GREENSBORO, NC… Everyone knows how bad a toothache can be. It can bring grown men to their knees. Now imagine having 24 abscessed teeth. You would rather be shot than live with that kind of pain. That is what our sweet Gwen had been living with for most of her life. I have seen a lot of dental disease in rescue, but nothing even close to how bad Gwen’s mouth was.
 

The vets believe Gwen is somewhere between 7–10 years old, but no one knows for sure because her mouth was in such terrible shape. When I first agreed to take her, I thought she was a tiny five-pound stray that just needed a vet visit and some groceries. I drove to Columbia, SC to pick her up, and from the moment I put this gentle little soul in my car I knew something was very wrong. The smell from her mouth was overwhelming — I had to roll the windows down the whole drive. She was coughing and sneezing and clearly felt awful, so she went straight to the veterinary hospital.
 

For the next five days poor Gwen was incredibly sick with a bad upper respiratory infection and terrible abscesses in her mouth. She was basically one big infection. What many people don’t realize is dental disease isn’t just about bad teeth. The bacteria spreads through the bloodstream and can damage vital organs. I honestly don’t know how Gwen was still alive. Eating had to be incredibly painful, yet this little girl would still wag her tail. Seeing that tiny wag when she felt so bad just about broke my heart.
 

It took weeks to get Gwen stable enough for anesthesia so the surgeons could finally help her. Once she was strong enough, she went into surgery for hours. In the end 24 teeth had to be removed, leaving her with only six. She was swollen and sore at first, but once those infected teeth and abscesses were gone you could tell she finally felt relief. We are still battling a sinus infection from all the bacteria that had spread, but Gwen already feels so much better.
 

Sweet doesn’t even begin to describe this girl. After everything she had endured, she still trusted, still wagged her tail, and still believed someone would help her. Thankfully she was right.
 

Now we need a little help for Gwen. Her medical bills are huge and rescues like ours simply cannot do this without donations. Please consider donating if you can. Dogs like Gwen would never get this kind of care without a rescue willing to step in and give them a chance.

n 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.