Copyright Newsweek
A dog arrived at an Ohio shelter in such an alarming state of neglect that she was essentially paralyzed. Pickle was brought to the Humane Society of Greater Dayton along with two other dogs who were thought to be her siblings. "The siblings were healthy and fine, but Pickle was unable to move, vocalize, or eat," Holly Renee, a technician at the shelter, told Newsweek. "We don’t know anything about her life before." What was clear, however, was that Pickle was in a very bad way. The pup came in, unable to walk, chew or even bark. All she could do was lay there. "She had a severe case of tetanus, generalized muscle stiffness and rigidity, and difficulty swallowing," Renee said. A condition characterized by spastic paralysis; a 2022 study published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science found young, large-breed dogs are the most susceptible to tetanus. Canine tetanus can prove fatal, with a 2023 study from Frontiers in Veterinary Science estimating mortality rates of up to 50 percent among those dogs who suffer respiratory complications as a result of the illness. Tetanus can be treated in a variety of ways. Antibiotics, muscle relaxants and sedation can all play a role in aiding recovery. However, early intervention is crucial. Sadly, for Pickle, she didn’t get the care she needed as quickly as she could have. "It was definitely a form of neglect," Renee said. "Someone didn’t take proper care of her or get appropriate treatment." Thankfully, that all changed the minute Pickle came into the shelter’s care and once her condition was properly identified. "She had to be treated with the antitoxin, antibiotics, and had to be hospitalized for weeks," Renee said. Renee and the other staff at the shelter did their bit to aid Pickle through her recovery with them, never losing hope of one day seeing her walk again. "We had to take shifts to move her, syringe-feed her, medicate her, bathe her, and I would drag her around in a wagon, so she could at least watch us work," Renee said. Slowly but surely, Pickle began to show signs of improvement. The rigidity that had robbed her of movement began to ease off. Then, one day, something incredible happened when staff went to open Pickle’s kennel door: she walked out unaided. "Everybody was in shock because, just one morning, she walked out of her kennel, and, obviously, we were all very emotional," Renee said. "It’s hard to know how cases will turn out, so we breathed a sigh of relief knowing she was going to be OK." That was the first step in a remarkable transformation. A month ago, Pickle could barely move. Now she is able to run, jump and eat her food. Renee posted a video showcasing Pickle’s progress to her TikTok @hollyreneeb. "She can finally bark," Renee wrote alongside the clip. "Boy, she loves to bark." The video went viral, amassing over 127,000 views. It is great for Renee to see so many people invested in Pickle’s story, she said. She is invested, too: more than anyone possibly could be; she adopted her. "I was one of the technicians who cared for her, and we all grew very attached to her during her treatment," Renee said. "I took her home for a few days, and she was just meant to be my dog." Taking home your work and adopting it isn’t something Renee has ever done before, but it felt right. "It was just a feeling," she said. "I’m usually the go-to cat person at work, and I foster kittens frequently, but Pickle just worked her magic on me." The story of Pickle’s recovery is an inspiring one. If there is one thing people take away from it, Renee said she hopes it is the message that "even in the hardest moments, never let go of hope."
