Bagel's Story: Recovery against the odds

Bagel arrived half the weight that she should have been, our in-house vet, Bridget, described her as a ‘bag of bones’.

Bagel is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who came to us in February this year when she was found wandering by some bins in a local park. She arrived in such shocking condition that it’s clear that she has suffered years of chronic neglect.

When we first met her, Bagel was suffering from various severe and upsetting health conditions.

She was blind due to inflammation and such deep ulcers in her corneas that her eyeballs were at risk of rupturing. This was caused by untreated dry eye. She was also deaf due to an ear mite infestation so bad that her eardrums had burst. She was suffering from anaemia and muscle weakness due to malnutrition, a mammary mass, and a urinary tract infection. On top of this, Bagel was battling a painful dental disease that had caused a bone infection in her jaw. Bridget told us ‘the pain she felt must have been unbearable’.

Months and years of dirt and grime were matted into her fur, and she was simply so malnourished and sick that her body had stopped producing hair, leaving bald patches across her whole body.

It didn’t seem like Bagel was going to make it.

But Bridget the vet worked round the clock to deliver the life-saving care that she required.

This included several minor and more significant procedures to flush her ears, treat her dental disease, and remove her benign mammary mass, as well as hourly eye drops, antibiotics, and blood tests to monitor her anaemia.

Gradually, and with the steadfast love and determination of our team, Bagel made a full recovery.

Amazingly, she has fully regained her sight and her hearing. She will need lifelong treatment for her ongoing dry eye in the form of regular daily eye drops, but aside from this, she has gained weight, her fur has grown back, and she can now run and play like a healthy pup. Bagel survived and blossomed against all odds.

And Bagel’s heartwarming story doesn’t end there.

During her months of treatment, Bridget the vet fell in love with the little warrior and decided to give Bagel her forever home, herself.

Bridget told us:

‘Bagel is an absolute joy to live with, so sweet-natured, she loves nothing more than cuddling and sitting on your lap. She loves everyone and will happily sit on anybody’s knee! 

It has been lovely watching her recover, regain her sight and hearing, and grow all her hair back, she has become very fluffy. She has even started to play and do zoomies, it’s incredible to see her gain the energy and newfound confidence to enjoy life.

We are all completely in love with her.’

Thanks to the support provided by people like you, we will do everything in our power to help animals like Bagel to recover, regain trust, and settle in loving homes.  Help us continue to be there for the animals who need us most. Find out more about our work and how you can be a part of it on our website.