Nevada Humane Society Animal Files: Saving Meringue
Every now and then someone special touches your heart. Right now, that someone is Meringue. She arrived at Nevada Humane Society barely a week ago, less than 32 ounces in size, fitting in the palm of your hand. She was fighting for her life and she was in shock.
Meringue had wounds all over her head and neck. It wasn’t pretty. There was swelling and blood. Puncture marks made it clear she was more than likely attacked. Her eye was swollen shut and she was struggling to breathe. Not knowing how deep the wounds in her head were and what kind of permanent damage was already setting in, she was rushed to Nevada Humane Society’s veterinary clinic.
The tiny puppy was placed under anesthesia so we could get to work. Her fur was shaved, wounds flushed and cleaned and IV fluids given to help her fight off dehydration. She had radiographs of her head and neck. Her eyes were thoroughly examined. She was given pain medications, an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. Finally, Meringue was set up to rest on a warm heating pad, surrounded by constant TLC from staff to help guide her out of the woods.
Meringue went to foster care that night for more round the clock care. She received a gentle compress every few hours, to eliminate the pain in her head and neck and bring down the swelling. She still wasn’t right. She wanted no human contact and she seemed to stare off into space — but we weren’t giving up.
It took several days but Meringue began to come around. The pain lessened, her wounds began to look better, and her swollen eye slowly opened. Though her medical journey is far from over and it’s not clear if her eye sustained permanent damage, her passion for life is now clear. Meringue was choosing to fight.
Today, she’s in foster care with me, doing well, healing nicely and acting like the typical puppy — she chews on the bottom of my pants and chases me around the room.
There is no doubt she is going to be fabulous in a new home.
It seems more and more animals are arriving like Meringue — facing a dire medical need. It’s our job to give them the best chance they can get, to go above and beyond to save lives. This is what we are here for. This is what we do best. And for me, this little gal gives me hope and reassures me that I too, and doing what is right by helping others.
— Kimberly Wade is the Communications Director for Nevada Humane Society. She has been with the organization for almost 9 years but her passion for animals is lifelong. Kimberly lives with her husband and 3 cats.