly long but not problematic. They placed her on ketamine short-term, and the difference in her pain level was night and day. We were finally able to begin effective physical therapy and get her walking again.
Sophia Loren absolutely lives up to her name. With her long flowing hair, she’s a tiny diva who loves to be held and believes she should be the center of the universe. If it were up to her, she’d live full-time in someone’s lap. She loves other dogs — as long as they play on her schedule.
After months of healing, Sophia is now fully recovered. She can run on all four legs but will occasionally lift her rear leg when she thinks she’s not getting enough attention. Our little Drama Queen quickly gives up the act when she realizes we’re not falling for it and goes right back to playing.
Sophia is an incredible dog that no one was looking for. She had no microchip, no identification — nothing. It’s heartbreaking to see how often animals are failed by the people meant to protect them.
Sophia required two major surgeries and a long hospital stay, and her medical bills are extremely high.
Please consider helping us cover these costs so we can continue rescuing and caring for the abused and discarded dogs who still desperately need us.
