Rescued From a Pond With a Broken Leg: Help Pretzel Heal

When Pretzel was found in a pond at a scrapyard, she was in desperate need of help. This sweet puppy had an open fracture with exposed bone in her back leg and had clearly been suffering for days. She was rushed to an emergency veterinary clinic, where she arrived extremely pale, covered in fleas and ticks, and with maggots around her mouth and wounds.

Pretzel was critically anemic and needed a blood transfusion and blood pressure support immediately. This Is Houston put down a $10,000 deposit to make sure she could receive the lifesaving care she needed.

Thankfully, Pretzel has been fighting hard. She responded beautifully to her blood transfusion, and her PCV has been slowly improving. Beneath all that fluffy puppy fur, however, Pretzel is incredibly thin with very little muscle mass. Her veterinary team is having to carefully manage her nutrition because she is at risk for refeeding syndrome after being so malnourished.

Her injuries have also been extensive. Pretzel had a large hotspot on the right side of her neck that was filled with maggots and required shaving and extensive cleaning. Her most serious injury is to her right tibia, which is fractured, along with several broken toes on that same foot. The ER team spent approximately 1½ hours cleaning and treating her wounds.

And the injury wasn't brand new. X-rays showed bone remodeling around the fracture, indicating that Pretzel's leg had likely been broken for 5–7 days before she was rescued. She had been carrying that painful injury while trying to survive. Fortunately, her pelvis and hips look healthy, giving her a much better outlook for the future.

After consulting with specialists and getting a second opinion, the veterinary team determined that amputation is the best option for Pretzel. Attempting to save the leg would mean prolonged confinement, multiple procedures, potentially additional surgeries as she grows, and no guarantee that the leg could ultimately be saved. Even more concerning, her injured leg is an active source of infection.

Amputation will give Pretzel the best opportunity to heal, get comfortable, and get back to doing what a puppy should be doing — playing, exploring, and enjoying life.

Her medical records also revealed several rib fractures that weren't initially known. Thankfully, those injuries should heal on their own and won't require surgery, but they're another reminder of just how much this little girl has endured.

Despite everything, Pretzel continues to surprise everyone with how well she's doing. Her PCV is currently holding steady at 18%, so she has thankfully avoided another blood transfusion for now. She's eating well on her own and has transitioned to oral medications. Her amputation is scheduled for Friday.

Pretzel's road to recovery is still going to be a long one. She needs surgery, continued monitoring, medications, wound care, nutrition, and ongoing veterinary support as her tiny body heals from her injuries and neglect.

But brighter days are ahead for this little girl. Pretzel has already survived the hardest part: being alone, injured, and suffering. Now she just needs the chance to heal.

Please consider donating to help This Is Houston cover Pretzel's extensive veterinary care and give this sweet puppy the healthy, happy future she deserves. ❤️‍🩹🥨

Every donation helps keep her on the road from survival to recovery.